Primera Liga Season Preview: The Managers
http://www.goal.com/en/articolo.aspx?contenutoId=113473When it comes to Primera Liga manager survival, the pen is frequently mightier than the sword, unless said coach falls on the latter of his own accord. As you will see, some of these guys appear to have the proverbial ‘shoot me’ (sack me) already emblazoned on their sweating brows, like unwitting Wildebeest wandering towards inevitable slaughter in a predator-filled Masai Mara.
How many of them do you think will survive long enough to enjoy Christmas cheer? Ok, so perhaps November is more realistic. Use the following as a guide...
Athletic Club de Bilbao: Felix Sarriugarte
The situation in Bilbao is strangely (and worryingly, for the fans) familiar to last summer, when highly rated young tactician Ernesto Valverde chose to leave and in came Jose Mendilibar from Segunda outfit Eibar. Once again, this summer is a case of out with the proven, in with the unproven, and persisting suspicions over squad quality and new blood. Like Mendilibar before him, Sarriugarte starts the season with serious doubts over his capability to keep the lions meowing, let alone roaring. ‘Part of the furniture’ coaching stalwart Javier Clemente did a fantastic job to turn the tide in Athletic’s favour last season,dragging them up to 12th after Mendilibar’s ill-fated tenure seemed destined to end in relegation. Clemente then agreed to stay on, but got sacked for publicly complaining that none of the new signings bore resemblance to his requests. So Sarriugarte is upped from the B team, though ex-Espanyol coach Miguel Lotina (Valverde took his job there) was an early favourite for the post, and you almost get the feeling he is the proverbial circling vulture overhead. As usual, new talent (by definition, due to the Basques-only policy) is in short supply, though the club did shell out £4m on 17 year-old Javier Martinez from Osasuna. He could be good (though presumably Clemente didn’t think so!).
Atlético Madrid: Javier Aguirre
Well, what’s to be said? If Bilbao’s situation smacks of déjà vu, this takes the cake. Yes the Mexican achieved, in the eyes of some, more than any other Liga coach last season in guiding unfashionable Osasuna amazingly to a Champions League spot. So he has the credentials, and the club have made some interesting signings. So what’s the problem? Err… well, you see, that happened last season too (and before, and bef…) when the highly decorated Carlos Bianchi took the Atletico plunge and never stopped sinking. I’d love to be positive about Los Colchoneros, but logic and experience insists upon scepticism. The job is unquestionably a poisoned chalice, and fans must hope Aguirre is the remedy. Argentine teenager Sergio Aguero could be a star, his price tag certainly suggests so. As a result, there may be pressure from ‘upstairs’ to play him, but the huge fee could way heavy on the former Independiente forward’s young shoulders. So, it’s all a case of wait and see.
Barcelona: Frank Rijkaard
The Dutchman basically hasn’t put a foot wrong since the rocky opening months to the job. Last season Barca were sublime, and cleaned up with the trophies. Some people still think Rijkaard is overrated, that his job isn’t so hard, and that the players and coaching staff are the ones who really deserve credit. Maybe, but such views show an ignorance of recent history. There have been world class players at Camp Nou before, but no coach could produce even a sniff of a trophy in the few years preceding his appointment. Anyway, with an excellent squad (made to look immeasurably better by tactical fluidity and balance, effortless on-field application, and personnel who all know their roles) boosted further by world class reinforcements, the biggest barrier to more success are the players themselves. How much do they want it? Well, three straight titles is a true mark of national dominance for sure, and with Real visibly rallying to rise from the ashes (summed up by the appointment of Fabio Capello) the motivation to beat them back down again should be plentiful. It remains hard to realistically see past a Barca Liga hat-trick, especially if the domestic scene is made a priority this season.
Celta Vigo: Fernando Vasquez
Vasquez did a great job in his first Liga campaign at Celta, having helped the Galicians bounce back from relegation at the first time of asking, in his maiden season. Unlike last summer, new signings have been a little thinner on the ground, which can be expected after the marvellous form showed last term. So it’s a case of ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it’, though the return of talented young midfielder David Silva to Valencia after his loan spell at the Balaidos will be no small loss, given his superb displays in the sky blue. Celta are unlikely to improve on last season’s 6th place, but a top half finish and a good run in Europe is well within reach.
Deportivo La Coruña: Joaquin Caparros
The former Sevilla manager took on a mighty task at the Riazor and did well with the a squad that appeared to be on the rotten side of stale. The early season form was excellent, but in the end they missed out on Europe. Useful additions like bruising stopper Alberto Lopo from Espanyol, Racing's Isreali 'keeper Dudu Aouate, and skilful attacker Fabian Estoyanoff on loan from Valencia are a plus, while SuperDepor have also shed some dead weight. This, coupled with Caparros’ tactical and motivational acumen, should see more improvement.
