Real Murcia - Ejido via the internet....

For those of you in the UK or elsewhere....you can see tomorrow's game live via the internet on www.realmurcia.es from 16.00 p.m. UK time (17.00 in Spain). Must win must win must win....

Snowball

Yep, I know I'm being boring and banging on about it......but I nearly choked on my breakfast this morning. The missus had put the telly on...Tele 5.....and when it came to the "sports" news it was a complete joke.

There were some Copa Del Rey ties last night, and fans of those involved must be fuming, as only at the very end, only in passing and with zero detail, was any mention made. What came first? Yep, you guessed, non-news for the white and bluered. Xabi Alonso has been recording and publicity spot. Second? David Villa and Messi getting make-up for another publicity spot. Is it any wonder most of Spain say the Copa del Rey no interesa , and that anything other than supporting one of the duopoly like sheep is ridiculed? Why do "sports" reporters tut and shake their heads when another side goes into administration when they actively contribute by total ignorance, ridicule and treating everyone but the mighty Madrid and all conquering Barsa as complete nobodies?

Kids in Santiago, Seville, Albacete, Salamanca, Cordoba, Murcia....everywhere......are force fed crap and end up growing to being on one side or the other of the boring and tedious duopoly, not realizing that Madrid=Barsa=Madrid=Barsa, supporting Madrid is the same as supporting Barsa and vice-versa. Fine if you a vested interest....like being a Madrileño or a Barcelonés. But damaging elsewhere where you local outfit really struggle for support.

Is it only winning that matters? Not for me.

Back to Reality.....

Next league fixture in on MONDAY 1st November (it is a bank holiday in Spain - All Saints day) at 5 p.m. (4 p.m. in the UK) at home against Poli Ejido. Should be available to watch via the intenet on official club website.

A must win for Real Murcia. Given the rules for gaining promotion to segunda, finishing first is no guarantee, but it does give you two chances. Finish below and your chances are fewer (the teams placed 2nd, 3rd and 4th also play off). The winners of the four groups of segunda B are in a draw....so you have a home and away tie between group winners. The winners of those 2 ties are promoted. The 12 teams placed 2nd, 3rd and 4th play a first round of ties (a straight draw, home and away) and 6 are eliminated. The 6 teams qualified plus the 2 group winners who lost their play off, then play another round of home and away ties to eliminate another 4 teams. The 4 that remain again play home and away and the 2 winners are promoted. So 4 sides go up from Segunda B to segunda. The whole process means teams are still playing off when all others have already been on holiday for a month.....

Confused? You are not alone!

Real Murcia 0 Madrid 0

Madrid were very fortunate to get away with a draw. Although they did most of the attacking, they were lucky to finish the first half with 11 men - Diarra should have been off, then referee didn't have the bottle to send him off for a bad tackle that would have been his second booking. Nor did he have the balls to referee evenly, failing to see any fouls against Real Murcia whilst minimum contact on Ronaldo or Pedro León and their outrageous dives were immediately awarded fouls. He choked when Raul Albiol clearly handled in the box.

Teams :

Real Murcia:
Dani Hernández
Ander Gago - Luciano - Iván Amaya - Óscar Sánchez
Carles - Richi - Miguel Albiol - Dani Aquino (Pedro 57')
Cañadas (Mario Marín 64') - Kike (Rosquete 77').

Madrid:
Casillas
Sergio Ramos - Pepe - Raúl Albiol - Arbeloa
Diarra - Granero (Khedira 62') - Pedro León - Canales
Cristiano Ronaldo (De María 69') - Benzema (Higuaín 62').

Att. 20.674

Star performances from Dani Hernandez in goal with several good saves, Carles was everywhere in Midfield, and the defence in general looked very strong.

For Madrid Pedro León's performance was woeful. Diving, unsporting, failed to deliver a decent cross in 90 minutes, and chickened out of taking any more corners after delivering 4 or 5 poor efforts. Strutted off as if he were a world star....obviously been watching Ronaldo too closely.

Excited? No!....Pissed off!

