Monday, November 21, 2011

PEDRO!


How fickle and daft can you get? Even stupid. I'm frankly disgusted with the behaviour of a sector of the crowd at the New Condomina. Whistling and booing and taking out your frustration on a player that, yes, is a bit out of form, yes, fluffed a couple of tough controls, but who never hid, never stopped running, tried and tried again and again, had a decent first half, and is clearly trying very very hard. You morons.

How does it help? "Let's humiliate him, Let's try and demoralize him" they must be thinking. Let's boo and hiss until he crawls away weeping. Do they really think it's to their supposed team's benefit to do this? Numbskulls.

This is a player that can be very very dangerous and tricky. It's a player who stayed at Real to right the wrong of relegation to Segunda B....not like others who sneaked away blaming others. He stayed, fought, and played a big part in our return.

How can you, yes you, you vermin, dare to try and bring Pedro down? You that whistles were the same who pissed off as soon as Barcelona B scored their second. Half angry, half wanting to miss the traffic, but fully buggering off so as not to miss 10 minutes of your beloved Real Madrid.

Thank goodness there are many decent fans at Real. Those who cheered Pedro off when he was subbed, those who, when Barcelona scored their second, sang the team through those hard last 15 minutes.

To the boo-ers, PEDRO doesn't deserve that. And if you think it helps, you are as thick as pigshit.

¡ÁNIMO PEDRO!

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Real Murcia 0 Barcelona B 2

It was all so predictable. Real's history dictates that whenever there is a game where we are on a good run, the press have been talking up promotion posibilities, and an "lesser" side visit us (or especially a B team), we lose. So it was no surprise at all.

There is no doubt that most of this Barcelona outfit will end up in their first team or forge a career at other Primera sides. That said, we did have chances to win, but were rather innocent in front of goal. The lack of goals from the forwards is becoming a bit of a worry.

Real Murcia :
Alberto
Molinero - Jorge - Amaya - Óscar Sánchez
Iturra - Richi (Borja 72') - Pedro (Isaac 67') - Sutil
Cristian García (Emilio Sánchez 54') - Chando

Barcelona B
Oier
Montoya - Bartra - Muniesa - Lobato
Dos Santos - Rafinha - Sergi Roberto - Rodri (Tello 59')
Soriano (Planas 88') - Deulofeu (Riverola 70')

Goals
0-1 Deulofeu 65'
0-2 Tello 86'

Referee : Mr. Gil Manzano.

Att : 11,391 at the New Condomina.

So our 10 game unbeaten streak is over. The fans rewarded the players with an ovation despite defeat. There is no shame in this loss, nor should it effect the overall confidence within the squad.

One question that arises is the urgent need for a reserve league in Spain. Over the last few seasons we have seen how Villarreal, Barcelona and Sevilla have had their reserves in Segunda. Why should they have the advantage of a pool of players who are on a different rung of the same ladder? It adulterates the competition. Teams can face a stronger or weaker B side depending on call ups to first team. Come the end of the season, they have little to play for (they can't go up) and often make better or worse effort depending on how many suitcases of cash come their way. We were victims of this in 2009/10, when Villarreal's players rolled over weakly in many games, yet ran their socks off when playing Real Murcia - there celebrations of an equalizer, when they had nothing at all to gain, were quite embarrasing. Why there was no investigation of such strange results and behaviour I don't know.

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Cheating

At present, Man City are a few points clear at the top of the Premier league. I really don't get why there is so much praise being heaped upon them in the press. Have they worked tirelessly to build a team, whilst living within their means? Has a successful youth policy developed a crop of home-grown talent? I know they are, sorry, were, a proper club with proper fans....but now they are just the biggest payer to the ever more mercenary modern player.

Reading the papers you would think that Mancini was some sort of magician. He's not.

Well run clubs have no chance to hang on to stars when City offer to double their salary. They are so "rich" they can even sign players to stop them playing for a rival.

Yesterday, and without one iota of worry or embarrasment, City announced losses of £ 194,500,000 (€ 227,500,000) in just one year. And that my friends isn't sport, isn't competition, in fact, it isn't anything except financial doping. Cheating. Cheating of the highest order. City are making it even worse with the vile attempts to hide losses through super inflated sponsorship and naming rights with the family of their owner. It's about time the rest of football, the hardworking, well run and decent clubs, said enough is enough.

Chelsea's titles under Abramovich hold zero merit for me. There should be an * and in brackets the money lost each season in persuit of silverware. Citys record loss will make their title worthless in my eyes.