Espanyol: Ernesto Valverde
Despite lifting the Copa Del Rey, Los Perequitos struggled badly in the league and ended a disappointing 15th. It was especially galling for the often-troubled fans who expected more after an excellent 04/05 brought European qualification. Lotina and the board had been at each other’s throats for a while, so his departure was almost inevitable. Valverde, who did well with Bilbao, is a shrewd appointment even if Getafe’s Bernd Schuster was initially approached. Valverde needs a decent start this time and he should do ok, but any flirtations with the upper echelons of the league seem unlikely.
Getafe: Bernd Schuster
The hulking German took quite a bit of criticism when in charge at Levante, to the extent he was given the boot, but Schuster finished an excellent 9th place last season with a Getafe side many expected would crumble after the departure of Quique Flores to Valencia. They have lost key players in goal-happy full-back and World Cup performer Mariano Pernia as well as their primary goal threat, Riki (to Atletico and Depor respectively). However, new arrivals have been forthcoming, and with plentiful Liga experience among the names. The most notable acquisition is surely Argentine national ‘keeper Roberto Abbondanzieri, he of the amazing distribution that often results in goals. Survival is surely the aim, but big Bernd will want more of the same.
Levante: Juan Ramon Lopez Caro
The strangest appointment of the summer, not because of Lopez Caro's ability, which seems to be highly regarded, but the manner in which it occurred. Having taken over from the clown-like Vanderlei Luxemburgo’s Bernabeu freak show in December of last year, it was announced Lopez Caro had agreed to coach Racing Santander this coming season. However, shortly after he popped up at newly-promoted Levante, citing disagreements with the board (as you can no-doubt deduce by now, this kind of thing is habitual ritual in Spain) as the reason for his departure from Racing, particularly regarding transfer activity. He seems to have got his way here, because the new arrivals look promising. Frederic Dehu (Marseille, once of Barca), Alvaro (Zaragoza) and Cesar (Deportivo) will ensure greater solidity, midfield captures Damiano Tommasi (Roma) and Olivier Kapo (Juventus) will add much needed edge and guile, while hotshot Cameroonian forward Albert Meyong Ze, Portuguese top-scorer with Belenenses,will be relied on for goals.
Mallorca: Gregorio Manzano
This is Manzano’s second stint at the Son Moix, having lifted the Copa Del Rey in 2003 to crown his first period at the helm. He arrived in February of this year to replace another Mallorca old boy, Hector Cuper, and steady the sinking islanders. Many of Cuper’s numerous signings have departed, but Manzano has secured the loan of perennial Nou Camp bench-warmer Maxi Lopez to find the net (about which he is very excited, apparently), which is something the team has often struggled with since Sami Eto'o's fee-scoring days in the red and black. Los Bermellones need a steady season, if only for the good health of their beleaguered supporters who have endured heart-wrenching times recently, but it could prove tough once more.
Nastic: Luis Angel Cesar
The Catalan minnows, full name Gimnastic Tarragona, have made the top flight for the first time in 56 years and face a mammoth task to ensure it’s not short diversion from normality. Luis Cesar, formerly of Ferrol, has basically dragged the team up by the bootstraps since taking charge in 2004, having overseen consecutive promotions. It is difficult to fathom that last season was only Nastic’s second ever campaign in Spanish football’s second tier…yes, you read correctly. What’s more, the team started the season indifferently, only for Cesar to lead a 17 match unbeaten crusade to promotion, blending youth with various lower league journeymen to achieve this remarkable feat. The club have snapped up players with Primera Liga experience including a useful-looking potential front partnership of Javier Portillo and Ariza Makukula (if the latter can avoid the crippling injuries of recent seasons) from Real and Sevilla respectively. It will be something of a fairytale story if they survive, and an amazing coaching achievement for Cesar.
Osasuna: Jose Angel ‘Cuco’ Ziganda
Cuco is promoted from the B team to try and carry on the outstanding work of the departed Javier Aguirre, which, in truth, is a heck of a lot to live up to. The summer recruitment drive has been non-descript so far and the squad seems ill-equipt to juggle (should they get past Werder Bremen after a goalless first leg in Germany) CL and domestic commitments. Los Rojillos must be careful not to fall into the same trap as Betis and Celta in recent seasons by risking there actual Liga status for a European jaunt.
Racing Santander: Miguel Angel Portugal
Arriving from Real Madrid Castilla (Real’s B team), which is precisely where their previous 'blink and you'll miss him' coach Lopez Caro resided before taking the Merengues hot seat, Santander are putting their faith in a man short on experience, at the highest level, when they only scraped survival by one point last season. The appointment amusingly smacks of a lack of imagination on the boards part. The club has also lost considerable personnel. It looks as if Portugal will need all the help he can get from notable new signings Pedro Munitis (Depor), Gonzalo Colsa (Atletico) and Mexico's perky World Cup scorer Omar Bravo (Chivas Guadalajara) to lift the team from a potential mire.
