Spanish Inquest: Best of Enemies

My column for Eircom SportsHub

Antoine Griezmann has been in exceptional form for Real Sociedad

This weekend’s Basque derby is full of significance. Clashes between Athletic Bilbao and Real Sociedad are always to be savoured, but this one will be the last at Bilbao’s cathedral San Mamés. Come next season they’ll be moving to a new home adjacent to this storied ground.

It also marks Marcelo Bielsa’s 100th game in charge- his longest time at the helm of any club. It’s fair to say matters have been more trying this term, something the Argentine readily conceded to the press pack on Thursday. “In evaluating my work this season, the conclusion is negative”.

It’s a different story up the road in San Sebastian where Phillippe Montanier has lead his side to sixth position. The Frenchman was criticised earlier in the season for his side’s perceived lack of ambition amidst underwhelming results. But of late, it’s their fluid attackers who’ve been drawing the praise.

Clearly, their key man remains the France underage international Antoine Griezmann. Last year, he’d had his head turned and his performances suffered as a result. This season, he’s regained his focus and whether playing in a fixed position or roaming free, he’s been a real nuisance to opposing defences.

It’s not just the prospect of Griezmann that will have had Athletic’s porous backline sweating. Imanol Agirretxe’s chipped in with 5 goals off the bench, and then there’s the former Arsenal man, Carlos Vela.

The Mexican finally seems to have found himself a home after multiple loan moves during his time in London. The penalty he won- and converted- in last week’s 1-1 draw with Levante was his 10th in the league to date.

Vela is another who likes to drift across the attacking line in games in order to elude his markers. His dribbling ability and intelligent link-up play are his principal assets, but this year he’s really grown as a finisher and enjoying getting frequent time on the pitch.

Athletic’s recent form has been wretched. The defence has been a calamity all season, but  further up the field their pressing game- so central last season’s success- had been an abject failure. The frequency of their concession of goalscoring chances stems largely from this. Once the initial press is beaten, their defence has too often been all at sea.

Eyebrows were raised when their stalwart between the sticks, Gorka Iraizoz, was absent from the selection for last weekend’s 1-0 reverse at Málaga. It’s true that he didn’t enjoy the best of times in their 4-0 defeat here against Espanyol, and has been unsure in several other games since the turn of the year.

Bielsa refused to give his thoughts, instead stating that “Gorka is a player with a lot of character. And I’m not one to give up my thoughts in public on selections and line-ups before I tell it to the players themselves”. But youngster Kepa- who described the Athletic goalkeeping shirt as ‘sacred’- look certain to start.

Meanwhile, the whole Fernando Llorente saga continues. Next year, he’ll be leading the line for Juventus. For the time being, it’s hard to see what he has to do to get himself back into Bielsa’s plans.

“Llorente will be available, as will [defender, Fernando] Amorebieta”. The fact that Llorente didn’t train with the first team on Wednesday should confirm another frustrating night on the bench for the Spain striker.

Fortunately for Athletic his stand-in, Aritz Aduriz has been in exceptional form this term, with the former Valencia man contributing 12 goals; their next highest scorer is Mikel San José, the former Liverpool centre back.

Certainly, they can do with all the help they can get in attack. Óscar De Marcos is still a doubt, and Carlos Gurpegui- never much of a goal threat- limped off in the defeat in Málaga. Iker Muniain has been off the boil all season, and may not even make the starting line-up here.

Meanwhile, La Real’s Uruguayan attacker Chory Castro was talking big in Wednesday’s press conference. “I can’t tell you how much I want to win at San Mamés. They’re down at the moment and we have to make sure they don’t get up”

“They’ll want to pick themselves up so it’s up to us to make sure they can’t. If we have the opportunity to stick away two or three goals, then fine... we’ll do just that because that’s our job.”

Big words indeed, but given Athletic’s travails of late one wouldn’t put it past him and his team-mates to make this another excruciating night for the home side.

Original article here on Eircom SportsHub

Spanish Inquest: Clash of the continents

My column for Eircom SportsHub

Edinson Cavani has yet to strike up a partnership with Luis Suárez for Uruguay

Another slice of history beckons for Vicente Del Bosque on Wednesday. When Spain take the field against Uruguay it will mark the occasion of his 68th match in charge of La Roja - equalling the record set by Ladislao Kubala.

 

Unlike the Hungarian maestro, Del Bosque has laid his hands on international football's most glittering prizes. His side will face off against one of the great names in this arena, the Copa América holders of Oscar Washington Tábarez, as the first world champions meet the last.

