What's in a letter?
Letters from Colo? A rather flowery and quite sickly letter has emerged, supposedly from club captain Fabricio Coloccini who is allegedly addressing fans of the club who tried to get him relinquished from his contract recently.
In said letter Coloccini - if it is him - tells a story of sadness that no resolution was found and that his dream move back to Argentina wasn't able to come off.
Personally I have doubts over the authenticity of the letter and the whole thing seems odd. In four-and-a-half years Coloccini has rarely addressed us, even through happier times. Now all of sudden he is writing to fans of another club? Sounds dodgy doesn't it?
All the same there has been no denial from club or player and it is believed that the United hierarchy are looking into whether it is a genuine letter from Fabricio Coloccini or whether there are other reasons for it, such as more publicity for San Lorenzo perhaps.
The letter read:
“To my San Lorencista family
“I write these lines from a long way away where I am missing my country, my family and my close ones.
“And with sadness of knowing that after a series of meetings held here in Newcastle that my return to Argentina has been momentarily suspended.
“Unfortunately, life does not always end up like you wanted it or needed it to, many times is it influenced by third parties and the rigidities of contracts that are stronger than the will of one’s own desires.
“However, I am convinced that this moment of disappointment need not be an obstacle for me to declare my profound gratitude to each and every one of you for the affection and the support that you all have provided me during these past few months, in every way imaginable.
“Furthermore, I wish to acknowledge the patience and the respect of the media and the serious manner in which they conducted everything during this time for me and my family. I am sure that they have understood the personal situation that I have been going through and can comprehend that the silence maintained by both me and my representative, Marcelo Lombilla, during this time, has not been capricious, but due to the need to keep private certain matters.
“Lastly, I wish to thank the authorities at San Lorenzo del Almagro and especially show my gratitude to the president, Dr Matias Lammens and vice president, Mr Marcelo Tinelli, for all the affection, support and understanding they have afforded me and who from the first moment, without any reservations or conditions, were interested in my personal and family situation and who put themselves at my disposal.
“Essentially, I want to thank the enormous effort made by them, from every point of view, to remove whatever difficulties I may have come in touch with.
“In these times, in which the leadership of the Argentine football appears less challenged by various reasons, it is with deep pride – as part of the San Lorenzo family – I wish to acknowledge to Matias Lammens and Marcelo Tinelli on their personal qualities, for their professional qualities and for their excellent management, their honest work, their seriousness and commitment in placing the human-being over and above other interests, all of which is a heading from the chosen path for our club; and that in the distance, certainly, I am filled with satisfaction.
“Sincerely thank you for both affection,
“Fabricio Coloccini.”
How very pretty and sparkly. And how very dare us for wanting a player who signed a new deal whilst his personal problems were already underway apparently, to honour his part of the deal for another few months at the very least.
Seriously this needs sorting out one way or the other. It can't be left "in house" as Alan Pardew would say because the longer it drags on the greater the animosity towards Coloccini will become. Can you really have a captain who isn't fully focussed on the job ahead?
If the letter is proved to be genuine then something needs to be done. It's as clear as day he wants away and I've said all along that it was amusing how Colo's stance softened once he realised the only way out his contract was going to cost him in the region of £7m.
Colo has been great for us but this kind of thing is risking the very relationship with the fans which has allowed him to flourish in the Premier League and this would undoubtedly be a sour note to end things on.
Your thoughts please...