Friday, November 18, 2011

Fan Power!


Great image of Real Murcia support in Alicante. I'm in there, obscured by a post....

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Table after 13

Hercules 0 Real Murcia 1


Proper derby game. Tension, insults, fisticuffs. In the week leading up to the game there had been a build up of tension between the two "sporting directors" Sergio Fernandez of Hercules and Chuti Molina of Real Murcia. Now Sergio was a fiery character in his time as a player and director at Real Murcia. His departure back to his beloved Hercules this summer wasn't without acrimony - and it is said he had tried to torpedo a lot of Real Murcia's moves in the transfer market. He even had the cheek to say Real Murcia had a bigger budget for players, when in reality our squad has been put together on a shoestring. This grinded with the hardworking Chuti Molina who had a difficult time this summer and was widely criticised in the press (how wrong can you be). There was also comment that the referee was a personal friend of Fernandez (both from Castilla León). It seems things came to a head at half time.....they came to blows.....Chuti head butting Sergio who retaliated with a couple of kicks. The Real Murcia delegation were literally thrown out of the stadium.

Seeing the game - it was evident that the referee was only going one way. In 30 minutes Real Murcia had committed 3 fouls, all of which the referee penalized with yellow cards. I would say maybe one of these was deserved. In the meantime Hercules were allowed to foul and break up any counter-attacks with no punishment. Then Ruso was taken out by (I think) Peña, right in front of Iñaki Alonso....our manager picked the ball up and made a tiny gesture of anger at the tackle, as if to throw the ball back at the perpetrator. It was nothing, yet the referee showed him a red card, and off he went. Late in the second half Aguilera committed a foul to break up a Hercules move....a yellow...no problem....we had been the victims of the same tackle with no card....but the ref gave a straight red. Credit to our defenders for not making any tricky tackles in the box, as the ref was desperate to help Hercules and his buddy Sergio.

You have to say Hercules dominated, Alberto had plenty to do without ever being really stretched. He did make one good save from a brilliant overhead kick, but was otherwise relatively untroubled. This Real Murcia TEAM shows so many good things. They don't crumble under pressure. There is a spirit and an ethic. They clearly BELIEVE in Iñaki Alonso’s methods. Ten games unbeaten – is no fluke.

Hércules:
Falcón
Juanra - Samuel - Mora (Jefte 89') - Peña
Arbilla (Sergio Díaz 84') - Rivas - Sanchón (Sardinero 64') - Callejón
Tiago - Urko Vera

Real Murcia:
Alberto
Molinero - Jorge - Amaya - Óscar Sánchez
Aguilera - Richi - Pedro - Sutil (Luciano 81')
Cristian García (Isaac 60') - Chando (Mario Marín 89')

Goal:
0-1 Jorge García 89'

Referee : Mr. Valdés Aller. Casero, as the Spanish say. A homie. I would say MUY casero. Let his subconscious betray him by using different criteria for each team, thus helping his friend at Hercules. Every Real tackle was carded...Hercules could kick with impunity.

Att : Aprox. 10,500 at the Rico Perez stadium. Around 1,000 of these supported Real Murcia.

It was great day out. Beers, laughs, a win, celebratory chow-down and gin and tonics back in Murcia at the supporters club bar. Got home at 4 a.m.!

So we now sit in 5th and in the play-off zone. How far we have come in just a year. In November 2010 we had just lost our first game against Ceuta.....and faced an uncertain future, not only on field, but the very existence of the club in danger. There were months ahead before qualification for the play off, with no guarantee of success, even if you did win your group. We were about as distant of our current position as was possible. It’s a credit to everyone involved – players, coaching staff, the board, and the fans. We all pulled together, and although nothing has been achieved yet, we look in a very strong position to obtain those 52 points that guarantee safety, which, let’s not forget, should still be our target.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

England - Spain? No Gracias.



I do support England, but....I can’t ever get as excited about international football as I can when my own club is involved in a game. Why should this be? I can remember as a kid being glued to every England game, and thinking of all the players as heroes, even if they didn’t play for The Arsenal. That “golden age” where footballers were hard as nails but fair, played honestly, didn’t dive, gave as good as they got and enjoyed a pint and a fag. It was impossible to dislike any of them. Unless they were Tottenham. Or Portuguese.