 

In the last international cycle, this was the clash we were denied: the champions of Europe versus the champions of South America. They came close, but ultimately Brazil and Spain's paths never crossed. In the Confederations Cup, Spain were eliminated by the USA while Dunga's Brazil side fell to Holland in 45 minutes of madness in Port Elizabeth.

 

This doesn't quite have the same glamour billing as the clash that never was, and not just because for all their incredible successes Uruguay lack the cachet of Brazil. That terrific run which saw them make the semi-finals in South Africa and culminated with a record 15th continental title in Buenos Aires has petered out as the Celeste undergo a difficult generational change.

 

It looked to be going so well. Fresh from their success, Uruguay began the marathon South America qualifying section like a train. Moreover, they had the Olympics to look forward to as they looked to bed in the next generation talent from their underage squads.

 

But just as the senior side began to falter, the U23 selection endured a torrid time of it in London when the youngsters failed to step up and a heayweight frontline of Luís Suárez and Edinson Cavani failed to gel. Amomgst the pre-tournament favourites, they failed to progress beyond a navigable group.

 

Spain's exit at the same stage represented a hiccup, but for Tábarez this was a real blow. His reorganisation of the tiny country's youth set-up has seen them cast the net as far as possible in the hope of grooming the next generation of players for the senior team. It's not all about results, but their poor showing has left him reliant on ageing legs.

 

The resumption of their World Cup campaign brought further pain. A Lionel Messi inspired Argentina ran riot when the sides met in October, the 3-0 final score a pale reflection of their great rivals' dominance. That followed a 4-0 humbling away to a Colombia side on the rise.

 

One figure from that Olympic squad earmarked for the seniors was Southampton's Gastón Ramírez. The former Bologna man has had a mixed start to his time in the Premier League but was expected to feature. Unfortunately for Tábarez, an injury sustained at Wigan means he's absent.

 

This, and the fact that Diego Forlan won't start will necessitate a change of shape. A one-time progidy, the 23 year old Nicolas Lodeiro should start in the hole behind the forwards. This inteligent number 10 is rebuilding his career with Botafogo in Brazil following an unhappy stint at Ajax.

 

Forlan himself was in fine form on Spanish radio, as he reminisced over his 7 years in Spain. Asked if Uruguay were 'the kings of football' he sensibly batted away the question, before turning more serious in his response.

 

“It's inexplicable - if you look at it logically - that a country so small, with three million-odd people, can keep competing against the big boys and winning titles... it's extraordinary” Given that Forlán has been the glue that held their attack together, it'll be interesting to see how they fare without him.

 

For Spain's part, it's likely that their line-up will have a distinctly Barcelona makeup. Xavi and Xabi Alonso have both withdrawn, meaning an abandonment of Del Bosque's favoured double pivot for something more akin to the Catalans' take on 4-3-3.

 

Sergio Ramos and Álvaro Arbeloa are expected to make up the right side of defence, with Chelsea's Juan Mata the remaining non-Barcelona player in an eleven which will include Victor Valdés. Cesc Fábregas has been in the form of his life, often lining up in the forward line for his club but should feature in the midfield here.

 

Many long to see Isco get his maiden run-out but as, in his own words, “the best players in the world in my position are ahead of me” he'll surely start on the bench. Carles Puyol will win his 100th cap, while Chelsea's César Azpilicueta and Mario Suárez of Atlético hope to feature at some point for their first.

 

More than anything, this game represents and interesting clash in styles. Uruguay are no mugs, they know their strengths and their success has been built on playing to them. This means that a hard running midfield focusses on winning the ball before supplying it to the heavy hitters up front. Whether they will see enough of it and whether Lodeiro will prove adept at providing the darts remains to be seen.

 

Their preference is for a deep defensive line, and this will be further necessary as their captain Diego Lugano looks sure to feature. After 18 months with limited game time at PSG prior to his recent move to Málaga, he'll form a Spain-based partnership with Atlético's Diego Godín.

 

The likely full-back pairing of Inter's Álvaro Pereira and his namesake Maxi of Benfica are expected to patrol the whole flank, using their energy to give width in attack without compromising their defensive duties. Another option on the right is the more defence-minded Martin Cáceres, who's also comfortable at centre back and being part of a back three.

