Time was when football meant going to a decrepit stadium, being crushed on terraces, devouring a hamburger with onions that lacked anything approaching ham or burger but did have a considerable amount of watery onion, and being on the receiving end of violent tendencies that would result in the urgent need for dental treatment.
With the possible and unlucky exception of the latter, none of this now applies. Be you fan, supporter or however you choose to perceive yourself, football has long since acquired a degree of sophistication and luxury that occupies a very different universe to the past.
Contemporary or of the past, there is one thing that draws these eras together: the very notion of being a fan and of fan loyalty. All manner of privations were once tolerated in displaying and stating this loyalty. They have largely disappeared, but the notion of fandom has remained constant. Its ferocity may be less that of physical violence, but in the style of a meek and mild footballer who turns into a raging bull when he crosses the white line, so passing through the turnstiles converts meek and mild members of the public into beasts of torment, as also does Robbie Savage on 606 when he dares to suggest your club will get relegated. Passion, irrationality, love and hate: it's still all there, just that it's now shouted by a stockbroker called Justin with a posh voice.
Which is probably how many football clubs would like it to be on account of Justin having sufficient left over from the monthly finance repayment on the Porsche to be able to afford to actually go to a match. Moreover, Justin would have just the right profile for the market segmentation efforts of the club's commercial department, and he would share this, save for nationality, with his counterparts in China, the USA or pretty much any other part of the globe.
There is, however, some familiarity with how things once were, and it is to be found in lower divisions of leagues across Europe. The top clubs in the top divisions are primarily those who have acquired the Justins and the global images. For the vast majority of clubs, the notion of the brand is as distant today as it was in the good old days before the Justins and when a brand was something they put on a horse in Westerns.
Ah yes, brand. There I was, only a few days ago, considering branding and its meaning in a Mallorcan context. There is now a further and somewhat unexpected reason to consider it. Real Mallorca is to be made into a brand. A worldwide brand.
Without wishing to rain on anyone's parade and also wishing every success for an endeavour that might bring great joy to Mallorca as a whole and not just for the football club, please excuse me if I am somewhat sceptical.
A football club's fans are loyal. It is this loyalty which forms the foundations of any club. To some extent, though, this loyalty - for the highly business-oriented clubs - has been eroded in the pursuit of a different type of loyalty. It is to the brand and is the product of successful marketing, allied to television sales, and it is very often in foreign lands, where there is not the same connection that exists in a home community or home country: not the same passionate instincts that have led and still lead fans to be not always totally rational and so utterly devoted.
There is a superficiality to branding. It was one I referred to it in that previous article. It is the marketing experience, the merchandising and so on. But behind truly successful brands there is a great deal more. In the case of a football club, it is, or should be, what it represents, what its values are and what it means to people.
The most successful football brand, as revealed by the Brand Finance Football report of 2014, is not Real Madrid or Manchester United, it is Bayern Munich. And the reasons why are not just because the team is successful. It has a tradition, one connected to Bavaria, and it embraces this, down to the occasional donning of Lederhosen and going to the beer festival. It has made a virtue of being different in various ways. It is also close to its loyal fans in treating them well through, for instance, low ticket prices. It is a club which stands for things. It has attributes which transcend mere success in competitions.
Fundamentally, only genuine success can make a global football brand, but the roots of this are much closer to home. For ambitions for Real Mallorca, the questions have to be asked. What does the club represent? What does it mean? I wonder if anyone other than a Mallorcan can provide such answers.
Showing posts with label Football. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Football. Show all posts
Friday, January 08, 2016
Sunday, November 29, 2015
A Hundred And More Years Of Mallorcan Football
In March 1916, they formed a football team. Its name was initially the Alfonso XIII Football Team, a quite deliberate adoption of an Anglicised form. Football was, after all, an English (British) sport. The Alfonso of the name was the king. Fifteen years later, he was to leave Spain. He went into exile at the start of the Second Republic and the Republican government subsequently charged him with high treason. In the same year, sensing the way the tide was turning, what had, in 1916, very quickly become the Real Sociedad Alfonso XIII, changed its name to CD Mallorca. The sporting club of Mallorca had very nearly acquired its current name; the Real was to be restored in 1948.
This year is the one-hundredth anniversary of Real Mallorca, a hundred years notable more for the lack of distinction than for the gaining of it, but a hundred years are, nonetheless, something to be proud of, even if the club's emergence came some years after others in Spain which were to become part of the fabric of the nation's football. Its first ever match, on the Buenos Aires ground in Palma, was against a team that had been formed right at the end of the nineteenth century. The Futbol Club Barcelona turned up in March 1916 and beat its hosts five-nil. Reports suggest that Barcelona, being guests, hadn't wished to seem ungrateful for the hospitality that had been extended.
