Antioquia’s 24th annual Soccer Day will benefit the 32 families that survived the deadly landslide in Calle Vieja that killed 82 on December 5th, 2010. The goal, says Mario Munera, manager of Marllantas and organizer of the event, is to raise 500 million pesos to build at least 25 homes. The Antioquia Presente Corporation will handle the funds raised on January 23rd.

The coaches of Antioquia’s four professional soccer teams met today at a ranch in Caldas: Santiago Escobar (Atletico Nacional), Edgar Carvajal (Medellin), Carlos Mario Hoyos (Itagui) and Pedro Sarmiento (Envigado); all were enthusiastic about contributing to the cause.

Talented soccer players are anything but scarce in Medellin, but DIM Coach Leonel Alvarez and the other directors want even more. Alvarez says final details are still in the works for this season’s definitive roster.

Midfielder Tressor Moreno practiced with the team in Llanogrande yesterday, but whether or not he will be signed hasn’t been confirmed  been confirmed yet. Coach Alvarez said a name to replace Jackson Martinez could be released any day now.

Gustavo Arbeláez started his collection only five years ago but already has 61 Independiente Medellin jerseys. He didn’t buy the 1957 championship shirt because it was too expensive; “they asked me for more than 4 million pesos”, he recalls. Regardless, he’s happy because he owns “gems from the 70′s, from the 2002 and 2004 titles”, but he’s asking Baby Jesus for a jacket with five stars. Hopefully the team gives him that star on Sunday.

Administrators’ and coaches’ notes are full of suggestions for what hopefully constitutes the road to recovery for soccer team Nacional. The meeting suggested by EL COLOMBIANO proved productive as coaches, reporters, administrators and fans gathered to give ideas to fight the worst crisis in the team’s 60 years.

As far as pressure from fans, Telemedellin reporter Juan Felipe Mejia asked to what point they’ve been allowed to guide the team’s decisions and alluded to the boundaries that need to exist between both.

Strengthen youth divisions to contribute to the birth of true idols and leaders, like those so abundant in Nacional’s history; recover the sense of belonging; get better counsel in the hiring process and lower pressure over negative results were some of the suggestions heard.  

For former club president Silvio Mejia, the solution is in the leadership and in the “heads, hearts and spirit of the players”. In reference to the players “the issue is not money, it’s compromise”, said Leon Fernando Villa, former player from one of the team’s most successful eras.

There are plenty of ideas, now it’s important to apply them wisely so Nacional has a future.

Life just got complicated for DIM (Deportivo Independiente Medellin) after its 1-2 loss to Envigado on Thursday. Numbers don’t add up anymore with their performance in the Colombian Championship at 17%, having lost the past 10 games.

To make it into the Mustang Cup, DIM has to get at least 25 points, which means eight wins and one tie as of March 15^th when it faces Huila.