Urrutia’s bet was for superior category technicians
The trend on the Bilbao Athletic bench changed two seasons ago, when Joseba Etxeberria, after leaving the team on the brink of promotion to LaLiga SmartBank, decided not to extend the contract year he had agreed to if he deemed it appropriate. Rafa Alkorta then opted for Imanol de la Sota, but in December he chose to replace him with Patxi Salinas since the team was in the relegation zone. This season something similar has happened with Bingen Arostegi.
The Bermeo coach, curiously, served as second for several years with Ziganda as coach. The Navarrese, already with experience on First Division benches, was the initial bet of the then president Josu Urrutia to serve on the subsidiary bench as soon as he arrived at Ibaigane’s chair.
After four seasons, including promotion and relegation from the Second Division, Ziganda became Athletic’s coach once Valverde opted to go to Barça. Urrutia then began to grant command of Bilbao Athletic to Gaizka Garitano, another coach with a past in a higher category who eventually took over the first team after Berizzo’s dismissal. That trend is now history.