Last night and this morning the sports news on TV and Radio has been a clear and concise guide as to why only Real Madrid and Barcelona exist is Spanish football.

I listened to 15 minutes of coverage about tonights game......I even know what Madrid's players had for dinner, will have had for breakfast, who is playing, who is resting, who signed autographs, which hotel they are in, how many adolescent girls threw their knickers at Ronaldo, what time they arrived, what their movements are this morning, Mourinho's latest attempts at irony, the route their bus will take from the hotel to the stadium......etc. etc. etc. The fact is, their host, Real Murcia, was NOT EVEN MENTIONED by name. Not once. Unbeaten in 5 months, top of our table, unimportant compared to the dilemma between croissant and toast for Sergio Ramos's breakfast. Whatever, I hope he gets the shits. It's total disrespect to our centenary club.

Normally the prospect of a midweek cup game gets me going. But today is different. I know there will be white shirts in our end. We are likely to get a hiding. But most of all....

I HATE REAL MADRID AND EVERYTHING ABOUT THEM.

And before any blanco sheep jump to their usual dumb conclusions....

I FKIN HATE BARCELONA TOO!

REAL MURCIA....ONLY YOU!

Sorry about all the hate today. I'll get me coat!

Just incase you forgot...

http://oneandonlyrealmurcia.blogspot.com/2010/09/sheep.html

BEEEEEE BEEEEEE

Local Hero?

On Tuesday, it is likely that Pedro Leon will be in Real Madrid's line up at the New Condomina. Pedro came up through Real Murcia's youth system, made his debut while a teenager, became a regular in our side, and seemed like a nice lad who would make a good career at the club, eventually maybe moving on for big bucks. He was one of our own. For whatever reason, Pedro suddenly, shall we say, "matured" during the 06-07 promotion season, under Lucas Alcaraz.

I say matured.....from being humble, he suddenly started demanding a first team berth, making his own mind up about his best position, and complaining about some invented ill treatment from the coach. You would think he had been out of the side for a stint, or was being made to play right back or something, but this wasn't the case. Things came to a head and he turned up at the club's offices with a fax from Levante with a transfer offer, and claimed he had always dreamed of playing for that club. These are not the actions of a committed youth product.....whether he was influenced by greedy agents or whoever, I don't know but it is likely. He got his way and was transferred to Levante for a couple of million euros (which I think they still owe us!).

Now here's the strange thing......despite Pedro Leon's behaviour in forcing a transfer, 75% of Real Murcia's fans take the easy hack-guided route and blame arch bad-guys Lucas Alcaraz and owner Jesus Samper for his departure. Unfortunately the fact that many supporters always blame the club for whatever happens as a matter of course, is a cross Real Murcia have to bare, and nothing will change that. The worst of this attitude was shown when Pedro came to visit with Levante.....scoring a decent goal (how predictable!) and far from being booed and jeered....was bloody applauded! A guy who basically stuck two fingers up at us. Incredible.

Pedro Leon grabs his Real Murcia badge and shows his passion (photo 1)....just a few months away from becoming frustrated by lack of oportunities, despite being in the first 11 almost every game.



Cue his move to Levante....here he is at the club of his dreams (Photo 2).....little did they know that just 12 month later he would be pulling a similar stunt on them, even going on stike in order to force a move away....



Real Valladolid were his next destination....here he is (photo 3) loving the shirt. Oh but don't fall for it. Just a few months later young Pedro was unhappy again and demanding a move away....



Pedro was turning in some good performances, admittedly. His next port of call...Getafe (photo 4)....but, again....a few months later...he was off....



Finally he has arrived at his desired destination (photo 5)....the top....Real Madrid. Will Pedro now think he is bigger than this club, as he did with Murcia, Levante, Valladolid and Getafe?




I'm sure the numpty sheep who follow the press anti-murcia line will again give Pedro Leon a nice sporting round of applause, and make agreeing nodding faces at each other, before turing to the directors box to tell them "now THAT is a player!".