Real Betis: Irureta
The former Celta and Depor tactician has had a year out of the game, and is shrewdly appointed to replace Lorenzo Serra Ferrer at the Manuel Ruiz De Lopera. The latter resigned despite turning poor results around and keeping Los Pepinos up, after CL participation hampered league form terribly. A highly experienced coach used to working under pressure and with big names, Irureta finds a squad with enough quality to enjoy a far better season, and if club talisman Joaquin leaves as expected, he will have money to bolster the squad.
Real Madrid: Fabio Capello
The appointment of ‘Don Fabio’ is a simple statement - Real Madrid have had enough of the pantomimes and now demand product of the highest calibre -which means trophies. For so long the management of Los Merengues, on various levels, can be used as a lesson of how not to run a big football club. Continuity was absolutely nil, and lets not even get started on basic common sense. Many expect Real to be a different proposition this season, and they should be. However, it is crucial that Capello is given the timen he may well need, irrespective of whom the club buys (which has criminally usurped everything as the most important aspect of the club in recent years). From a tactical standpoint, Real need more players because there are obvious holes in the squad. A lot of things need to click into gear for Real to be the ‘real’ deal from the onset, but they are unquestionably a threat. It will be interesting, as always, to see how things pan out at the Santiago Bernabeu in Capello’s second crack at what is probably club football’s top job.
Real Sociedad: Jose Mari Bakero
One of the talismans at the heart of Johan Cruyff’s Barcelona 'Dream Team' of the late eighties/early nineties, Bakero gets his first full-season taste of La Liga coaching action. With only Malaga B to his name when he took the Socidedad reins toward the end of last season, he lacks experience and much-needed signings are in short supply. The club have struggled in recent seasons and were lucky to avoid relegation last time out. He has a fight on his hands, and will certainly earn his stripes and coaching respect if he keeps Los Txuri-Urdin firmly out of trouble.
Real Zaragoza: Victor Fernandez
Victor Munoz quit Los Blanquillos after failing to move the club on to the upper echelons last term. It started well, but loss of form saw Zaragoza slide down the table in 2006 to finish in the club’s now seemingly customary no-mans-land of mid-table. Overall, it was a very consistent era under Munoz. Victor Fernandez arrives for his second spell at the helm with a very good squad of players, the quality of which is exponentially increased by the big money arrival of Pablo Aimar. The former Celta, Betis and Porto coach enjoyed an excellent 7 year stretch in the La Romareda hot-seat in the nineties. He likes to play attractive football, and if he can overcome some patchy personal success in recent years, Zaragoza could well make that next giant leap this season. One warning though (which goes for a few of the managers here), in the coaching world they do say ‘never go back’.
Recreativo Huelva: Marcelinho Garcia Toral
Marcelinho guided Recreativo to 2nd spot in the Segunda Division which secured top-flight football after a three year absence. Recre are the oldest club in Spain, and the former Sporting Gijon boss will need all his experience and a few more players besides Villarreal trio Santi Cazorla, Cesar Arzo and Lopez Vallejo added to the roster to stave off relegation.
Sevilla: Juande Ramos
The former Malaga man did a fantastic job in actually bettering Sevilla’s 04/05 achievements. That season ultimately led to star performers Julio Baptista and Sergio Ramos heading for Real Madrid, and many predicted the team would struggle to recover. The acquisition of Javier Saviola did much to cover those losses, bolstering what in reality was a squad still brimming with talent. The Rabbit’s loan period has now ended, and Ramos has brought in pacey sharpshooter Javier Chevanton (Monaco) as a replacement, to supplement Fredi Kanoute and Luis Fabiano in attack. With more high-calibre signings in the shape of Bundesliga duo Christian Poulsen (Schalke) and Andreas Hinkel (Stuttgart), the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan outfit are one to watch this season, and could finally make the CL leap they crave.
Valencia: Quique Flores
The young coach did exactly what was asked of him last season by attaining CL qualification (though they still need to reverse the 1-0 deficit against Salzburg this week, to make the group stage). Los Ches will doubtless be looking for a latter stage jaunt in UEFA’s money-spinning jamboree, for financial purposes especially, but don’t expect too much because attention will be firmly fixed on a title challenge. There have been significant ins and outs this summer, most notably Aimar, though the new players are logical acquisitions while a major coup to solve the right wing problem should become apparent in the next fortnight. With doubts remaining over Real Madrid, the 2002 and 2004 champions (along with their close neighbours below) could represent the main challengers to Barcelona’s crown.
Villarreal: Manuel Pellegrini
The team’s class was there for all to see in the Yellow Submarine’s cruise to the CL semi final’s, which is huge credit to the Chilean tactician. It understandably took its toll on domestic form, though they still finished a creditable 7th. With no European football at El Madrigal this season, no major departures (though Marcos Senna could still make the move to Man Utd) and some great looking signings in the shape of Khaveci Nihat (Real Sociedad), Cani (Zaragoza) and Robert Pires (Arsenal), Pellegrini has assembled a fantastic squad capable of a title push, though the loss to injury of classy stopper Gonzalo Rodriguez for 7 months will require further transfer market conjuring from the ex-River Plate manager.
John Rowlands
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