Hard work and humility

[don logan 8,075]

Is it too much to ask for a manager in this mould? Probably.

Diego Simeone: Is Atletico Madrid coach football's most wanted?

By Andy West Spanish football writer

In Britain, Argentine Diego Simeone is best remembered as the man whose reaction to a petulant kick by David Beckham resulted in the England star famously being sent off during a World Cup game in 1998.

That is a harsh reflection on his playing career, though, because Simeone was a magnificent midfielder, winning 106 international caps and starring in Serie A for Inter Milan and Lazio as well as guiding Atletico to a league and cup double in 1996 (their most recent La Liga triumph).

Simeone was on the receiving end of Beckham's infamous kick in 1998

And now, Simeone is carving a new career as one of the game's hottest managerial properties, with his approach to coaching mirroring the blend of winning attitude and technical aptitude that characterised his playing days.

If you asked Diego Simeone how his Atletico Madrid team have overcome all the odds to progress to the Champions League semi-finals as well as topping La Liga with just six games remaining, he would provide you with a simple answer: "Hard work and humility."

Indeed, that is exactly the mantra he has been preaching on a weekly basis this season, as the football world continues to wonder when - or if at all - his steamroller of a team will finally run out of puff.

Until recently, most people assumed it would simply be a matter of time. When, not if. But Wednesday's famous victory over Barcelona, where Atletico succeeded in knocking the Catalan team out of the Champions League before the last four for the first time since 2007, sent a loud and clear message: Atletico Madrid are for real.

To a great extent, Simeone's assessment of his Atletico team's greatest strengths - hard work and humility - is absolutely right.

The rise of Simeone

Atletico were only four points above the La Liga relegation zone when Diego Simeone became coach in December 2011. Within 18 months he had guided them to the Europa League, Uefa Super Cup and Copa del Rey titles.

The discipline, intensity and sheer, uncompromising effort of their play is unrivalled. That was never more evident in the opening stages on Wednesday, when Atletico's whirlwind of attacking pressure simply blew Barcelona away, resulting in Koke netting the only goal of the game and David Villa thumping shots against the woodwork twice inside the opening 20 minutes.

Hard work and humility - as well as, to use Simeone's other favourite phrase, going from game to game - have allowed Atletico's bunch of largely unheralded journeymen, none of whom (with the exception of Villa) were superstars before they arrived at the Vicente Calderon, to barge their way without an invitation into the upper echelons of world football.

For any football fan who has become cynical about the modern game's tendency to be ruled by huge dollops of money, Atletico's unstoppable rise has been a breath of fresh air.

In the days of Arab sheikhs, Russian oligarchs and American business tycoons, low-budget teams like Atletico simply aren't supposed to do this well. Yet here they are, with less than six weeks of the season remaining, still in strong contention for the two most prestigious prizes on offer.

That is, indeed, largely down to the relentless work ethic instilled by Simeone. But it would be very wrong to suggest that Atletico's current success is simply down to the fact that they run around a lot, because there is also a huge amount of quality and intelligence within their ranks.

That starts on the training ground, where Simeone and his gruff assistant Mono Burgos prepare the perfect tactics to suit their team's strengths.

Atletico are unbeaten against Barcelona in five matches this season and meet on the final day of the La Liga campaign

Under Simeone's instruction, Atletico are defensively disciplined, unsurpassably organised and play with great game awareness, knowing when to press ferociously in numbers and when to sit deep, waiting for the right opportunity to pounce upon their hapless opponents and launch a rapid, pinpoint counter-attack.

As the eloquent Argentine boss explained in the build-up to his team's latest triumph, Barcelona's strength lies in controlling possession; Atletico's lies in controlling space.

Simeone's attention to detail and his ability to clearly communicate his plans ensures that his players have mastered the art of playing the game where they want to, while simultaneously forcing their opponents into areas where they feel uncomfortable.

More than anything, though, Simeone's unbounding positivity and unshakeable belief that good habits, when consistently applied on a day to day basis, will lead to winning performances has succeeded in completely turning Atletico's image on its head.

For years, Madrid's second team suffered from a severe inferiority complex as neighbouring Real ruled the roost and the rest of Spain derided them as hapless bunglers who always managed to somehow mess everything up.

That reputation was most famously captured in a notorious television advert, when a forlorn young boy asked his frowning father: "Porque somos del Atleti?" Why are we Atleti fans? It was a sort of Spanish equivalent to "Accrington Stanley…who are dey?" and illustrated the inescapable sense of inevitable doom which habitually engulfed Atletico fans as they lurched from disaster to disaster.