But....there are a few of us, a minority, who will give León his deserved welcome....and will boo and jeer his every move. I find it unbelieveable that some people welcome someone who shat on us from a height and has continued to crap on all and sundry year after year.....he's had more clubs that Jack Niklaus....5 in 5 seasons. As far as I am concerned he represents the very worst type of player. Talented, but unscrupulous, cunning, canniving, greedy, vile lying toerag....and Pedro, you can go shove it up you hole, and those who will dumbly applaude as you stick the knife in can shove it up their's too.

I'll get me coat.

Real Betis B 1 Real Murcia 1

At face value looks like a good point at a difficult away game, but in reality I think we let Betis off the hook. Pedro had 2 fairly easy chances in the last few minutes and missed with both. Apart from their goal, Alberto really wasn't troubled all afternoon, whilst Razak in Betis's goal made a string of good saves. Despite their high position in the table, I think Betis B were disappointing - preferring to spend the game rolling around on the floor play acting, feigning injury, arguing with the referee and timewasting.

Real Betis B:
Razak
Regino - Alejandro - Juanito - Rodríguez
Chema (Jurado, 45') - Ryan (José Antonio, 45') - Bernal (Manu, 76') - David
Damián - Edgar.

Real Murcia:
Alberto
Gago - Gotor - Amaya - Góngora
Aguilera (Albiol, 66') - Carles - Isaac (Abraham, 63) - Pedro
Richi (Cañadas, 76') - Chando.

Goal:
0-1 Chando (40')
1-1 Regino (48')

Betis B - Real Murcia via the web....

You can follow the game via the official website ( www.realmurcia.es ), kick off is at 16,30 p.m. spanish time, 15,30 p.m. in the UK.

Tricky game...Betis B are unbeaten at home in a year, third in the table and could equal our points total if they win.

The Cup game at home to Real Madrid is now TUESDAY 26th at 8 p.m.

Real - Estepona Highlights

Updated Table (9 games)

Real Murcia 2 Estepona 0

Real Murcia:

Alberto
Gago - Luciano - Amaya - Góngora
Aguilera - Richi - Albiol (Aquino, 70') - Pedro (Isaac, 45')
Kike (Rosquete, 54') - Chando

Estepona:
Ávila
Gaitán - Jonathan - Arias - Burgueña (Pecas, 80')
Curro - Igna - Durán - Pedro
Cabello (Ríos, 59') - Cruz (Chupi, 59')

Goals:
1-0 Kike (17')
2-0 Pedro (42')

Att : 7.368

Still top and clear by 3 points, but this should have been a much higher score, Murcia missing 3 easy chances in the first half, Kike, Albiol and Gago guilty of being wasteful in front of goal. Second half was forgettable.

Bright spot was that Aguilera looks a class act and improves with each game....and to think that he was going to be loaned out....he was all over the place, tackles well, distributes the ball intelligently, good in the air, gets out of tight corners with skill...man of the match for me.

I Choose Sport and Ignorance

Bit of an off topic, but football related.

I always prided myself on being up to date, informed of world goings on, and able to discuss or have an opinion on most situations. Any international story or current affairs, the economy or stock markets, natural disasters, murder, famine, who is fighting who and the usual cat up tree or eccentric inventor story they end the news with to leave us with a smile on our faces. Now I only know about football.

Maybe it's the passing of time and that I am now fortysomething, but I try to watch the news as little as possible. I prefer to sit there in silent ignorance rather than have to sit through it. This was reinforced strongly this week, when in error I entered the kitchen whilst Mrs. Guiri was watching the telly.....and the news was on.

Strikes, social strife, murder, another murder, toxic waste poisoning the countryside, a woman murdering a 2 day old baby, nations goading other nations, roadside bombs, drive by shootings, stabbings......then the non-news about which rich and famous bimbo is bedding which rich and famous gigolo, or which big brother 4 runner up has had a nosejob, or ageing crooner has had a breakdown, overdose or hair implant. To sum up.....I would be happier not knowing. In the case of the news, because it only makes you stressed and concerned for the future, and in the case of the non news....well....it has zero interest anyhow. Being ignorant helps keep you happy.