Today’s England stars, where do I start? At the back. It’s tough to suddenly wish good things on such a huge mega twat as Ashley Cole. Then there’s one of the most obnoxious human beings you could meet, the racist idiot that is John Terry. In midfield you have the thick as pigshit Frank Lampard.....can you see a trend developing here, around one club in particular? Then there is the gobshite Rooney and his hair plugs and preference for the older whore. All players that week in and week out you are desperate to see make terrible bungling mistakes, miss open goals, score own goals, or in the case of John Terry, pick up gangrene off a rusty stud and suffer a long slow painful death whilst trying to make up with Wayne Bridge, who, by a quirk of fate, is the only man in the world with an antidote. You get the picture I’m sure. I can’t suddenly turn off the hate and want them to do well. I want England to win, but, it would be soooo funny to see Cashley Hole trip over his own feet and crack his head on the post whilst diverting a wayward shot into his own goal. That would be hilarious! I would even say even better than seeing an England goal. Sorry.

But this weekend is of course England against Spain. Now in my house I’m outnumbered. So that means I’ll have to go all patriotic and be fully behind England. Cashley. Terry. Lamps. The Roon. Of course there is a very very soft spot for Spain. My home, my missus and kids are Spanish, the place has given me so much, I’m very attached.....but, oh no, who are those two unieyebrowed eyestooclosetogether midgets in midfield? The mouthy, too full of himself Xavi, and some bloke that used to seem like a nice lad when he spoke English, but has recently become all cocky, gobby and big headed when speaking Spanish. Then there is Busquets, the lanky, cheating, can’t keep his balance within a yard of a defender, master of deception. Oh dear.

The international kicks off at 6.15 p.m. (CET) on Saturday, if seeing overpaid, pampered, legs-waxed, tattooed primadonnas dive and gesture their way through a meaningless friendly is your thing. There are alternatives. In England it’s the sadly devalued but extremely good FA Cup first round. In Spain there are a round of Segunda games.

Me? Oh feck it….I think I’m going to pass on the Wembley kickabout on the telly. I’ll be at the Rico Perez watching Real Murcia try to extend their unbeaten run in a real game.....and will only have to deal with one hate figure (the ref) instead of 8 or 10.

I'll get my coat!

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Kike Garcia


Feeling sorry for Kike Garcia. Our young forward will miss a further 2 or 3 months after another operation. He was close to a comeback after being injured against Elche in the second game of the season. A nasty tackle.....a clear penalty....that referee Pino Zamorano deemed unworthy of a penalty, and of a yellow card for a dive. This referee, gesturing to Kike to get up, even had the cheek to say the booking was for dissent just so the card could not be struck off. Broken leg, 2 operations, total 5 or 6 months out, a yellow card and no penalty. Quite unbelievable.

The day Pino Ray Chales Stevie Wonder Zamorano comes to referee at the New Condomina.....he deserves to be roundly abused.

Attention from 20 seconds .... if that isn't a penalty....I'll eat my underpants.

Real Murcia 0 Deportivo 0

To say that Deportivo were lucky to get away with a point would be an understatement, and they can thank a benevelant linesman, a poor referee, a massive chunk of luck and a brilliant display of goalkeeping by Aranzubia. This Deportivo side, with all their massive budget and highly paid stars, had no answer to Real Murcia's high tempo and sheer will to win. They were second best in every department.

Real had many chances to score - and perhaps the biggest moment of the game came when Cristian "Ruso" Garcia, clean through, went to ground under the keepers' challenge. The referee pointed to the spot, and the linesman seemed to be OK with the decision....that is until he was surrounded by Deportivo players. Whatever they said to him had the desired effect, as after discussion, the referee booked Ruso and gave a free kick to Deportivo. Ruso later admitted on the club's radio that he had taken a bit of a dive, but anyhow, this decision made the crowd a bit wild, and they went even more nuts a couple of minutes later when Ruso was again fouled in the box, this time clearly, and maybe the referee deicded not to blow for pen due to the previous dive.

Second half was all Real Murcia, Deportivo didn't get a sniff. We should have scored....Molinero missed the best chance in injury time, or rather, Aranzubia somehow managed to steer his shot wide.


Real Murcia :
Alberto
Molinero - Oriol - Amaya - Oscar Sanchez
Iturra - Richi - Cerrajeria (Aguilera 75') - Sutil
Ruso (Isaac 87') - Chando (Pedro 63')

Deportivo :
Aranzubia
Laure - Colotto - Aythami - Ayoze
Bergantiños - Jesus Vazquez (Lassad 69') - Guardado (Gama 84') - Salomao (Saul 57')
Valeron - Riki

Referee : Mr. Sureda Cuenca. Both he and his linesman were clearly intimidated by the Deportivo name and players.

