After Wednesdays 4-0 defeat to Chelsea in the Champions League, Atletico Madrid finally decided it was time to replace coach Abel Resino. ´Los Colchoneros´ have endured a disastrous start and currently lie 1 point above the relegation zone. Put into perspective, they are currently worse off at this stage of the season than the infamous Atletico side of 1999/2000 that was relegated to La Segunda. That team contained stars such as Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Kiko and Juan Carlos Valerón, so there´s no guaranteeing Sergio Agüero, Maxi and Forlan will save them this time, thats if they´re still around after January.
Many will question how a team that qualified for the Champions League last year have suffered such a drastic change in fortunes in one summer. They managed to hold onto their deadly duo and signed a couple of future stars in Jurado and Sergio ´The Next Casillas´ Asenjo.
Yet what they failed to address was an ageing and porous defence. Centre backs Pablo and Ujfalusi appear clueless, whilst Antonio Lopez and Pernía have seen their careers in steady decline since being included in the Spain squad for the 2006 World Cup. They were propelled last year by the awesome form of Forlan and Agüero, but now the goals have dried up, so have the points.
It was only a matter of minutes after Abel´s solemn farewell speech to the Atletico faithful, that former Valencia coach Quique Sanchez Flores was officially named as his replacement. A man known for his giggle fits during press conferences wont find anything funny about his new home. He´s got two weeks to get it in order before the neighbouring Galacticos come to town.