Sport is different. Worries about whether the ref is going to be an ass or if your star striker is going to be fit for Saturday can ruffle the brow but not have you thinking the world is disintigrating into anarchy. Chelsea and Man City's future undeserved world dominance is less of a worry than, say, that Islam will be world dominant in a century. Real Madrid can make you angry, but a pending Ebola pandemic can mean we all go to hell.

But sod it....I can't be arsed to carry the world on my shoulders any more. If the Israelis and the Palestinians are going at it, if the Indians and the Pakistanis are about to anihilate each other, if Obama and Merkel are expecting a lovechild, if N3F6B7 has wiped out half of China......the conversation will leave me wide eyed, open mouthed and silent. But don't get me started on football coz i'll be opinionated, spitting fire and shaking my fist.

I know it's ignorant and stupid. So what?

COAT!

Real Murcia, out of Administration

Real Murcia have managed to bring themseleves out of administration after reaching an agreement with all of their creditors. There will now be a one year parenthesis until a new 5 year agreement beings (September 2011), to repay the 29 million euros of total debt. This figure has been helped by the transfer of Sergio Escudero to Shalke 04 and by the money being generated by the cup tie with Real Madrid.

The administrators will no longer be completely in charge, and will take a back seat as supervisors.

The 29 million euro debt consists of :

17 million ordinary debt (includes the 5 million indemnity payment to the LFP - Professional Football League - from when Jesus Samper negotiated his own TV deal)

5 million to the taxman.

7 million to Samper's own companies - this can be repayed outside of the 5 year plan.

Real Madrid Ticket sales.....

Queues this morning at the box office as the remainder of the tickets went on sale. The abonados took up 12,744....leaving aprox. 16,000 for general sale (the club keep a couple of thousand back to keep the usual slimy hand-wringing grovelling corruptable politicians happy, including snacks and free drinks, whilst not having to queue up pay like mere mortals).

Ho-hum. There was a smell of farmyard and some bleating was heard......

We are all equal....some more than others.....

Last week, Yayo Delgado very rightly drew attention to the poor application of the law regarding alochol in Spanish Football stadiums. The Antiviolence law clearly states that any alcohol consumption will result in a 3.001 euro fine, and a ban of so many months from attending any sporting event.

"If they catch you with a can of beer in the stadium, you will be hit with a 3.000 euro fine, and punished with a ban from any sporting arena for a time. The sacred antiviolence law. But two meters away, there can be some big boss with fat fingers and a tasteless silk tie who whilst watching how the police remove the heartless offender who opened a can at halftime to accompany his meat pie, is toasting with his twentieth half of premium lager, that's if not with a glass of Champagne. There have always been classes, and quite well the big bosses can have their private box to themselves, snacks, prawns, chocolates and smiling hostesses with prominent cleavage. Great. But what makes them exempt from the law?"

At our own New Condomina, this season we find that the new "law against violence, racism, xenophobia and intolerance in sport" has gone to the length of banning the entrance of bottled water. In small plastic bottles. And this is carried out to the letter....not one plastic bottle will enter, in the name of tolerance. This is nannystate gone mad. All this while the suited politicians and the powerful quaff ice cold beer and high end Cava (No? If they had lukewarm no alcohol beer in card cups, they would never miss the first 5 minutes of the second half EVER).

The law is crystal clear, and I quote from official state bulletin 166, chapter 1, article 4....."It is prohibited at instalations where sporting competions take place, the introduction, sale and consumption of all classes of alcoholic drinks".

Does it say that the directors box is exempt? No. Does it say that the law only applies in Primera and Segunda? No.

Yesterday, at Yeclano's La Constitucion...er..."stadium", fresh cool and very alcoholic lovely beer was on sale in the stadium, and was consumed by all and sundry until the barrel was dry. Today we read how the people of Yecla, the club, are up in arms at what they feel was terrible drink fuelled behavior by Real Murcia supporters. Fair enough....but you can't on one hand try to make the most of your probably only full house of the year by selling beer in the ground, with the cash that it creates, and then complain when a minority misbehave. Were the police officers in Yecla unaware of chapter 1, article 4, that is so vigorously applied at the NC? Were they very well aware and part of the scam? Was a blind eye being turned?

