Sums don’t add up at Spanish FA
Thursday 08 October 2009 12:00
It’s been a big couple of days for the Spanish FA (RFEF) in its ongoing centenary celebrations.
At the beginning of the week, there was a golden oldie gathering of ex-internationals who, while being well beyond their sell-by dates, are still hanging on to long-gone glories of the past as a means of making it through another day.
But, that’s enough about Raúl.
Unfortunately, it seems that Marca may be about to poop the 100-year party by pointing out that a match to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the organisation’s foundation was celebrated in 1988 - some 21 years ago.
Do the math, as the Americans might say.
Indeed, Thursday’s edition also features a photograph of the FA president, Angel Villar, giving a national shirt to Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero with a crest showing 1913 as the organisation’s start date.
The paper notes that it has yet to get clarification from the RFEF on why the celebrations are apparently being held four years early.
But that is not surprising considering the gentleman in charge of the year’s events is none other than Ramón Calderón, the former Real Madrid president who appeared on Wednesday’s front cover of Marca alongside a reminder of how many years he could face doing stir if the various corruption allegations against him come good.
The big finale to the hundred year bash is set to be an exhibition game against Argentina, to be held at Atlético’s Vicente Calderón stadium in November.
The original host for the match was the Santiago Bernabeu as it has a bigger capacity and is not a mould-invested death trap.
But the location of the game had to be moved after Florentino Pérez had his first high chair tantrum of his latest tenure back in the summer, and threw a plate of semolina into Emilio Butregueño’s face and squealed that his predecessor must never be allowed entry into Castle Greyskull.
And this leads us nicely - or clunkily - to the blog’s next story which concerns Ramón Calderón’s biggest fan, Roberto Gómez at Marca.
As La Liga Loca may not be around to see the inevitable day when Florentino II’s reign goes Pete Tong and the Bernabeu stadium is sold, demolished and replaced with a Pérez-shaped skyscraper, the blog has had to get its kicks from witnessing Gómez’ presence in the paper reduced to a bare minimum due to his allegiances with the former president, who he once hailed as being the most honourable man on the planet.
However, this ongoing spell on the naughty step didn’t prevent Gómez from pulling a fine piece of journalism out of the bag this week, by calling for none other than Jesus Navas to be signed up as Real Madrid’s next Galactico.
Considering the midfielder can barely be away from Seville for more than a couple of days at a time - an issue for any Madrid-based player - the club would have to drug the footballer and place him in a Truman Show-style reproduction of his ‘pueblo’ to prevent instant wig-out, for Gómez’s cunning plan to come true.
AS were also in competition for the week’s best example of general idiocy, with an interview with Gordon Banks and how his 1970 save against Pelé compared to Iker Casillas’ extraordinary effort against Sevilla.
But what might have been a bit of scoop turned into a woeful washout when the former England keeper admitted he had yet to see the Madrid man’s stunning stop.
For those desperate for news on Pep’s Dream Boys this week, then Sport have come up with a truly mind-blowing revelation for Thursday’s edition.
According to the paper, Barça are great. But what’s more - Pep Guardiola is great, too.
The coach who still refuses to sign a new contract to take him past June 2010 has built a team that “is admired by all” sighs the Catalan paper, who note that Pep has also received plaudits from Getafe boss and former Madridista, Michel.
La Liga Loca would like to note that this is faint praise indeed, considering what Michel is to football management, the Spanish FA is to arithmetic.
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About Tim Stannard
When he isn't fighting the evil forces of flamenco or attracting libel actions for La Liga Loca, Tim Stannard is building his media empire in Madrid. As well as contributing to Football365 and doing odd jobs elsewhere, Tim also works in the glamorous world of television as a producer, script writer, news editor, coffee boy and stand-in fluffer.