Simeone credited the Atletico fans with inspiring his team to victory in the Champions League

Under Simeone, Atletico are finally shattering that conception; their manager is even an image of vibrant self-belief as he prowls the touchline during games, constantly turning to the crowd and vigorously urging them to applaud the players for their wholehearted effort.

When referee Howard Webb blew the final whistle at the Vicente Calderon on Wednesday, tremendous scenes of jubilation were unleashed, with the home fans - chanting and singing with a relentlessness almost matching their team - refusing to leave the shaking stadium until their heroes re-emerged from the tunnel to embark upon a celebratory lap of honour.

La Liga table after 32 games

Points

Head to head and not goal difference decides teams level on points. Atletico have better record than Real, and yet to play Barcelona twice

1. Atletico Madrid

79

2. Barcelona

78

3. Real Madrid

76

As the players finally gave way to those demands and dragged their weary bodies back onto the pitch, to be sportingly saluted even by the travelling Barcelona fans, one man was conspicuous by his absence. Diego Simeone was apparently nowhere to be seen.

But he was there all right, hiding on his own at the back of the dugout, quietly watching the scenes of celebration he had helped to create with obvious pride, seemingly struggling to force back tears. After the hard work, the humility.

Former Liverpool and Republic of Ireland forward Michael Robinson, who finished his playing career in Spain and is now the country's foremost television pundit, concluded his rhapsody over Atletico's performance by enthusing: "It's impossible not to admire them."

Robinson is exactly right. "Why are we Atletico fans?" Right now, the more pertinent question is why anyone wouldn't be.

[quinty 1,445]

Hardwork and humility my erchie!!

Step back from the euphoria for a moment, however, and a glance at Atletico's accounts makes for grim reading.

Figures for 2011-12 collated by Jose Maria Gay, a professor at the University of Barcelona and an expert on soccer finances, show the club are saddled with debts of more than 500 million euros and the cost of paying their players and staff alone is more than 90 percent of annual earnings.

They had managed to stay afloat due to their unexpected winnings on the pitch and by convincing the government to let them fall behind in the payment of more than 100 million euros in taxes, according to Jaume Llopis, a professor at the IESE business school in Barcelona and soccer finance expert.

The sale of top players like Fernando Torres, David De Gea and Sergio Aguero to the Premier League, a partnership with the Azerbaijan tourist board, reported to be worth 12 million euros over 18 months, and a deal with sporting goods maker Nike have also helped keep the wolves from the door, Llopis said.

"Atletico Madrid's financial situation is dramatic," he told Reuters.

"But this year because of the team's excellent results their economic problems are not talked about. "Only with their continued presence in the Champions League, locking in the sponsorship deal with Azerbaijan, attracting more sponsors and selling their best players can they improve their finances, although it will be very tough.

"Either they stay in the Champions League and win the odd title which keeps the sponsors happy or they won't be able to straighten out their precarious economic situation."

[don logan 8,075]

Hardwork and humility my erchie!!

Step back from the euphoria for a moment, however, and a glance at Atletico's accounts makes for grim reading.

Figures for 2011-12 collated by Jose Maria Gay, a professor at the University of Barcelona and an expert on soccer finances, show the club are saddled with debts of more than 500 million euros and the cost of paying their players and staff alone is more than 90 percent of annual earnings.

They had managed to stay afloat due to their unexpected winnings on the pitch and by convincing the government to let them fall behind in the payment of more than 100 million euros in taxes, according to Jaume Llopis, a professor at the IESE business school in Barcelona and soccer finance expert.

The sale of top players like Fernando Torres, David De Gea and Sergio Aguero to the Premier League, a partnership with the Azerbaijan tourist board, reported to be worth 12 million euros over 18 months, and a deal with sporting goods maker Nike have also helped keep the wolves from the door, Llopis said.

"Atletico Madrid's financial situation is dramatic," he told Reuters.

"But this year because of the team's excellent results their economic problems are not talked about. "Only with their continued presence in the Champions League, locking in the sponsorship deal with Azerbaijan, attracting more sponsors and selling their best players can they improve their finances, although it will be very tough.

"Either they stay in the Champions League and win the odd title which keeps the sponsors happy or they won't be able to straighten out their precarious economic situation."

Their economic problems have nothing to do with what Simeone has achieved with a bunch of "journeymen".

[quinty 1,445]

Their economic problems have nothing to do with what Simeone has achieved with a bunch of "journeymen".

Figures for 2011-12 collated by Jose Maria Gay, a professor at the University of Barcelona and an expert on soccer finances, show the club are saddled with debts of more than 500 million euros and the cost of paying their players and staff alone is more than 90 percent of annual earnings.