 

18 months ago before the South Americans suffered their prolonged dip in form, their chances of a win would have looked a distinct possibility. As it stands, they find themselves very much the underdogs. But it's a role they've always revelled in, and if the Suárez-Cavani partnerhip finally clicks they have the tools in their locker to put the hurt on the World and European Champions.

Original article here on Eircom SportsHub

Spanish Inquest: Cup runneth over

My column for Eircom SportsHub

Manol de dios- Agirretxe condemns Barça to their first league defeat of the season

In the end, it was almost an after-thought. Attention was firmly trained on the Bernabéu before a ball was kicked in anger on week 21 of the season, just as it remained on Wednesday. Last week's mini-crisis at Real Madrid hogged the headlines as the recriminations grew.

In many ways, the cup was a welcome distraction for Real Madrid who nevertheless went into the game off the back of their best form of the season. The Spanish league calendar restarts with the return on week 20, when the order of games from the first half of the season is repeated.

It's too late to make good on a woeful opening half of this term for Real, but they appear to have taken those early setbacks personally. It all started to go wrong when Iker Casillas and Pepe clashed heads on the opening day at home to Valencia. Real might have been out of sight but instead were fortunate to get away with a 1-1 draw as Roberto Soldado's goal was incorrectly flagged offside.

If the feeling was that this had been aberration, then by week two it was already a full-blown crisis. Expected to dismiss little Getafe without fuss, a second-half showing of staggering stupidity at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez saw them go down 2-1 to the club from the south of the city.

The revenge has been brutal. Either side of being dumped out of the cup by Real, Valencia were ripped apart at the Mestalla last week, conceding five without reply. This week, Getafe's moment of reckoning arrived. Having held out in tense opening period, a ten-minute Cristiano Ronaldo hat-trick left them licking their wounds on the short trip home.

Barcelona began their return run by showing a rare glimpse of their own mortality. Having walloped Real Sociedad on the first day, their encounter at the Anoeta was already a far cagier affair even before Gerard Pique's sending-off. They looked to have weathered the storm after a heavy deflection beat Victor Valdés for Chory Castro's equaliser. But 30 seconds into injury time, Manol Agirretxe slid through to deliver their first defeat of the campaign.

That defeat might have come as early as week two. On a balmy Sunday evening in Pamplona, Barca looked uncharacteristically leggy and off-key against Osasuna. With their pressing all over the place, each stray pass brought the home crowd to their feet and, leading since the 17th minute there, really looked no way back for the Catalans/

There was, but it came off the back of a moment of monumental misfortune. The build up to Lionel Messi's equaliser contained the non-award of an offside and then an expert — if entirely unintentional — pass off the heel of referee César Muniz Fernández at its closing stages. In the protests that followed, several cards were flashed; including a red for Francisco Punal. Minutes after all died down, the Argentine popped up again to net the winner.

This time round, luck had nothing to do with it. Despite Robert Loé equalising Messi's opener, the home side were 3-1 up by the break. After it, the world footballer of the year added his third and fourth, taking him to 16 goals from his last nine starts.

The jokers in this king's cup pack are Atlético Madrid. Back in week two a Falcao hat-trick had given a glimpse of things to come as they vanquished last year's Europa League finalists Bilbao 4-0 at the Vicente Calderon. Here, there was no Falcao and instead a 3-0 victory for the struggling Basques.

“Without Falcao, Atleti are a mid-table side” ran the Marca headline on Monday. Perhaps a harsh assessment as undoubtedly this had been the most complete performance seen this time round for Marcelo Bielsa's side by some distance. But there's a grain of truth in it too. Without their attacking fulcrum, they've won just two of their seven league games, and the bad news is that barring a miracle they'll have to make do without him for their midweek cup game.

Which brings us to last team making up the quartet, Sevilla. If you've heard reports of their saleable assets being linked to all and sundry this transfer window, then it's not without foundation. Sevilla's financial issues are the sort that most of the league's sides would warmly welcome. Rather then being mired in debt or in administration, the need to sell has been precipitated by their first annual loss in the last seven.

A fortnight ago they dispensed with their manager, the former Real Madrid midfielder Michel. In truth, probably a better pundit than a football coach, the telegenic Michel was replaced by the former Valencia boss Unai Emery.

It's far too early to offer any objective assessment of his work to date. But given his previous record at Valencia, the club's president José María del Nido will be hoping Emery can elicit a better response from what still remains one of the division's more talented squads and that the momentum gained from their Monday win over Granada will offset the effects of having a day less to prepare for Thursday's semi-final.

