Clausura 2009 Final... Signs Of Things To Come?

I didn't see the game last night, once again my social life (what little I have of such) interfered. As it is, from what I've read, the match was played with a fair number of regular players missing from the line up:

Germán Caffa
Rodrigo Chávez, Alejandro Machuca, Juan Insaurralde, Christian Díaz
Mauricio Sperdutti, Lucas Bernardi, Carlos Vaca, Leonel Vangioni
Alejandro Da Silva, Santiago Salcedo.

Losing 2-1 to Racing Club, left Newell's in 12th place, and could well end even lower depending on the results of several matches yet to be played. Machuca scored for Newell's, taking the lead in the 3rd minute off a free kick taken by Sperdutti.

Of the players missing from the line up one must speculate whether we'll see them in Rojinegro ever again... well, OK, Rolando Schiavi is only on loan to Estudiantes for the remander of their Libertadores run. Their next opponents, Nacional de Montevideo, are protesting this, but FIFA has given the go ahead after the team from La Plata had 3 defenders forced out by injury. Reports are that Newell's get $100,000 (US) plus Estudiantes are paying the insurance and Schiavi's wages.

One player who won't be back is Hernán Bernardello, who's off to Almeria in Spain for a reported 3.15 million Euros. How much of that will end up in Newell's coffers is debatable. As I understand it, the team only owned about 7% of the defensive midfielder's contract to begin with. While I wish him well, it's another bright young player leaving the club too soon. He's 22, 23 in August. I pray for the day when we can keep hold of such players until their at least 26.

Leandro Armani and Iván Pillud were on loan from Tiro Federal, odds are that they'll make the long trip back to that club... well, actually they could walk, now, couldn't they? (For those who don't know, Tiro is another Rosario club.)

Salcedo played last night, but it's been rumored that he'll be returning to River Plate. I doubt we'll be seeing Mauro Formica playing for Newell's during the Apertura 09. As the team's top performer during this Clausura he could well command a high price, and the team is still in need of cash.

Honestly, to wipe out the debts, Newell's could well have to sell off nearly, if not all, of their best starting 11.

So far I've seen reports of Paraguayan Jorge Achucarro joining Newell's from Atlas in Mexico. Again, to be honest, I'm hoping that it's just a rumor. If it's true, it probably means more countjavascript:void(0)er attack/long ball futbol is in store for the foreseeable future.

Meanwhile the mantra is going through my head, the one I stated before this Clausura opened with 2 straight wins... "It's going to get worse before it gets better." The question is, just how much worst does it have to get before we see the light at the end of the tunnel?

For the club, I'd say that we're on the right track. For the team, well, that's another matter. But best to put the club right first, Club Atlético Newell's Old Boys must be that first and foremost. El equipo de futbol? It's the most visible part of Newell's, but if we sacrifice all else to build a team that can win championships, only to lose it to bankruptcy? No, Lorente is doing things right, in that respect... so far.