The law is again crystal clear on responsability in article 5 of the same law .... "persons physical or legal who organize whatever test, competition or sporting spectacle referred to in article 1 of this law or the events the consist or form part of said competitions, will be patrimonially and administrationally responsible for the damage an disturbances that can be produced by their lack of diligence, prevention or by not adopting preventive measures estabilshed by this law".

A lot of the trouble was indeed drink fuelled. But neither Yeclano or the local police can point fingers - actively or passively, they let it happen by being greedy or by forgetting their responsibility to the general public. Zero prevention, zero diligence.

I'll get my coat!

Updated table

So still top despite the draw, but Cadiz lost again!

Next up....Estepona at the NC. Must be a Home banker.

Yeclano 1 Real Murcia 1

Happy to come away with a draw.....I have never seen a pitch so small, and Real Murcia found it hard to adapt, and the officials (especially the linesmen) were so close to the fans that they were clearly influenced. The stadium, Yeclano and the Police were clearly ill prepared for such a game.

Yeclano:
Bernal
André Luiz - San José - Chino (Raúl. 77') - Piru
Vilaseca - Cano (Crivi, 60') - Andrés - Biri (Juan Carlos, 64')
Tomás - Tonete.

Real Murcia:
Alberto
Luciano (Isaac, 54') - Gotor - Amaya - Óscar Sánchez
Aguilera - Richi - Cañadas (Pedro, 45') - Albiol
Kike (Aquino, 75') - Chando.

Goals:
1-0. Andre Luiz (27')
1-1. Pedro( pen 89')

Referee : López Amaya. OK. Correct decision on the penalty.

This is how close you are to the action.



Tickets for the game were without seat numbers or even an indication of which stand to go to. This is crazy....and even before the game there were some incidents. Once the Real Murcia fans had been confined to one side of the pitch (you can't call it a stand, it was just pitchside with 2 steps) the home fans started insulting Murcia with shouts of "Puta Murcia" (Whore Murcia) and "Efese" (in support of Cartagena) clearly provoking the visiting fans.



Real Murcia struggled once behind....Yeclano worked hard and stifled almost all our attacks. They also used underground tactics; wasting time, play acting....kicking balls onto the pitch whilst Murcia attacked. The worst case being when, after Richi was clearly fouled in the box and Pedro was taking the penalty, a ball being thrown on from behing the goal - it didn't put Pedro off, who scored, but the referee decided that the kick should be repeated. What if Pedro had missed the retake?



On the final whistle, a few fans went on the pitch, mostly just to pat the players on the back......the police reaction was to charge. One fan, perhaps a little the worse for beer intake, but certainly not being agressive, was violently shoved in the chest and fell to the ground - OK he should not have been on the pitch, but that cannot justify GBH. Others were hit repeatedly and unnecessarily with truncheons. It must be boring being a copper in a one horse town, and they seemed to be enjoying throwing their weight around. They seemed to be out of control, undermanned, and were just not up to the task.

Yeclano as a club should take responsability for failing to segregate home and away supporters, and for the incidents that followed.

The official club website informs that the bus carrying the Real Murcia club players and officials was stoned and some of the windows smashed.

Yecla.....I hope we never go back.

Yeclano - Real Murcia via the web....

This weeks game at Yecla will finally be available to see through the official club website ( www.realmurcia.es ). Kick off is at 6 p.m. (5 p.m. for those in the UK).

This is a tough away game, despite Yeclano's poor position in the league. It's their cup final, it is a very small tight ground, and there should be a good and maybe even hostile atmosphere. The "La Constitucion" stadium has a capacity of around 4,500.

Real Murcia have sold all their allocation of 450 tickets......and one of them is mine. Setting off at around 4 p.m., feeling wobbly after yesterdays wedding.

Another 3 points will keep Cadiz at arms length.

Photo : La Constitucion, Yecla.

FRIDAY!