[RFC Eagle 4,888]

Figures for 2011-12 collated by Jose Maria Gay, a professor at the University of Barcelona and an expert on soccer finances, show the club are saddled with debts of more than 500 million euros and the cost of paying their players and staff alone is more than 90 percent of annual earnings.

the fact that they are challenging the big two (both with huge debt issues and propped up by local government) will have nothing whatsoever to do with someone from the University of Barcelona trying to pour scorn on their on field acjhievements will it? Is Guardiola a lesser manager for being succesful at Barcelona because of their extremely parlous economic (and, some would say, moral) state? Whatever the financial circumstances Simeone has done a fantastic job. The OP only suggests finding a manager who will instill the same principles into our team. That doesn't take a budget it takes a vision that is, sadly, lacking in the current incumbent.

[Blueshoff 11,876]

They need to get on to the Co-Op for a loan

[don logan 8,075]

Whatever their wage bill might be in relation to their turnover, it will still be a fraction of the Real and Barcelona wage bills. He's also built his team from what he inherited and with modest transfer fees in relation to his big rivals. You could strongly argue that the players under his tutelage have improved, the team certainly have. Now what could a coach like that do for us?

[quinty 1,445]

the fact that they are challenging the big two (both with huge debt issues and propped up by local government) will have nothing whatsoever to do with someone from the University of Barcelona trying to pour scorn on their on field acjhievements will it? Is Guardiola a lesser manager for being succesful at Barcelona because of their extremely parlous economic (and, some would say, moral) state? Whatever the financial circumstances Simeone has done a fantastic job. The OP only suggests finding a manager who will instill the same principles into our team. That doesn't take a budget it takes a vision that is, sadly, lacking in the current incumbent.

Aye right enough, but not seeing the Barcelona link with these two:

Angel Barajas, a professor of finance and accounting at the University of Vigo who specialises in sports economics, believes Atletico do not have the resources to challenge in more than one competition over the longer term.

However, by selling their best players from time to time and buying decent replacements, as well as bringing through talent from the club's academy, they could remain a strong contender in the second rank behind the richest teams, he added.

"Atletico's situation is problematic because of the level of debt but if they manage to keep wages under control and sell players to raise cash, while keeping their sporting model intact, they could stay at a good level," Barajas told Reuters.

"What is not viable in the long term is trying to stay in the fight for La Liga and European silverware in competition with clubs who have more than twice their earnings.

"One exceptional season is possible but competing at the highest level in various competitions needs not only a good team but an extraordinary squad. And that costs a great deal."

Placido Rodriguez, a professor of economics at Oviedo University and a former chairman of Sporting Gijon, noted several examples of Spanish clubs with relatively limited resources that have challenged at the highest level before fading away again.

These included Valencia, Villarreal, Deportivo La Coruna and Sevilla, who all had successful runs in Europe and either won or came close to winning La Liga in the past 15 years but like Atletico, have had to sell their top performers.

Atletico Madrid, I predict will follow the path of Villareal, Deportivo, Valencia who all sought to challenge using a financially unsustainable model.

[quinty 1,445]

Whatever their wage bill might be in relation to their turnover, it will still be a fraction of the Real and Barcelona wage bills. He's also built his team from what he inherited and with modest transfer fees in relation to his big rivals. You could strongly argue that the players under his tutelage have improved, the team certainly have. Now what could a coach like that do for us?

Bankrupt us

[don logan 8,075]

Bankrupt us

Rubbish. Simeone got the job in 2011 so that debt was run up before he took over. His transfer dealings are in the black and he's just earned them a small fortune by getting to the CL semis. What's the prize pot for winning La Liga? How much are his players worth now compared to when they came to the club?

[RFC Eagle 4,888]

Bankrupt us

You missed the last bit of my post. Its not about money its about vision. The ones that would bankrupt us are those suggesting we should need to spend even more than we have to win the Championship. It has been proven over the years that you don't always need pots of cash to implement a vision. Its what Swansea did at their lowest ebb and, despite their current difficulties, they have achieved far more from that vision than they could have dreamed of.

You need to look at what Simeone has achieved when compared with the 2 clubs he is up there fighting with. Their financial muscle is light years ahead of Athletico (a bit like ours compared to all but 1 club in Scotland) yet Simeone has produced a team to challenge them with far less resources.

[Bluenose1980 107]

Bankrupt us

Not to worry then Ally is already trying to do that with his massive salary and those of his players not to mention their overnight stays in 5 star hotels before games. Hardwork and humility are foreign concepts to this bunch of money grabbing layabouts.

[Courtyard Bear 41,357]

Aye very good but would they win The Ramsdens Cup?

[Pedrono1 92]

If only ally had the atletico managers managerial talent aww well we can only dream!!