Original article here on Eircom SportsHub 

Spanish Inquest: Seeing red

My Eircom SportsHub column

Why always me?

“We demand precision, consistency and neutrality, with just one small caveat; that it’s in our favour” - Andoni Zubizarreta

 

Such were the withering sentiments expressed by the former Barcelona goalkeeper in 2010. The issue was different; he was referring to the skewed and partial media coverage that plagues Spain’s football reporting. But the sentiment might as easily be applied to a more current issue; that of refereeing, another blight upon La Liga’s credibility.

 

The objective here is not to kick the leagues officials — though God knows, they’re deserving of a kick or two — but rather the circumstances they’re forced to operate in this season. In short, the vexed issue of official directives.

 

Discussion on refereeing, often heated, is nothing new. At times we demand nothing more than consistency; at others, common sense. But often as not, the two are mutually exclusive.

 

In England, this has been brought into sharp relief by Mike Dean’s red cards at the Emirates, the latter of which was rescinded to near — if not universal — approval.

 

Graham Poll’s column in the Mail is often illuminating on such matters. Referees are put under tremendous pressure not just by the glare of the cameras, or the speed of the modern game, but also by the mishmash of directives which are often hastily cobbled together depending on issue du jour.

 

Dean deserves sympathy, as Vincent Kompany’s red card fell under this umbrella, if not that elusive concept of common sense. The recent trend to allow no middle ground on simulation is another cursory example of well-meaning but ill-thought diktats. Suddenly it seems no longer possible that certain collisions can be neither a foul nor a dive.

 

But this wouldn’t be much of a Spanish inquest if we continue to tread this path, so let’s look at La Liga where — in certain instances — the law of unintended consequences has been taken to dizzyingly daft heights this season.

 

The LFP, the league’s governing body, declared a war on three fronts ahead of the start of the current season. Dissent, both from players and managerial staff is something I think we can all sign up to. The third prong, that of handball, is much more contentious.

 

That concerning player dissent, while sparking occasional controversies, can for the most part be credited as a success. When Sergio Ramos was awarded a second yellow for a crude challenge in last week’s Copa del Rey clash with Celta, his mouth landed him with an additional four-game suspension to that mandatory for dismissal.

 

In the heat of the moment, Ramos called the referee ‘shameless’ which, while not quite crossing the line of calling the referee’s honesty into account, brought with it a further four match sanction. As well as Saturday’s limp draw at Osasuna, he will miss a potential semi-final clash with Barcelona in the Copa.

 

Fair or excessive, it was at least by the book. Which brings us back to Zubizarreta’s words.

Naturally enough, a certain section of the press put forward the view that his punishment was conditioned by the crest on his shirt. Those doing so were put back in their box when the case of Espanyol’s Sergio García was brought up; in November the Espanyol forward suffered the same punishment in identical circumstances.

 

Then there’s the issue concerning sanctions applied to touchline staff. Again, in the greater scheme of things, this one seems a no-brainer. Whether it’s managers berating referees or screaming at hapless fourth officials, most find this a side of the game we can do without.

 

But here, we’ve seen matters taken to extreme degrees. As with any clampdown, there are casualties; and the opening weeks saw a spate of those. The problem is that officials have taken the directive as carte blanche to banish managers for rather more innocuous transgressions.

 

Simply questioning a decision, or asking for its rationale, has been deemed beyond the pale. Rather than being applied to those impugning the referee’s integrity, we’ve seen those with calm and passive body language being furiously pointed in the direction of the stand.

 

Indeed, in the whole of last season, we had a total of seven managerial sending offs. Only ten weeks into this, that number had been breached. That week, Rayo’s Paco Jémez became the latest, following a tame exchange. “This is becoming a dictatorship. How can you justify sending someone off for doing nothing?”

 

But rules are rules, and directives are directives. Even when the law is an ass. And this leads us to final theatre of this ‘war’.

 

Ball to hand? Hand to ball? Should that which is it let go routinely in other areas of the field be an offence inside the penalty area? Such matters inflame passions because, as with many refereeing calls, it’s a mater of interpretation. Except it isn’t; not in Spain, anyway.

 

The concept of unintentional handball is now an extinct species. The referee’s ability to draw distinction, to take into account context, has been eliminated. In its place resides a iron-cast certainty of singular idiocy — every handball is an automatic yellow card offence. It doesn’t matter whether we’re talking about an unfortunate midfielder doing his level best to draw his arm behind his back, or a defender impersonating a goalkeeper on the line. It doesn’t matter if the player’s already on a yellow. The result is the same. Every time.