Football, it should be said, was not especially popular back in those days. In Spain generally it had been introduced largely thanks to British sailors and workers and also to young Spaniards who had gone to Britain to study. Barcelona, it might be noted, owed a great deal to one Hans Gamper for getting it up and running just over a month before the nineteenth century became the twentieth. Its first players were all foreign.
A couple of years after Barcelona was formed, the first references to "foot-ball" appeared in the Mallorcan press. A Palma magazine for cyclists made references to matches that were being played in Barcelona. Meanwhile, a writer for "La Almudaina", a newspaper of the time, reported on having been invited to watch an exhibition of "foot-ball" that was given by some British sailors: the naval introduction of the sport had crossed from the mainland.
At this time, sport as it was in Mallorca was confined to cycling, sailing, swimming and horse trials. A teacher at the Gimnàstica de l'Institut Balear, a certain Adolfo Revuelta, had to inform the youth of Palma about this odd sport. It was a ball game between two teams of eleven players on a large field at each end of which was a goal, and each team had to try and kick the ball into the other's goal. Simple enough, you would think, and so of course it was to prove, though initially there wasn't a great deal of local interest.
Despite this apparent indifference, teams started to emerge. Although what was to become Real Mallorca is probably fairly described as the first proper club in Mallorca, the first true match is said to have been played in December 1902. Created by members of the Palma "Cercle Ciclista", they called themselves "España", and they took on a Catalan team (result unknown). The following year, a team known as Palmesano, run by our friend Adolfo Revuelta, challenged España. The good teacher's instructions hadn't been entirely successful, as Palmesano had overlooked the part about kicking the ball into the other team's goal: they lost 7-0.
In 1904, they held the first Balearic Championship. Again, cycling was to assist in football's development. Veloz, a team which played at the Tirador velodrome in Palma, played in front of a couple of thousand spectators and became Balearic champions. In 1908, it was Menorca's turn: Mahón FC proved superior to Veloz, España and others.
One says that Real Mallorca was the first proper club, and in the sense that it was established as a company - a "societat" - then this is true, but there were teams which predated it, of which one, CD Binissalem, is very much alive and kicking nowadays. As is often the case with evidence from Mallorca's past, this can be contradictory. For instance, it is suggested that CD Manacor was also around before 1916, though there is equally good evidence to suggest that it wasn't.
One thing is for certain though, and that is that the Alfonso XIII Football Team was started in 1916, while it is also certain that España - Spain - was the first actual football team in Mallorca.
This year is the one-hundredth anniversary of Real Mallorca, a hundred years notable more for the lack of distinction than for the gaining of it, but a hundred years are, nonetheless, something to be proud of, even if the club's emergence came some years after others in Spain which were to become part of the fabric of the nation's football. Its first ever match, on the Buenos Aires ground in Palma, was against a team that had been formed right at the end of the nineteenth century. The Futbol Club Barcelona turned up in March 1916 and beat its hosts five-nil. Reports suggest that Barcelona, being guests, hadn't wished to seem ungrateful for the hospitality that had been extended.
Football, it should be said, was not especially popular back in those days. In Spain generally it had been introduced largely thanks to British sailors and workers and also to young Spaniards who had gone to Britain to study. Barcelona, it might be noted, owed a great deal to one Hans Gamper for getting it up and running just over a month before the nineteenth century became the twentieth. Its first players were all foreign.
A couple of years after Barcelona was formed, the first references to "foot-ball" appeared in the Mallorcan press. A Palma magazine for cyclists made references to matches that were being played in Barcelona. Meanwhile, a writer for "La Almudaina", a newspaper of the time, reported on having been invited to watch an exhibition of "foot-ball" that was given by some British sailors: the naval introduction of the sport had crossed from the mainland.
At this time, sport as it was in Mallorca was confined to cycling, sailing, swimming and horse trials. A teacher at the Gimnàstica de l'Institut Balear, a certain Adolfo Revuelta, had to inform the youth of Palma about this odd sport. It was a ball game between two teams of eleven players on a large field at each end of which was a goal, and each team had to try and kick the ball into the other's goal. Simple enough, you would think, and so of course it was to prove, though initially there wasn't a great deal of local interest.
Despite this apparent indifference, teams started to emerge. Although what was to become Real Mallorca is probably fairly described as the first proper club in Mallorca, the first true match is said to have been played in December 1902. Created by members of the Palma "Cercle Ciclista", they called themselves "España", and they took on a Catalan team (result unknown). The following year, a team known as Palmesano, run by our friend Adolfo Revuelta, challenged España. The good teacher's instructions hadn't been entirely successful, as Palmesano had overlooked the part about kicking the ball into the other team's goal: they lost 7-0.