I love Friday.....every Friday.....and today is special, as the weekend is going to be a good 'un. Starting in about half an nhour, almuerzo with friends, wedding tomorrow, up to Yecla for the game on Sunday, then Monday and Tuesday off before heading down to Morocco on Wednesday.

All's good......the club have sold over 8.000 tickets for the Real Madrid game in 3 days and sale is limited to passholders. I can imagine that there will be sheep sleeping at the door of the NC when the tickets go on general sale. Thats the cult of personality for you. Owner Jesus Samper has said he isn't too worried about the corruption scandal...and that it won't effect the club. Oh dear.....

Anyhow.....have a good weekend!

Ouch!

Big anti-corruption operation by the Guardia Civil yesterday in Murcia....all to do with land and building in the north of the city, and this of course includes the NC complex (Stadium, shipping centre and housing) amongst others.

The investigation is centred around civil servants granting favor to developers; requalifying land so that they can build more, surveying the value downwards to therefore avoid paying many millions in tax. Charges include embezzlement of public funds, bribery, money laundering, etc. etc.

Real Murcia president and majority shareholder Jesus Samper is one of the accused, along with councilors, lawyers and other civil servants. His home was searched yesterday.

As a taxpayer.....if proven....I hope they all spend a long time behind bars. Will this effect the club? I have no idea....

Embezzlement, bribery, money laundering.....this sounds like part of the storyline to Guy Ritchie's excellent film "Rocknrolla" where the gangster/developers have their councilor in their pocket....or by the balls as it turns out.

The Price is Right?

Is getting Real Madrid in the cup a blessing for us Murcia supporters?

Yeah, I know, sounds like a stoopid question.....for the club it is great as they think they can cover half of the budget in one game, for the fans a chance to see our side up against some of the best. But....times are hard for most, and the real fans who have a season ticket, perhaps deserve a bit more than a 50% discount.

"What?"... I hear you saying....."a 50% discount is very reasonable". But think a little deeper and it really isn't.

Me, an abonado, go to see Real Murcia. Not whoever the rival is. I would still go to the game if we were playing Rayo Vallecano reserves, and I think this is the case for the 8.767 hardcore passholders. Prices to the general public for Real Murcia games are the same all season. For example, if I wanted to buy a ticket for the Fondo Sur where I sit, it is (I think) 15 euros. With a 50% discount it would be 7.50. I can understand that the club wants to bleed the "White Sheep" for as much money as possible to see their TV heroes in person.....But why should we have to pay an increase on the normal price just because of the hike in prices for general sale? By all means fleece the sheep.....but not your week in week out fans n'all.

Also....no discount for juniors or OAP's? In my house we are 4.....and it will cost 120 euros for all of us to go. I can't afford it right now.....who do I leave out? I can see my son opening his piggy bank and coming up with 17.85 euros in small coins and being very upset as he will be a few short. No discount for an 8 year old passholder? What is that about? Can a abonado pensioner afford 30, 45 or 55 euros?

I hope I'm wrong.....but I think they may have priced themselves out of a full house.

2 rants in 2 days. Thats Monday for ya.

Cup Tickets.....Real Murcia - Real Madrid

Tickets go on sale tomorrow, but until October the 11th only for Season ticket holders, who have a 50% discount.

Prices for general sale :
Goals South and North : 60 Euros
Lateral : 90 Euros
Tribune : 110 Euros

Season ticket holders :
Goals South and North : 30 Euros
Lateral : 45 Euros
Tribune : 55 Euros

Season ticket holders also have preference to buy any other tickets they need before they go on general sale to the public (at general sale price).

The box office will be open for season ticket holders :

- Tuesday 5th to Friday 8th : 9.30 a.m. to 13.30 p.m., and from 16.30 p.m. until 19.00 p.m.
- Saturday 9th : from 10.00 a.m. until 13.00 p.m.
- Monday 11th : 9.30 a.m. to 13.30 p.m., and from 16.30 p.m. until 19.00 p.m.

Attention! Rant ahead!

Firstly......listen to this while you read.



Has something got to give?