 

So the next time you find yourself bemoaning a lack of consistency, remember; be careful what you wish for — because you might not like it when you get it.

Original article here on Eircom SportsHub

Spanish Inquest: No Mour' to give

My Eircom SportsHub column

Joseph Sexton

It's hard to imagine that José Mourinho has faced a tougher week during his 12 years in the management game. Speculation about his position over the last fortnight had simmered away. Having delegated press conference duty to his deputy, Aitor Karanka, it fell to Florentino Pérez to bat away questions, insisting that the full term of his extension to 2016 would be served.

“We have the best manager in the world, yet he's had to endure unjust attacks and insults, even ones that cross the line and strike at his personal dignity. He's led us to the league and already this year the Super Cup, and has my gratitude”.

But there is no smoke without fire when the Madrid press openly question any Real manager's future, and the cup defeat away to Celta saw matters come to a head between Mourinho and his bete noire.

On Saturday, he was back on duty for the pre-match press conference. Not a particularly memorable one, but what was to follow was pure dynamite.

Antón Meana is a journalist with Radio Marca, and once the conference came to a close he was asked to step into the club's press office by one of their press chiefs to meet with the goalkeeping coach, Silvino Louro. After the Celta game, he intimated on air that his sources in the dressing room had told him that Louro was widely seen as Mourinho's 'spy' by the players.

When Meana entered, there was Mourinho alongside Louro. Meana offered his hand to Mourinho who refused it and instead began to berate him, 'shouting in thick Portuguese, which I couldn't understand properly', as he recounted in print on Sunday.

Meana tried to bat back, but Mourinho continued to rage. “Don't you dare question my honour... In the footballing world my people are top people but in the world of journalism, you're a piece of shit”.

Meana defended his sources, with Mourinho going through Louro's resume 'point by point'. Challenged to name his sources, he refused stating that although 'it's a matter of opinion rather than fact, I don't need to run it by them again because I trust them completely.'

“They tell me you're a real son of a bitch” continued Mourinho “and a bad person, but rather than take that as given I think something else. You're anti-Real, anti-Mourinho, and your 'questions' are all about stirring shit. As long as I'm manager here I'll continue to respect you, but once I'm gone you'll be just another Joe on the street”

The conversation went on over half an hour, with Mourinho continuing to impugn the sources. Perhaps most striking was his admission that that three of his own players were disposed to leaking negative news.

“Let's assume what you're saying is true - for me it isn't - but let's anyway; is this news? You take it as gospel? We've got 21 players who get on great with Silvino, me, all the staff, but then there's three black sheep trying to fuck the group. It's easy for you, you only have to go on the radio and toss out a few phrases to stir up all of this”

Meana initially agreed to keep the conversation private but many other journalists had overheard the ruckus. On Radio Onda Cero, he said that once he met those waiting outside the story had already entered the public domain for him, and one of the other panellists on the show confirmed he'd witnessed it all.

This strain with the press isn't new. While he may have had the English media eating out of his hand, his relationship in Italy swiftly grew confrontational, where he likened their criticisms to 'intellectual prostitution' at Inter.

That sense of him against them has only heightened in the Spanish capital, where those he's faced have proved similarly immune to his charms. There was last season's vow of silence during the run in, and one well-known Madrid based writer was only half kidding when he described the experience of dealing with the Special One as being 'terrifying' at times.

There's been the well-documented splits in the camp, where a bust up with Sergio Ramos and Iker Casillas made the headlines in January. It's also long been reported that rival cliques have formed, leaving the Spanish & Portuguese speaking players at odds.

How much this has affected matters on the field is open to debate, but they've already dropped more points than in the whole of last season. They've also failed to maintain the staggering intensity and unity of purpose that marked their pursuit of the title last season.

That said, the challenge of maintaining such impossibly high standards also proved beyond Barcelona last term.

Then there's been their comic book inability to defend set pieces, which is impossible to square with our conceptions of Mourinho teams. Take your pick of any number, but Manucho netted two for Valladolid a couple of weeks back off the back of this defect and Espanyol's late equaliser on Sunday was Keystone Kops stuff.

Everywhere he's been, Mourinho has tried to pick fights and Madrid's been no different. Internally, he had Pérez's long-time lieutenant Jorge Valdano booted out, a man with a lot of friends among the press corps. Little wonder that they're going to town on him now, right down to sensationalising pictures of the players' seating arrangements at the club's Christmas do this week.

