AuthorJeffEyesRimmer It was the story that united the football world late last year, the airplane crash in Colombia that led to the deaths of 71 people, including 19 players and staff from Brazilian club Chapecoense when they were heading for the Copa Sudamericana final. From the 77 people on the plane, only 6 survived, with three of those being players. So five months on from that crash how have Chapecoense done, how have the club begun to rebuild after such a horrific crash? The new chairman, Maninho, a member of the board, stepped up to take the reins and try to build the club back again. Maniho has been at the club for a long time and is credited with much of the rise from the 4th division to the top and was thought he would take a back seat prior to the crash. That obviously all changed and the man who out his own money into the club in the beginning is again trying to build the club back up. He was originally cited as one of the dead from the crash but had to stay behind an extra day in Sao Paulo for other club matters and quickly went about trying to rebuild the club.
To rebuild the side, Maniho appointed Vagner Mancini as manager, described as a Tony Pulis type of manager. He’s probably the best kind of manager to steady the ship after such an accident. This was done 10 days after the crash. The new chairmen, manager and the sporting director Rui Costa recruited 22 players, most of them on loan for the coming season. However, the playing side is just one aspect of the club that was devastated. As well the players that survived, the only staff left alive after the crash was a goalkeeping coach, two physios, two looker room staff, a data analyst, a doctor, a part time nurse and a few of the clubs directors. The majority of those that survived are people that were not on that plane. To say that the club had its heart ripped out was an understatement. Additionally, of the three players who did survive the crash, one of them had to have part of his right leg amputated and so will never play again. Maniho and his new directors have a major task to rebuild the backbone to the club as well. Thankfully, one bright point was that the data analyst who survived compiled a list of players that they could sign and clubs offered players to Chape to assist. Its times like that which show football is just a game. Their first game back after in the accident was against Palmeiras. Douglas Grolli scored Chapecoense's first goal and Amaral added a second as they drew 2-2 in an emotional match. In a weird twist of fate the Recopa Sudamericana, the annual home and away meeting of the winners of the continent's two club competitions, the Copa Libertadores and the Copa Sudamericana is against the opponents they were meant to play all those months ago when the crashed happened - Atlético Nacional. The two legged game has consequently taken on more meaning this season for these two sides. The first leg was played on the 5th April and Chapecoense managed to pick up a 2-1 victory. Reinaldo and Luiz Otávio scored the goals; both players are on loan from Sao Paulo and Luverdense respectively. The return leg is to be played on the 10th May. I think I speak for a number of neutrals in that I hope Chapecoense wins the cup. In between these games, Chapecoense has been performing with mixed results in the Copa Libertadores, the South American Champions League. They have 1 win, 1 draw and 2 loses so far. However, being in South Americas premier cup competition will help with the rebuilding process. The first game of the new Brazilian season will kick off on the 4th May and they will be up against Cruzeiro away, a tough game to start the season, which will surely be emotional. This season will be small steps forward after the tragedy but I think I’m not the only one that wishes all the best to the club for the coming season. |
AuthorsJust Some Fans Writing About Football. Archives
June 2018
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