With just 5
games remaining in the regular season, Real Murcia sit 4th in the
table, and well placed to qualify for the promotion play-offs to La Liga. What
is behind this dramatic turnaround?
The work of
manager Julio Velazquez, Director of Football Chuti Molina and physio Luis
Arnau is to be admired, whatever the rest of the season holds. Remember that
this is a team that scraped to survival in 11/12, were relegated but saved by
another team’s irregularities in 12/13, and didn’t even know which division
that would compete in until 2 weeks before the season. Their success is also
backgrounded by the clubs financial woes; they had to plan with the division’s
second lowest budget.
The lessons
and errors of recent years seem to have been taken. The club appear to have
given Chuti Molina a free reign to
sign players, rather than having intervention from non-professionals. The
signings, although not the known names that we fans so demand, evidently have a
common factor; they are committed workers and team players. Gone are the
internal conflicts of previous seasons – winning helps, but you can see that
the squad all pull as one. Whenever a change needs to be made, the replacement
fills the role perfectly. They all fit. They all support each other, even if
they compete for the same place in the side (see the way the admirable Iván
Moreno is the first man Wellington Silva seeks when he scores. I’m sure Iván
would look for Wellington too. Or see the way the subs went potty when we
scored our third on Saturday).
Not to be
ignored is the outstanding way we finish games stronger than our rivals, and
dramatically reduced injuries this season. This cannot be down to chance. Physically
we are at another level, and the work of physio Luis Arnau and his team should be admired and given due credit.
Manager Julio Velázquez, after a difficult
spell mid-season, has the team adding attacking spark and growing confidence to
defensive solidity at exactly the right time of the season. The fact is we are
very tough to beat, and always look likely to score. If we do qualify for the
play-off, I can imagine any rival will want to avoid us. Over 2 games I can see
us beating anyone once, but can they beat us?
Whatever the outcome, if we fade and finish 10th, if we catch
Eibar in second, if we make the play-off and get beaten, if we get to the
play-off and go up, the season must be considered a success, and must lead to
continuity.
Continuity of management and backroom staff. Continuity of players.
Continuity of work ethic. The same continuity if we stay in Segunda, or if we
go up to Primera. If we do get that prize, then again learn from our past.
Continuity. No sacking the manager half way through. If we struggle, continuity.
He will get us promoted again the following season (like Lucas Alcaraz would
have done). No wild spending. Let’s get the club back on an even keel.
We as fans
need to continue to back the team, even though we are few and the population of
Murcia are more occupied with somebody elses’ upcoming Champions league final.
That is a lost battle. This team deserve our full backing, and are starting to
get it.
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