None of this is unusual. Plenty of pages need filling, and many copies sold. On Saturday they travel to Málaga, whose manager Manuel Pellegrini knows a thing or two about the brutal side of capital's press. Ever the gentleman, he's refused to twist the knife, even though Mourinho was more than happy to stick the boot into him when these sides met in April 2011.

“It's not for me to judge Mourinho. We're not taking the game like this, we're not preoccupied about what happens at Real. I'm very grateful to all the players I had when I was boss there because even though they knew I was on borrowed time by December we still had a great season”

Perhaps by now Mourinho is also a dead man walking. With the league gone and attention already on the Champions League and the obsession of claiming la décima, only a 10th European crown would give him the satisfaction of having the last laugh as he rides off to his next adventure.

Original Article here on Eircom SportsHub

Spanish Inquest: The Trouble in Bilbao

My Eircom SportsHub column

Athletic Bilbao won many admirers in their thrilling run to last season's Europa League final. But defeat to Lyon a fortnight ago rendered their hopes of passing the group stage near impossible this time round.

On Thursday, they were due to face Israeli champions Ironi Kriyat Shmona but given the current tensions there, UEFA postponed the tie. We can only speculate as to how this game might have panned out, but one thing we can safely say is that Fernando Llorente would have started on the bench.

Fernando Llorente banished from the training pitch by Marcelo Bielsa

Back in the spring, Athletic had become the toast of footie hipsters everywhere. Under Marcelo Bielsa their relentless energy, daring, and desire to play the game in the opposing half produced spectacular football; and spectacular results, too.

Llorente was the focal point, the line-leader whose aerial presence offered that extra dimension in attack. Perhaps more than any other player, he was the club icon. Now he's found himself in the role of the outcast.

That's a great shame.

We all know now how the story ended for Bilbao; in heartbreak. As much as the wonderful football of the spring, it's the tears of Iker Muniaín that stand out. Tears that flowed following their 3-0 defeat to Atlético Madrid in the Europa League final which were repeated when they went down by same margin against Barcelona in the Copa del Rey decider. It was an image betrayed by a sense of devastation borne of knowing they might never come so close again.

Bilbao didn't just end the season devastated - they were decimated. There's a price to pay for the intensity Bielsa demands, and with such a short squad Bilbao were simply dead on their feet for the final six weeks. Their league form collapsed, scuppering hopes of a Champions League place. Their stars played no part in the national team's Euro success, being consigned to the bench or left out altogether due to exhaustion and injury.

Llorente has had many suitors in recent years without any moves coming to fruition. When he and Javi Martínez made clear their desire to leave in the summer, they became the target of abuse from the fans. The president, Josu Urrutia refused to sanction their sale. Martínez, much coveted by Barcelona, only moved to Bayern after the Germans activated his enormous release clause. Yet despite entering the final year of his deal, sizeable offers for Llorente were rejected.

It was hard to see who this situation benefited, and three months into this season it's even less clear. A sale might have banked upwards of €25m and while it's true that Bilbao are not financially stretched, they are in the process of building a new stadium. Their Basque-only policy, however much its credibility is stretched at times, limited their scope for replacing him. Better then, perhaps, to hang on to him for another season. But in 14 games this season, Llorente has started just once, in the Copa del Rey.

Not only has the striker fallen foul of the president. The relationship with Bielsa had already broken down. A constant drip of rumours, spin, audio and then finally video footage of Llorente being banished from the training field by the Argentine has attested to this.

In short, the situation has become as tedious as it is pointless. Yet just when it seemed matters couldn't get any more ridiculous, they did just that earlier this week. On Monday, Llorente failed to turn up to speak to the written press after the training. Immediately, the club chose to publicise this via Twitter, stating that he had refused to do so. The player himself had a different take on matters.

In fact, he had already been due to talk to Telebilbao and had only been asked to present himself to the scribes at the last second. “They told me as I was about to leave training, and I didn't have time. I can't be in two places at once. I have no problem speaking to them on another day.”

The only silver lining in this mess is that in his absence Aritz Aduriz - signed from Valencia in the summer - has been in excellent form, chipping in with eight goals to date. The other, though it feels like an anomaly given the cloud over the club, is the contrast with their domestic performance at this time last year. Indeed, going into last weekend's spanking at the Bernabéu their points haul was identical.