With the news this week that Manchester City made a operating loss of 121 million pounds (€ 142,000,000…yes, count the zeros) you have to ask if this is any good at all for the health of the game in general. It does not match Chelsea’s loss to end all losses in 03/04 (141 million pounds - € 165,000,000), but is a massive amount. Yes both these teams have super-rich benefactors, but should the rest of the league, those who strive to be well run and within their means, face a situation where they are outpriced for players and transfers by clubs who just have no care if they lose even more money, as sugar daddy will pay. Or just take on even more debt. The leveraged buy outs at Man Utd and Liverpool have lumbered those clubs with massive, expensive debt. United’s profitable business only exists right now to pay off the interest on loans taken by the Glazers to buy the club. Liverpool…..are on the very brink. They owe RBS aprox. 500 million quid…..and haven’t a pot to piss in, have slipped into the relegation zone, have a old stadium in need of serious work (or a new stadium)......and to get back into the Champions league need serious investment in playing staff. RBS have put the debt into their “toxic” department (difficult recovery) and are adding 2.5 million per week in fines for non payment. Unless they come up with a serious buyer….with 6 or 700 million quid, it is likely they will default…and RBS will recover their money however they can. Tottenham are another club dependent on a benefactor, and their finances are covered up in the murkiness of Virgin Islands and Bahamas accounts – this week they registered an interest in taking over the London Olympic stadium after the games. To me this is almost an admission that they simply cannot afford to build a new stadium; given costs in London, it would cripple them. The top five today consists of mega losses City and Chelsea, United in huge debt, Tottenham’s media protected wheeler dealing….and 1 well run club who get zero credit as ”it’s all about tropies”.

The craziness in Spain by the big 2 resembles the arms race in the 80’s. The Americans and Russians spent and spent and spent on enough bombs to wipe out the whole planet…and just didn’t know when to stop, the justification being that the other side were doing exactly the same. But Barcelona’s situation is reaching a limit……their existing debt of 392,000,000 euros had another expensive 150,000,000 added to it by another loan from La Caixa this summer so that they could pay players wages. This makes me think the whole Cesc transfer saga was just a smokescreen to keep the truth out of the papers. That they have been making losses whilst winning the Champions league, the Spanish league and cup….but play to a half empty stadium for most run of the mill games, have a fully exploited commercial department, make me think that sooner or later the “more than a club” club will have to sell out and carry advertising on their shirt and sell the naming rights to the Nou Camp….and become just another club. They are seriously broke, have taken on higher wages (signing Villa from Valencia), and another expensive loan…..without unloading or cutting costs, so further losses can be expected. Only a fool will believe slimy Real Madrid president Florentino Perez’s official figures that give the whites a 24,000,000 euro profit in the last financial year. One can only imagine the jiggery pokery, smoke and mirrors and plain cooking the books to come up with this number. It seems the tax authorities are not impressed either, and have launched an investigation into the accounts. Only a few years ago Real were the benefactors in some distinctly dodgy land exchanges that earnt them a fortune. Spending 80,000,000 quid plus massive wages on Ronaldo…however many shirts you sell worldwide…..you can’t make it work. Real and Barsa, at the same time they lose money, take almost all the TV money available in Spain….the rest get the crumbs from their table. Mallorca, Real Sociedad, Sporting Gijon, Malaga and Levante from Primera are all in administration. Surely the football authorities realise something is wrong?

In both countries there is a serious risk that a big name will miss out on european competition qualification when the new financial fare play rules come in to effect in 2014. Teams will have to demonstrate break-even over a rolling three year period. City will never make it. Barcelona will have a massive struggle. Real Madrid will cook their books. Chelsea are desperately trying to reel in their massive overspending and impossible business model to meet the criteria. However.....I'm sure Platini will find a way for the big clubs.....I think the interest is to create a closed shop, not a level playing field. Time will tell.

Isn’t it time to step back?



