SD Eibar board states that it has the strength, legitimacy and the duty to continue
The club's president and institutional vice-president met with the press
In the words of the club's institutional vice-president, Mikel Larrañaga, the SD Eibar board has the strength, legitimacy and the duty to successfully go on and achieve the club's ambitions.
The SD Eibar president, Amaia Gorostiza and Larrañaga took their places alongside the club's managing director, Patricia Rodríguez at today's meeting with representatives from the press, in a session which served to review several of the issues currently surrounding the club.
According to Larrañaga, the board has "the strength that comes from having clear ideas and knowing what we need to do and how and when to do it; the legitimacy which was granted to by 96% of the shareholders at the last shareholders' meeting; and the key responsibility for the future to ensure that the club continues to be what it is".
He stated that, "this is how all of the board members feel about it", before adding that the club's board operates in an "unbeatable working environment".
Meanwhile, Gorostiza revealed that no decision had been taken as to whether the current board members would put themselves forward as candidates in the elections announced for the end of the season. "The board members will make individual decisions about their willingness to continue in the near future and this information will be made public".
The Eibar president revealed that a legal committee had been formed as a part of the board and that said body is currently working on a set of procedures for the staging of the elections.
"It'll be the first time that the club holds elections and we're keen to go about things in the right way. Indeed, we've been in contact with and will continue to talk to clubs who have been through this, in order to establish the best possible format to ensure that everything goes perfectly".
The president also referred to the audit being carried by an external company in relation to the expenses incurred by the board members and club staff over the past few years and stated that the final report, which is set to be made available to the public, will be published at the beginning of February.
Gorostiza also passed comment on the letters which were sent by recorded delivery to the shareholders who were represented by a lawyer at the shareholders' meeting, who revealed confidential information relating to contracts issued by the club, noting that, "The sending of the letters by recorded delivery was something that the board had a duty to do".
"Those who disseminate confidential information can be held criminally responsible and it's our duty to ascertain who was responsible for this. This individual or persons decided against requesting this information through the established channels, which would have involved sending the club a written request to which they would have received a response. Instead of doing this, they preferred to take this information and use it during the shareholders' meeting in an effort to try and cause unrest within the club".
"It's our duty to get to the bottom of this issue and find out what really happened. We've got evidence that suggests that it was all a set-up. It's too much of a coincidence that a lawyer with no links to the club or Eibar itself should be representing nine shareholders who don't know each other and are based in different parts of the world. One of the things that we have established from the responses to these letters is that the nine shareholders weren't aware what their proxy vote was going to be used for".
In terms of the plans to build a new training ground, Larrañaga stated that, "It's one of the club's strategic objectives", which is currently representing "the bulk of the board's workload".
"We have to fulfil the needs of our first team and the youth set-up. Our initial plan is that they would all be together here in Eibar, but that'll be very tough. In the interests of secrecy, we can't offer any further details".
Gorostiza noted that the board has "full trust in the coaching staff and the football management team. We feel very comfortable and we're very happy with them".
With regards to the hanging of banners in an area of the East Stand in which there are advertising hoardings, the president commented that "a temporary arrangement" has been established, before adding that "a definitive arrangement will be reached without compromising the sponsorship agreements and the La Liga regulations".
Larrañaga sought to congratulate the Ipurua faithful "for their conduct" and support of the team during games.