Analysis: Recent underachievement has led fans and former players alike to point to off-the-field dysfunction as the root of the club’s woes.
When recently dismissed coach Omar Labruna was finally relieved of his post after ten months in charge of Colo Colo, it was telling that much of the ensuing media frenzy was related to a four-month-old controversy surrounding a car accident and not the disappointing results that led to his downfall. It seemed in many ways emblematic of a club that in recent times has been hitting the headlines for all the wrong reasons—and brought to light the divisions that have brought conflict and instability to such a historic Santiago institution.
![colocolo]( "Colo Colo in crisis on and off the field./ Photo by Axelitoh / Wikimedia.")
Controversy seemed to be surrounding the club even before Labruna’s dismissal. In addition to the aforementioned traffic incident—in which Labruna made the now infamous claim that his wife was the one driving, then later backtracked and admitted he was at the wheel—goalkeeper Eduardo Lobos had his own brush with the law when it emerged that he had unwittingly bought a stolen cell phone. Sporting Director Juan Gutiérrez was also caught up in the same scandal, and declared before the Investigative Police (PDI) a week after Lobos that he believed he too was using a stolen phone, despite claiming that he had purchased it from “a previously known person.”
When recently dismissed coach Omar Labruna was finally relieved of his post after ten months in charge of Colo Colo, it was telling that much of the ensuing media frenzy was related to a four-month-old controversy surrounding a car accident and not the disappointing results that led to his downfall. It seemed in many ways emblematic of a club that in recent times has been hitting the headlines for all the wrong reasons—and brought to light the divisions that have brought conflict and instability to such a historic Santiago institution.
Controversy seemed to be surrounding the club even before Labruna’s dismissal. In addition to the aforementioned traffic incident—in which Labruna made the now infamous claim that his wife was the one driving, then later backtracked and admitted he was at the wheel—goalkeeper Eduardo Lobos had his own brush with the law when it emerged that he had unwittingly bought a stolen cell phone. Sporting Director Juan Gutiérrez was also caught up in the same scandal, and declared before the Investigative Police (PDI) a week after Lobos that he believed he too was using a stolen phone, despite claiming that he had purchased it from “a previously known person.”
