José Alonso: “Colón need around 40,000 members to balance the books” | OneFootball

The President of Colón spoke after the presentation of the new jersey and addressed the club's economic situation, the conflict with Neris, inherited debts, and the income that currently sustains the institution.

In an extensive conversation with the press, Alonso reviewed the current state of the club. He acknowledged that they are going through a process of reorganization after complex months, although he highlighted the support of the people and the expectation that exists for the future.

“We know we went through difficult times and now people have a lot of hope. There is a great desire for Colón to achieve what it deserves,” he expressed. At the same time, he explained that the club still faces some administrative problems, although he emphasized that the priority is to work calmly to make decisions. “We continue to encounter situations, but we believe the club needs tranquility today to make determinations. Creating conflicts now is not helpful,” he noted.

The need to increase the number of members

(Photo: Amilcar Orfali/LatinContent via Getty Images)

One of the points Alonso emphasized was the importance of increasing the membership base to sustain the club's economy. As he explained, today Colón has just over 30,000 members, and the goal is to reach 40,000 to achieve financial stability.

“Today we are within the 30,000 members. Colón needs around 40,000 to balance its numbers,” he stated.

The president detailed that, in the current context, the club mainly depends on ordinary income such as membership fees and some marketing actions. He noted that today they do not have other usual resources of Argentine football, such as player transfers or participation in international competitions.

“The ordinary income is the members. Then there are the extraordinary ones, like the sale of players, participating in cups, or television rights. Today we do not have those incomes, which is why the members are fundamental,” he explained.

The conflict with Neris

Another topic addressed was the situation of the Uruguayan José Neris, who left the club amid a contractual conflict.

Colón decided to initiate legal actions to defend the player's federative rights. “The player left saying that his departure was justified, but we believe that is not the case. We will use all legal resources because it is a case that cannot set a precedent,” he stated.

He also criticized the handling of the player's entourage and assured that the club will seek to take the case to the appropriate bodies if necessary.

Embargoes and inherited debts

Club's social headquarters

During the conference, he also referred to the account embargo the club suffered days ago. As he explained, the problem originated in a procedure linked to state assistance programs during the pandemic.

“It was a small amount that was transferred from the administrative part to the legal one and then to the federal justice. That generated the embargo,” he detailed. Alonso stated that the club has already advanced in resolving the issue and that only one administrative step remains to fully normalize the accounts.

“Everything is on track. The Central Bank has to enable the accounts, but the club operates normally and all the staff is up to date,” he assured.

Economic claims and negotiations

The president also confirmed that Colón is in negotiations with Platense over a debt related to the transfer of Leonel Picco. The club is trying to resolve the situation through dialogue, although it does not rule out proceeding through other means if an agreement is not reached. “We are using all club-to-club resources, in good faith. But we have all the documentation to act if necessary,”.

He also mentioned debts inherited from the previous management and announced that the leadership is working on an audit to present the club's economic situation to the members.

“We want to explain how we received the club. We are not seeking revenge; we want people to know the reality,” he concluded.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.