The football director of Athletic, André Mazzuco, explained in an interview about the club's caution in investing high in a single player. The leader's speech coincides precisely in the week that coach Cuca highlighted Hurricane's lack of investment in big Brazilian football stars.
"Of course it's always the fan's wish, but the reality of Athletico, it's too far down. But not in the way that ‘we have to save on everything’, but to foster the growth of the club as a whole," he said in an interview with the Hurricane Network.
"Today Athletico is a collective team. But we still have Canobbio, Esquivel, how many years Thiago Heleno in the lead, Benedict, Mastriani. You bring in a guy who runs from the club's financial standards has to be very well thought out, maybe it's not necessary, no matter how much you have that desire. We want to have a constellation here," he added.
This week, the news that Cuca tried Gabigol moved behind the scenes. The coach had also scanned Dudu, Ron, and Keno, for example. All athletes with high market value. Mazzuco remembered about the Athletic policy of having a "financial ceiling".
" Immediation is important, it's an important year, but we need to respect the way of the club. The club can't be made for a season. If we can qualify in a great way, it's what we're looking for," he added.
" And Athletico has taken that path, not from now on. But we have broken some barriers, made some investments. We even brought it into the base categories. It was two athletes that we won a very heavy competition," he explained.
Mazzuco quotes Nikon and Cuca to exemplify increase in investments in 2024
Despite defending the club's financial policy, André Mazzuco quotes that in 2024 the club increased investments. The director quoted Nikon's return, saying that to Athletico he is a star, and the coming of Cuca, a winning coach.
" Nikon's return is significant, because he's a guy who fit into Athletico. In national football he's a superstar? ? He is to us. He's a very good player who's back. Of course, going down a guy in a helicopter is always cool, but it's already a process that the club has been obeying for a long time and that works as well. And this allows us to dream louder," he commented.
" And that doesn't mean having less or more ambition. Our ambition is great, because we want big things. Athletico is only Athletico because he has been able to do this in an important way over the years, and that is an ambition. We have Cuca today, who is a winning coach. We have to take care of the club. The club can't be made for a season. We want to have winning seasons. And this is the path that led us here," Mazzuco concluded.