The plastic new fans of success demand just that…and won’t accept less, and if less comes along they are first to get off the bus. It made me feel sick seeing stoopid gloryhunters applauding Ashley Cole this afternoon, like kin’ sealions on speed they were. A mercenary….only there for the money (why else?), who wouldn’t even fart in their direction, who would leave as soon as a higher bidder came along. And look what he did to the lovely Cheryl. Will he care if his next employer is overspending? If the blues slipped down to midtable….would the plastics be over at Arsenal or Tottenham if they were the new winners? I’m ranting about this because I am coming to the conclusion that top flight football makes me sick. It’s horrible, everything about it. And the plastics, the unmerited bought success, the unfair advantages, the crazy debts, the complete bollocks spouted by the media (who systematically cover up any bad news, they can’t risk losing advertisers or viewers)….make me think that the real football and real fans I have experienced this week at Loftus Road and the NC in lower divisions, are the best places to be. Should they strive to attain top flight footy and try to compete on an uphill pitch against sides doped up on money?

End of rant.

Table after day 7....

Makes good reading after the weekend :



The hacks will say that we still lack goals.....but when you have shipped just 2 in 7 games, and even those were an own goal and a dubious penalty....you have to say the method is working......AND LOOK WHO IS TOP! They will also forget to mention that we are 5th highest scorers, and the meanest defence. But hey, reading that berk Ernesto Fernandez in La Opinion, he thinks he is a better coach than Mourinho, and evidently has never been interested in segunda B football....as he hasn't a clue. Last week he demanded Isaac as a starter and strongly criticised Kike Garcia. This week Isaac started and Kike was on the bench.....and did we score 5, or will Mr. know-it-all say we worse in attack? You stick to information Ernesto. Yer Numpty.

Real Murcia 1 Almeria B 0

Fortunate victory......we really didn't seem to be at it today, chances were few and far between, and Almeria clearly came to stifle us. The game looked as if it was ending in a draw after Almeria had missed a couple of good chances......but then, luck finally smiled on us.....I can't remember the last time we had an own goal or a deflection go in....

Real Murcia:
Alberto
Gago - Amaya - Luciano - Óscar Sánchez
Aguilera - Richi (Rosquete, 76') - Isaac (Albiol, 67') - Cañadas (Aquino, 56')
Pedro - Chando

Almería B:
Álvaro
Trujillo - Alberto - Moyano - Antonio
Rubio (José Ramón, 84') - Roberto (Andreev, 54') - César - Hugo Álvarez
Lillo - Juanma (Cristóbal, 63')

Goal
1-0. Trujillo (o.g. 88')

Referee : Sanchis Cambra. Quite an easy game for the referee.

Att : 7,160

More good news a while after the game.....Betis B did us the favour of winning at Cadiz.....so whatever happens in tomorrow's games, Real Murcia will be top of the table!

8.676

Friday! At last! QPR - Millwall was interesting on Tuesday. The game was pretty dire, but I enjoyed, after so many games in Spain, the atmosphere, the fact that the fans all get behind their team and don't sit there munching birdfood the whole game. It turned a bit ugly after.....I could see as we were departing that the two sets of fans had started hurling things at each other. So like a good coward I made a swift getaway.

News today is that Real Murcia have closed the season ticket campaign with a total of 8.676 holders. This is down from last season, but after relegation to segunda B is a pretty good total, second only to Oviedo in the category. However....it don't look so great when you consider that just 3 years ago, in Primera....the club had to limit the number of season tickets to 25,000. So since then 16.324 have decided not to renew, and says a lot about the fickleness of support...or about how bad the team have been over the last 3 seasons. It does however make clear that, doing well, the club can have a big following, even if a percentage of those do only get their pass so they can see their real teams when they come to town (you know, the usual suspects, Madrid and Barcelona).

Team news ahead of the game against Almeria B (Saturday 18.00 at the NC, thats 17.00 p.m. in the UK, you can again watch live via the club website) is that Luciano will replace the suspended Gotor, Chando will be fit, and that Dani Aquino is now back in full training and is ready for selection. I hope Dani gets a chance - he has had terrible luck with injuries over the last year, and from attracting attention from some of the top clubs he has fallen completely off the radar. At his best......he is far too good for this league, and probably for segunda also.....