Att. 10.609 noisy fans at the New Condomina.

So our unbeaten run extends to 9 games. There is no reason to feel we lost points yesterday. The performance was outstanding, and players like Ruso, Iturra and Sutil are now fully fit and playing a big part. And this was against everyone's favorite for promotion.

Another big test coming up on Saturday (20.00 p.m. at the Rico Perez stadium in Alicante) in the derby against division leaders Hercules. Let's hope our form continues but our luck gets better, and that our unbeaten run goes into double figures.



Photo : Isaac and Molinero can't believe the ball isn't in the back of the net.

Monday, November 7, 2011

Meat Pie / Bilbao

Big game tonight.....really looking forward to it, but feet firmly planted in the ground. As Iñaki Alonso said....Deportivo have struggled, but only at small grounds. In stadiums, like ours, they have done fine. If you are going, don't forget your PASTELICO DE CARNE.

Watched Atletic Bilbao against Barcelona last night. Great game in the rain, makes you realize what a feat it is for Bilbao to compete with the money cheats at Barcelona, up to their necks in debt, highest wage bill in modern football, and using private offshore investment funds to sign players they can't afford. One of the truly great things in Spanish football (Basque politics aside), is a team made entirely from local Basque players who give everything for the shirt.

One thing did however strike me, and it was the spanish commentary on Canal+. He referred to all the Bilbao players by their surmanes, so why did he call all the Barcelona players by first name? Are they his mates? Can you imagine Martin Tyler, in say an Man Utd game, referring to "Rio, to Wayne, back to Darren, passes out wide to Patrice who thumps it forward to Michael.....". How unprofessional would that be? In any case....it showed and badly those side he was on. You could tell when Bilbao went ahead that it stuck in his throat. The opposite of when Barcelona flukily equalized. He had kittens.

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Reality Check....

I don't think most of us realize what a good position we are in. Relegation in 2010 to Segunda B, and our immediate promotion back to Segunda in 2011....is completely undervalued. Why? I'll explain.

Let's look at the teams relegated along with Real Murcia, and those relegated to Segunda B in the 2 previous seasons. I've made a league table for comparison.



Of the 11 sides (Cadiz relegated twice in 3 seasons) only Real Murcia are back in Segunda, just 6 are still in Segunda B (and have to first qualify for the play-offs, then get through them, to retrun to Segunda), 3 are in the hell hole of Tercera (and not doing well), and one has gone out of business.

So let's keep our feet on the ground and enjoy the moment. Our objective is still the 52 points that guarantee safety.

Friday, November 4, 2011

And if, you know, your History....Real Murcia - Deportivo.

In season 90-91, Real Murcia seemed well set for promotion to Primera. We had topped the league for months, but on the last day of the season, away at Deportivo La Coruña, everything was at stake. There were a lot of "dark arts" practised by Deportivo as a club and by their (still) chairman Lendoiro. The worst happened. 2 - 0 to Deportivo and we finished third, which then signified a play off with the third bottom side in Primera, in this case, Zaragoza. I can still remember clearly the home leg and how we dominated, hit the bar, but were denied by some very poor refereeing by (I can still remember his name) Diaz Vega. The second leg we fell apart, and were soundly beaten 5 - 2.



From that point on the 90's were a disaster for Real Murcia. Administrative relegation to segunda B, promotion back to Segunda, but then a series of years in segunda B and even one year in the depths of Tercera, mean that the decade was one of the darkest periods in the history of the club. The 00's were a little better, even playing 2 seasons in Primera, but both campaigns ended in relegation. Compare this to the last 20 years for Deportivo. After that game, they have not been out of Primera until this season. They won the Primera title in 99-00, have won the Copa Del Rey on two occasions (94-95 and 01-02), enjoyed 13 seasons of european football (playing in semi finals of the Cup Winners Cup in 95-96, and the Champions league in 03-04). It's almost as if the history of both clubs pivoted on that 1991 game. The two stories could not have been more distant, one teams success, the others almost complete failure. We should not forget the treatment received by club, players and fans on that day in 1991. It was anything but Deportivo.

We have had occasions to in some way repay Deportivo on the few times we have met since. In the Copa del Rey in 03 we undeservedly lost the first leg 1- 0 in Coruña, and then started the second leg by letting 2 in.....and then made a magnificent comeback, only to go out on away goals after Manuel Pablo scored the flukiest goal he'll ever score. Here you can see the videos of the first and second halves.





