:quality(85)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/infobae/U7DRDQBTOJBGRO3IZK7K5EVOBA.jpg "The international candidate of the Atlético Nacional board of directors to be the new coach has already given his response")
The Antioquia team is considered the ‘King of Cups’ of Colombian professional football – credit Los Del Sur /
Atlético Nacional is searching for a new coach to overcome the sporting crisis it has been going through since the start of the 2024 season, after the departure of Jhon Jairo Bodmer due to poor results and threats against his family. The team’s management is eyeing a foreign coach, prominent on the continental level and with previous experience in Colombia, to fill the vacant position. Among the names that sound strongly is that of the Argentine Luis Zubeldía, who has an outstanding history in Conmebol, especially after his successful time in the Quito League in 2023.
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However, the Argentine journalist Germán García Grova announced that the young strategist rejected the invitation of the purslane leadership and will continue without a team, after leaving the Quito University Sports League, where he was champion of the Copa Sudamericana in 2023: “Luis Zubeldia WILL NOT BE coach of #AtleticoNacional. From the club they surveyed the DT’s entourage who communicated the decision.”
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Bodmer’s departure was precipitated after a defeat against Nacional of Paraguay in the Conmebol Libertadores, which intensified the search for a replacement capable of revitalizing the team. Zubeldía, with a performance of 68% during his time at Independiente Medellín between 2016 and 2017, emerges as an attractive option. However, hiring him presented challenges, particularly in terms of his high salary, which is around $1 million annually, an aspect that complicates negotiations due to the reluctance of some managers about the viability of such an investment in the League. Betplay.
Other candidates considered for the position include Santiago Escobar, who, despite his previous successes with the team and good relationship with the fans, lost strength in consideration due to his recent financial aspirations in Chile and Ecuador. Luis Fernando Suárez, another name that was part of the deck of options and with a notable record both with Atlético Nacional and internationally, also did not advance in the negotiations.
With the use of youth players in Atlético Nacional as a priority from 2023, the managers’ sports project has been plagued by criticism for poor results – credit Atlético Nacional
Finally, Lucas González, known for his work in lower divisions and with experience in teams such as Águilas Doradas and América, was discarded given his lack of experience in decisive stages and the pressure inherent to a club of the size of Atlético Nacional.
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Atlético Nacional announced a change in its technical direction after the departure of Jhon Jairo Bodmer, due to poor results in the tournament and safety concerns related to his family. The club has entrusted the temporary management of the team to Juan Camilo Pérez, who will be in charge of the next match against Equidad on February 25 in El Campín, in what will be his professional debut as a coach. This move is accompanied by the support of Francisco Maturana, experienced in the football field, who will advise the team in this transition period.