A yellow card in that game means Aduriz will sit out this week's clash with Deportivo. With the new man short on fitness for the season's opener, Bielsa went with goal-shy Gaizka Toquero from the offset. As stubborn as he is, it will be intriguing to see he elects to overlook Llorente here once more.

Two wins prior to the Real game has kept Athletic clear of the relegation fight for now, and within striking distance of the European spots. Juventus have been monitoring the forward's situation, and remain hopeful of luring him in the January transfer window. The club insists that the remainder of his contract will be honoured. But surely a speedy divorce would be in the best interests of all parties at this point.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE HERE ON EIRCOM SPORTSHUB

The trouble with the reign of Spain

My Eircom SportsHub Column

It's a complaint voiced all too often in the modern age. From club managers and pundits on to the supporters who vote with their feet; international friendlies, what's the point? Not everyone buys into this line, but the Spanish Federation, the RFEF, continues to pour petrol on the critics' fire like few others.

On Wednesday night, we were treated to the Zlatan show in Stockholm. In New Jersey, Brazil were testing themselves against a rapidly improving Colombia. Holland v Germany never quite lived up to its billing, but where were the World and European Champions?

In Panama.

It's worth asking what they were doing there.

Pedro in action for Spain against Panama

Ostensibly, they were competing for the Copa del Quinto Centenario. The what? Exactly. The Panamanian federation organised this to mark the 500th anniversary of Spain's conquistadores reaching the Pacific Ocean. Spain played their part to perfection by trampling all over the natives.

Trophy or not, this was just the latest in a line of questionable friendlies laid on by the RFEF since they conquered the world back in 2010. The players' reward for their historic achievements in South Africa was an August friendly in Mexico City before the season had even begun, to the fury of fans who wanted to see their heroes in action closer to home. A month later, an ill-starred jaunt to Buenos Aires saw them mauled at the hands of Argentina.

At least the argument could be made that this represented quality opposition, even if the interest levels of the players appeared questionable. But since then, matters have sunk into farce. Spain have taken the mantle of Brazil as the embodiment of the beautiful game, but their grand tour of meaningless exhibition games is outdoing even the worst of the Samba boys in the early Nike days.

Venezuela, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, the USA; all tackled on the other side of the Atlantic. Even closer to home, they tend to travel. Indeed, they've played as many friendlies in St Gallen as they've played on home soil since claiming the world crown.

Much was made of several awful performances and defeats in these games, but in competitive games the Selección barely skipped a beat. Indeed, they qualified for this summer's Euros off the back of a second straight perfect campaign. But recently, there's been signs that the legginess is creeping into the games that matter.

In Tbilisi in September they were dreadful in their opening qualifier. A spirited Georgia side showed far more conviction and desire than their illustrious guests. They escaped with an unmerited 1-0 victory, before trouncing Belarus last month. But in the follow up, they found themselves on the back foot in Madrid as France fought back to earn a point.

At least last night's 5-1 win offered Vicente Del Bosque the chance to run the rule over some new options. Atlético Madrid's Juanfran got a roasting against Franck Ribery, but predictably fared much better this time out.

Benat of Real Betis has had an excellent start to the season, and it's to his credit that he didn't look at all out place alongside Sergio Busquets, Andrés Iniesta and, later, Cesc Fábregas. Athletic Bilbao's Markel Susaeta marked his debut with a goal from the bench. Del Bosque was quick to sing his praises when prompted, but in his customary fashion sought refocus attention on the team effort.

Raúl Albiol has barely seen game time at club level despite Real Madrid's injury crisis in defence. Indeed, when brought on for Cristiano Ronaldo at the weekend he played up front as a targetman. Here he partnered the Bayern midfielder Javi Martínez. A double for Pedro takes him to five goals in his last three internationals. David Villa took his international tally to 53 with his 299th career goal.

But in truth, how much of merit can be taken from a game like this? The answer must surely be: not a lot. Panama have reached their highest ever FIFA ranking of late as they scraped through to the final round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying. But, not surprisingly, the gulf in class meant this was never going to be any sort of a contest.

In other words, this was another FIFA date that might have been put to better use. Del Bosque is too much of a gentleman to come out against his employers, but one wonders what he must make of it all. Come March, Spain host Finland before travelling to Paris for a game that should decide the group. No such jet lag for the French, who prepared last night with a 2-1 victory away to a strong Italy selection.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE HERE ON EIRCOM SPORTSHUB

Eye on Spain: Focus on Espanyol

My first La Liga column for Eircom Sports Hub

Espanyol have been that rarest of La Liga beasts in recent years, a model of stability and financial husbandry. But a wretched start to the season in every way has coalesced into the perfect storm this past month.

