beIN SPORTS

By David Cartlidge (@davidjaca)

Getting up in the morning, day after day, and working the same job. It’s a familiar feeling for many of us. Ernesto Valverde, boss of Athletic Bilbao, and his players know it well too.

What’s more, they perhaps know their ceiling too. And while playing for Athletic is no dead end job, it’s one that requires a great level of motivation to keep producing results. It’s an interesting position the club finds themselves in.

Athletic’s victory over Sevilla on Saturday, a team basically opposite to themselves, was their fourth straight in LaLiga after initially opening with two defeats. They’re just two points off pacesetters Barcelona, and are firmly within the chasing pack they have established themselves within over recent years.

But it’s a chasing pack only in name, not really nature. Athletic don’t put up much of a chase, and the question is - is it because they can’t? The limitations at the club are common knowledge. Their self-imposed Basque-Only policy restricts their operations in the market, therefore it’s difficult to immediately improve the squad on a yearly basis. They rely heavily on the academy, a prosperous one at that, to produce players. But it’s a waiting game. Even their approaches for Osasuna players are for those still cutting their teeth.

Players that could improve the team aren’t easily attainable. Cesar Azpilicueta, Nacho Monreal have regularly been mentioned. Then there are those who got away, Javi Martinez and Ander Herrera. This summer there was a mooted pursuit of Mikel Oyarzabal, the fantastic young talent at Real Sociedad. It was soon quelled when the player signed a new deal with a high release clause. The 40m figure is attainable for Athletic, but they are unlikely to spend that much on a player given their business model. 

Aymeric Laporte’s staying was the best piece of business the club did over the summer, though, it was one they privately didn’t expect. Laporte was halfway out the door at one point, possibly even more. Athletic had lined up Yeray, who debuted this past weekend, to replace him. However, the Frenchman decided to sign a new deal and reject the overtures of Manchester City and their revolution under Pep Guardiola. In doing so, Laporte remained loyal - something rare in the game today. But, he also brought questions upon himself. What exactly are the levels of his ambition? Does he fear stepping outside the bubble Athletic create? Over the course of the season, it will be interesting to see how his attitude props up - especially in the bleak moments.

With Laporte’s deal being the highlight summer was therefore a quiet one, yet again. Players left, but none arrived. It breeds familiarity within the group, you can see the unity is tight and it’s not even closely replicated at any other club in the league - bar maybe Atletico Madrid. Take Mikel Balenziaga this past weekend. The full-back scored the first goal of his career, it only took him 10 years and 323 games - but he finally did it. After the game, his teammates waited for him in the dressing room. On their feet, they surprised and applauded him. A personal victory, celebrated like a team one. That’s Athletic for you. That’s the positive side.

But it also creates a stagnant air, and the risk of demotivation is rife. It remains Valverde’s greatest battle, not even opponents can present as many problems. Athletic’s greatest problems remain in-house, and it’s evident through the performance of certain individuals in recent years.

Key players such as Laporte, Gorka Iraizoz, Iker Muniain, Markel Susaeta, Mikel San Jose and principally Ander Iturraspe have all undergone significant dips in form. No other club goes through such a fluid process of underperforming players. Very rarely are Athletic, man for man, at the top of their game. That is why this early bout of form is dubious, because a brutal dip can always be expected from Athletic. And then, the questions of freshness and motivation arise once again. Fortunately in Valverde the club has one of the best coaches in the game. Intelligent, progressive and an all-round gentleman, Valverde is the best possible solution to any stagnation. But even he has his limits.

Iturraspe is a difficult character to work with, evidently, but Valverde is always working with the fine lines of having a team of Iturraspe’s on his hands. Out of focus, laboured, performing at the minimum level. Athletic needs something else. Their Super Cup win over Barca was a shock, but one that lifted the club. Muniain even got a tattoo to commemorate it, a trophy that is a mere curtain raiser for most. A Copa del Rey win would be ideal, but Barcelona always seem to be their waiting - and often win convincingly. Europa League meanwhile, that would be historic. Those are the sorts of things that can lift a club, and keep players on their toes - but they seem beyond Athletic, as good as they are.

Valverde perhaps knows this, maybe Athletic as a club does too. It’s all too familiar. But will it all be too much this time around?