Athletic Club - An Example Of Identity Off The Pitch, But Not On It

When you think of identity within football, one team springs to mind: Athletic Club. One of the oldest and historical clubs in Spain, known worldwide for their truly unique policy of using only Basque players, or those with Basque heritage. Everything about Athletic screams heritage; from the museum in San Mames, the Lezama training complex that has produced over 300 academy graduates and the bars in the city-centre that are adorned with Athletic flags as the locals spill out in to the streets before the match. On the pitch, however, Athletic have struggled to make their mark under new coach Jose Angél "Kuko" Ziganda and look a shadow of their former-selves.

Since Kuko's appointment, Athletic have scrabbled and floundered their way through a patchy season that started well, but has tailed off considerably with fans growing considerably restless. Whilst there have been contributing factors to the downturn in form, losing the creative Iker Muniain to a season-long knee injury and Aymeric Laporte to Manchester City being the stand outs, it is the tactical ineptitude of the former striker that has fans frustrated. A video appeared on social media this week, after the unconvincing 2-1 win against basement side Malaga of Athletic supporters screaming "Kuko vete ya!" at the manager. Get out of here. 

Athleticzales, and Spanish football fans alike, will explain to you that watching the transformation of the deepest squad in decades from a tactically well-oiled unit, into a side that is neither pragmatic, nor expressive has been disparaging to watch. All too often Athletic start like a locomotive, full steam ahead, closing and harrying opponents into mistakes and trying to force their mark upon the game before retreating. The weather in Bilbao, particularly in the winter is grey, wet and cold, much like the brand of football Ziganda is currently playing.

Against relegation strugglers Las Palmas and Malaga, Athletic have struggled to gain a grip on the game and look bereft of ideas, particularly going forward. There is a certain reluctance to use wide areas, but against both of the aforementioned teams, this is where Los Leones caused issues for the opposition with the lightning speed of Inaki Williams and the guile of Markel Susaeta. The mis-firing strike partnership of Aritz Aduriz and Raul Garcia clearly need some support from a creative source, and despite his ability on the ball at a time when both strikers need it, Ager Aketxe was sold to Toronto FC of MLS.

Looking back over the course of the season, a host of leading Spanish newspapers have attempted to predict the formation in which Athletic will line up without much success. There have been a total of five listed, with Kuko's latest experiment, a 5-3-2 against an impressive Girona side, failing completely. When looking in-depth at the tactical set-up of Athletic, it is particularly difficult to understand which formation they are lining up as, although a loose definition would be 4-4-1-1 or a particularly stretched 4-2-3-1 may well be suitable. There are gaps between the 'lines' that are far too large, allowing opposition teams to pass through a static midfield with ease. Aduriz is often frustrated, isolated and un-influential, despite his breath-taking form in recent years - it is difficult to understand where Athletic will secure goals from, should Aduriz retire soon. In wide-areas, Athletic struggle to form overloads using the wing-back and wingers, meaning driving at the opposition defence is a rarity, and advancing in to dangerous wide areas becomes a fruitless task of running down blind alleys all too often.

Only in patches have Athletic looked like the formidable team they were under Valverde and, to an extent, Marcelo Bielsa before him. Unlike his predecessors Ziganda seems incapable of turning the tide when it is against Athletic, but inviting pressure on to his team when leading. Malaga being a prime example, taking off Inigo Cordoba (winger) and replacing him with Ander Iturraspe (defensive midfielder) to slot alongside a midfield of Benat and Mikel San Jose. 

Despite the negativity surrounding recent results on the pitch, there is still an under current of excitement within the fan-base as the club progresses through the Europa League and continues to produce wonderful young talents, whilst securing the biggest Basque talents from other clubs (Ander Capa and Dani Garcia are due to arrive this summer). However, it is up to Kuko to queeze the best from the likes of Inaki Williams who has, so far, only shown flashes of his immense capabilities under Ziganda.

There are increasing rumours that Club President Josu Urrutia will seek a replacement for Ziganda over the summer, as the results on the pitch do not match the ambition that Athletic are showing off the pitch. Securing Inaki Williams, Yeray Alvarez and Kepa Arrizabalaga to long-term contracts, along with signing Real Sociedad centre-back Inigo Martinez as the first major player to cross the divide between the two clubs since Joseba Exteberria in 1995. Already names such as Unai Emery, Jose Luis Mendilliba and Toto Berizzo are linked with Athletic, but there is also support for Bilbao Athletic coach Gaizka Garitano and name-sake Asier, who is currently in charge of high-flying Eibar.

Upon reflection, it wasn't meant to be like this for Athletic, with the appointment of Ziganda seen as a continuation from the immense Valverde. To see a club legend struggle, and the fanbase turn on him in recent weeks is tough, but if Athletic are to reflect their stature off the pitch the change is certainly needed on it.