A new stadium, which was supposed to be a lifeline, has proved something of an albatross around the club’s neck. Every transfer window for three years now, they’ve lost their best players to fund their construction debts.

Home at last: Espanyol's 40,000 seater stadium in Cornellá

Mauricio Pochettino’s work at the helm has been staggering given the constraints. But as they went down to Atlético in week 6 - rock bottom without a win - the man who had been linked with the Real Madrid job last spring faced catcalls from the support. His status as a club legend from his playing days failed to spare him.

As the disaffection reached boiling point the club president, Ramón Condal, dissolved the board on October 3rd. Shorn of last winter’s batch of loanees and with several first teamers out long term, another summer exodus had left the playing staff bare.

It’s a club with a curious heritage. Take the name, for starters. In a city where FC Barcelona - who barely deign to recognise them as rivals-  are never far from the vanguard of political catalanism, branding themselves as ‘Spanish’ could hardly chime a less propitious chord.

Yet it’s never been that simple. The name was chosen not as a snub against regionalist sentiment, but rather as a contrast from Barcelona’s early internationalism, founded by and for foreigners. In this, the initial divide was comparable to that between Milan and Internazionale.

It also reflected the fact that they were the first Spanish-founded club in the country. And their choice of colours was unmistakably Catalan, those of the Roger de Lliuría, admiral of the mighty Aragonese fleet of the middle ages.

Indeed, despite the wave of inward migration following the civil war, Espanyol hardly made inroads amongst these new Spanish arrivals. Barcelona were the rallying point of regional pride. The key to fitting in was to support them.

Nor was well-heeled Sarría an ideal location to be based. Unsuccessful and unloved, Espanyol became a magnet for cranks and misfits, including elements of the far-right. In 1992, the club sought the shed this image by changing its name to the current Catalan spelling.

Having sold their ground in the same decade, a move to the Olympic stadium in Montjuic was a disaster. Far too big, too remote, and devoid of any sense of atmosphere, it proved a funereal setting.

Little wonder then that earlier this century, ambitious plans for a new 40,000-seater ground were drawn up. The move placed a heavy financial burden on the club’s membership, but finally in the 2009/10 they had a home again.

And not just a home; also a chance to forge a new identity. Barcelona might have more members than any club in the world bar Benfica, but regular attendance remains a pipe dream for many. Ticket prices are amongst the highest in the world. In working class Llobregat, Espanyol had a ready-made market, shut out by the high costs of Camp Nou.

As well as putting down roots in the community they’ve also upped investment in their youth academy, already amongst the country’s most prolific; some fifteen Spain internationals in the last two decades, and some forty current regulars plying their trade in the top two divisions, as well as in top flights abroad.

Mark O’Sullivan, an Irish youth coach based in Stockholm was taken aback after a recent visit.

“There’s no comparison to other clubs I’ve visited. The facilities are fantastic, but more importantly the coaches create the right environment for youngsters to develop. The philosophy is clear.”

O’Sullivan had previously been to Ajax, and worked with Barcelona’s coaches. “Street football’s a lost art, but this comes close to the spirit. The right technique, the right movement, always playing with your head up, all the little details. You can see exactly how the Spanish sides have built upon the Dutch model, and now the Dutch are reimporting that expertise”.

Back at boardroom level, elections are pencilled in for November 19th. Their club spokesman was naturally reticent given the highly politicised nature of the issues involved. But what is clear is that the new board will be charged with maintaining a better equilibrium between short-term financial demands and long-term development.

And on the pitch, fortunately, things have picked up. Joan Verdú dragged them over the line for their first win against Rayo a fortnight ago. A further four points against Sociedad and high-flying Málaga has lifted the mood of despair. From luckless and feeling sorry for themselves they’ve recovered some belief as the injury list has cleared. This weekend, they host bottom placed Osasuna.

The criticism of Pochettino was always ludicrous, and the political upheaval has simply allowed the Argentine to get on with his job. Regarded as one of the best young managers in the league, one wonders if this will be his last season. “I’m Espanyol to the core. Every night when I put my kids to bed, they’re wearing Espanyol pyjamas”, he said when quizzed about those Real stories in April.

No-one can doubt his affinity to the cause. But should a club with better means come knocking for real next time round, nobody could forgive him for choosing to test himself on a higher stage.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE HERE AT EIRCOM SPORTS HUB