So.....now we have a situation. Deportivo just relegated from Primera, Real just promoted from Segunda B. They have 19 points, we have 18. Beat them, and we will be above them for the first time since 1991. Could this be the moment when the circle is complete, and the roles are changed?

This game is not to be missed. Kick off is on Monday 7th at 9 p.m.

Tickets are available from the box office at the New Condomina stadium.
For the Lateral it is €30, and behind either goal is €20.

With the run we are on, expect a good gate, and a great match. Who knows....maybe 20 years from now we can look back and say "I was there" the day it all changed.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Enemy Within II

You would imagine that after an 8 game unbeaten run and after winning a derby game, all would be well and our friends in the press would be contented, or even moderately positive, about the prospects for Real Murcia. Surely local journalists should have a minimum of partizan feelings?



This is Juan Ignacio de Ibarra. They call him Maestro (Master), and he has a street in the town named after him. If he is the master then it is no wonder the level of sports hacks in Murcia is so bad. He will make predictions of doom every year, that we have failed in the transfer market and have signed useless players. Those who have stayed weren't good enough to start with and a long etc. If the season is a failure, he will say, grinning and proud and full of himself, that "I TOLD YOU SO". If we are a success, he will jump on the bandwagon and say the same thing "I TOLD YOU SO" even though he said the complete opposite. He literally sold out to the defunct "Ciudad de Murcia", after Real Murcia stopped all his freebies and inside information. On a live TV show on Monday, he told Cristian "Ruso" Garcia that "I don't like the way you play". To a player that in just 20 minutes on the pitch scored 2 goals and generally made a great impression. Why would he say that? I think I know.....a mixture of unconcious antimurcianism, senility and Chivas Regal. For me, he's just a clown, but for many he is influential, and forms their opinions for them, most of the time negative. A millstone around the neck of the club.



Last night on "La 7" which is our regional TV station, I was watching Villarreal v Manchester City. Now, I'm used to seeing games on Sky where you have one presenter, and three ex players or managers, who have inside knowledge and coaching badges that back their opinions. The 7 panel consisted of one ex player and three journos, one of whom, Jose Antonio Ruiz Vivo (above), is also a politician and spokeman for the Murcia regional govenment. Quite why he should be allowed to spout his inexpert opinions over a Champions League game I don't know. He used the opportunity to preach time and again about how he is a Madridista, a Real Madrid supporter, and to critisize Real Murcia, it's owner, and in particular player Paco Sutil for his comments after the derby game against Cartagena. As I have said on a previous blog....I can't see what the issue is with a player stating that he would like to see us promoted and our main rivals relegated. These were comments made amongst friends, not at a press conference. Now there are two things I dislike about Ruiz Vivo. Firstly he pushes his Real Madrid support well over a limit that should be normal on a local Murcia station. And secondly.....it's the hipocracy. Not a day goes past without him being on the radio in his political capacity wishing his conservatie (Partido Popular) party victory in the upcoming elections, and a resounding defeat for the labour (Partido Socialista) party. What moral ground does he have to demand an apology from Paco Sutil for doing the same thing he himself does every day? Is he going to apologise to the socialists?

This is the "old guard" we are up against. Hipocrites and know-it-alls. Pity that the next generation are similar....with few exceptions.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Truth Hurts


After Sunday's game, and back in Murcia at the supporters club bar, Paco Sutil had the temerity to say exactly what he thought. "I hope that Murcia go up to Primera, and that Cartagena are relegated to Segunda B", he said. In the 92nd minute he cheekily mucked around with the ball, goading his opponents while wasting a few seconds. "If I laughed at them, it was on your behalf" he said to the fans.

These comments have really upset the delicate flowers down in Cartagena. Yes, those who helped Real Murcia down to segunda B 2 seasons ago by losing 0 - 4 to Albacete in their last game and celebrated the fact as if they had won the world cup. The same people who spend the whole game insulting, spitting, and throwing objects at us from the upper tier. The same who bring a coffin to the game with Real's crest on it. Real captain Oscar Sanchez had to issue an apology, and he did this very elegantly, just in case anyone was offended. Fair enough. But why should he do so? Is what Sutil said going to make our visits to Cartagena any more unsafe than they already are? Personally I think not. And have Cartagena ever apologised for throwing a game that help get Murcia relegated? Of course not.

Another case of speaking the truth and saying what you feel being valued below a more politically correct lie. I can see that when you have Sutil on your side it's great, but i'm sure he's dead annoying as an opponent. Like a more talented Robbie Savage.