Quito -
Opposed to the idea of a liquidation of Deportivo Quito and with it, its subsequent refounding, the interim president of the chullas, Jorge Iván Mancheno, repudiates those who "used the club" for almost a decade. Today he trusts that there will be mercy from the creditors to not "bury", he says, one of the greats of Ecuador, who will return to professionalism this year, in the second category of Pichincha.
There is also uncertainty in coach Gustavo Vásquez and the team in the face of a possible new relegation to amateurism ordered by FIFA - as happened in 2018 - as told by the manager after a visit to the newspaper at the Calderón stadium.
"Lawyer Celso Vásconez spoke with those who have claims in FIFA and reached verbal agreements with the majority. They have accepted the proposal to give us a one-year respite without lawsuits; that until we ascend and generate resources," says Mancheno.
The leader, son of the legendary president Ney Mancheno, who led the team to the titles of 1964 (the first for Pichincha) and 1968, clarifies: "I cannot guarantee that there will not be another demand in FIFA. But what I can guarantee is that we are going to fight to avoid problems in 2020. I think we will not have relegation troubles this year."
Hoping for the leniency of the claimants, many of whom brought the Team of the Plaza del Teatro to the top between 2008 and 2011, and left without many economic promises being fulfilled, Mancheno also visualized the worst scenario: "If they don't give us a break, we will have to consider a refounding, and if that happens, no one will get paid," he concludes.
"I don't want to think about that because Deportivo Quito is one of the greats of Ecuadorian soccer and that is why it should not die. But if that were to happen, people will have to be told that everything stopped there. Hopefully that doesn't happen," he adds.
The director explains that this year the income will be minimal as they play in the second category, but he says that if they receive the requested grace year in 2021, with more fluidity, they will be able to pay off the most urgent debts.
Although Mancheno says he has not had much success with a complaint filed with the Prosecutor's Office against former leader Marco Hermosa, "for abuse of trust," he hints at those responsible for the chulla debacle. "They are there for all to see. You just have to look at the presidents of Quito and the boards between 2008 and part of 2017; as much as they want to evade it, they are responsible," he says. In that period indicated by the blue and gold headline, former presidents Fernando Mantilla and Santiago Ribadeneira were sentenced for money laundering and massive fraud, in that order, by the ordinary justice.
Trying to put aside those bad memories, Mancheno is hopeful for new success and reports that for 2020 the budget will be $13,000 per month to seek promotion to the Serie B.
But uncertainty looms over the team due to the FIFA threat. Players like Jefferson Santacruz and David Carcelén can only hope that it does not happen. "Yes, there is fear, but we must work and trust the leaders," says Carcelén. (D)