Chelsea FC: Diego Simeone Committed To Atletico Madrid
Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone has been linked to Chelsea FC but is not eager to leave
Chelsea FC are in the midst of a very unexpected manager search but one name may have to be removed off the list. Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone spoke before Jose Mourinho was sacked and reaffirmed his commitment to the Spanish club.
He said, as quoted in The Guardian:
"“Why can’t I be here [at Atlético] longer? Why did I choose a five-year contract? Because I see a club that is ‘virgin’ and Miguel Ángel [Gil Marín, the chief executive] and Enrique [Cerezo, the president] have the ability to open up new sources to strengthen in. It’s not easy to leave Atlético.”“More than a team we are a family, and we are a real family. Obviously we have internal problems, there are players who get angry and who will get angry because they don’t play. I am the father and the grandfather is a role for Miguel Ángel Gil and Enrique Cerezo.”“We have a potential that no one has. Oblak, Giménez, Vietto, Carrasco, Óliver, Koke, Correa, Saúl, Lucas, Thomas… 10 young players and the veterans are at the perfect age.”"
Simeone has been seen for some time now as the heir apparent to Jose Mourinho in world football. His teams play a similar style of physical, defense-first football. He emphasizes the concept of football being very much a collective effort that is boosted by individual brilliance rather than the other way around.
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Atletico shocked the world by breaking up the Real Madrid/Barcelona dichotomy in La Liga two seasons ago and they also made an unlikely run to the Champions League Final, beating Chelsea along the way. Simeone has become a beloved figure at the club and his reluctance to leave the club makes a great deal of sense.
Under Simeone, Atletico have collected a spectacular haul of domestic and European trophies. They took home the Europa League and UEFA Super Cup in 2012 and Copa Del Rey in 2013 along with a league title. Atletico have done so using a combination of smart purchases in the transfer market such as Mario Mandzukic and Radamel Falcao, but have also done so with players from their academy like Koke.
That type of balance is something Mourinho has never achieved and is what the Chelsea FC board craves so much. The Blues have been looking for a manager who is willing to bridge the gap between the academy and the first team but have failed to give a manager enough of a chance to do that.
If Diego Simeone is looking to leave Atletico Madrid, and there is little reason for him to do so, the Chelsea board may have to make certain promises to the Argentine manager. He would be leaving an excellent and stable situation at Atletico for a much more turbulent situation in a country where he does not even speak the language.
The promise of sustained financial backing and an owner with very deep pockets may appeal to Simeone but he also has strong emotional ties to Atletico, having played for them twice in his career.
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The unfortunate reality of the situation is that Chelsea had the manager who loved the club and let him go, twice. Mourinho could have been pressed to include more young players in to his lineups the way Simeone does but you cannot teach loyalty, something Jose had in droves. Simeone is similar to the Portuguese manager in loyalty and passion but those feelings do not extend past his beloved club Atletico Madrid.