In 1904, they held the first Balearic Championship. Again, cycling was to assist in football's development. Veloz, a team which played at the Tirador velodrome in Palma, played in front of a couple of thousand spectators and became Balearic champions. In 1908, it was Menorca's turn: Mahón FC proved superior to Veloz, España and others.
One says that Real Mallorca was the first proper club, and in the sense that it was established as a company - a "societat" - then this is true, but there were teams which predated it, of which one, CD Binissalem, is very much alive and kicking nowadays. As is often the case with evidence from Mallorca's past, this can be contradictory. For instance, it is suggested that CD Manacor was also around before 1916, though there is equally good evidence to suggest that it wasn't.
One thing is for certain though, and that is that the Alfonso XIII Football Team was started in 1916, while it is also certain that España - Spain - was the first actual football team in Mallorca.
Thursday, June 04, 2015
The Special Relationship? America and corruption
As news was coming in on Tuesday regarding the extraordinary development at FIFA, there was discussion as to why the FBI and US prosecutors were taking such an interest in FIFA affairs. Here, after all, is a country that doesn't have much football tradition. Yes, it has a reasonable team, it has staged a World Cup and would hope to hold further tournaments, but in terms of the global game, the US is not in its premier league. So why all the interest?
The most revealing explanation was that to do with Obama's agenda to root out corruption - wherever it might be. The world's policeman is the world's anti-corruption prosecutor as well. And to get a flavour of this, one only has to take a look at what was posted onto the White House's website on 24 September last year.
"President Obama and the US Government continue to drive a robust agenda to stem corruption around the world and hold to account those who exploit the public’s trust for private gain. Preventing corruption preserves funds for public revenue and thereby helps drive development and economic growth. By contrast, pervasive corruption siphons revenue away from the public budget and undermines the rule of law and the confidence of citizens in their governments, facilitates human rights abuses and organized crime, empowers authoritarian rulers, and can threaten the stability of entire regions. The United States views corruption as a growing threat to the national security of our country and allies around the world."
This briefing goes on at considerable length in explaining how the US has become a "global leader on anti-corruption efforts". Among its various "actions" include "working with other countries to promote anti-corruption, transparency and open government". Maybe the US had been talking to the Swiss Government and Swiss prosecutors. But while the reports were of FIFA and possibly Blatter being fingered, thoughts turned elsewhere. Spain.
Ángel María Villar Llona is the president of the Spanish Football Federation. He has been since 1988. He is also a vice-president of FIFA. In the recent vote for the FIFA presidency, Spain sided with Blatter. This was hardly surprising. When the spoils for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups were announced, Villar Llona rounded on those who were accusing FIFA of corruption (principally the British media) by saying that "FIFA is clean and does things with honesty". He has echoed Blatter's sentiment that FIFA represents a football "family". When he was re-elected as president in 2008, he spoke of the "union between all the families of football". He taunted the English FA with its talk of "allegations", ones which should not be made about families. He was one of those who, when David Bernstein of the FA spoke out against Blatter, turned on Bernstein and the FA.
In 2010, a Spanish judge concluded that Villar Llona and other directors of the Spanish federation should be absolved of accusations that had been made against them, though the judge did say that there had been "abominable management in accounting for trips, expenses and purchase of foreign currency".
Villar Llona was due to have been restored as FIFA's head of referees, reward for backing Blatter in his re-election campaign; this, despite his facing possible sanctions related to the bidding for the 2018 World Cup. Where does Blatter's resignation leave Villar Llona?
But while the Spanish Football Federation may now look a little isolated within UEFA (not totally of course because the French, among others, had also supported Blatter), what about Spain, as in its government?
The US and Spain have generally had a strong relationship. It was the Americans who primarily brought Franco into the twentieth century by having - with the help of the likes of American Express - promoted the tourism which was to explode in the 1960s. The Americans also gave Franco military support. More recently, there were strains in the relationship because of Zapatero's opposition to the Iraq War, though Spain did then support US policy in Afghanistan. Under Rajoy, relations have been more cordial. But what about corruption?
As if the Partido Popular and the Spanish Government needed any more reminder of the issue, at the same time as the PP was getting a kicking in regional elections, there were more arrests in Valencia while a judge, in addition to opening proceedings against former PP officials in respect of the so-called "B accounts" affair, was fixing a civil bond of 1.2 million on the PP.
One looks at the wording from the White House statement of September last year. While some of it would not apply to Spain, some of it does. FIFA's affairs are one thing, but what of those of the Spanish Government? What does Obama make of corruption charges here? And what would the US make of Spain were it to be governed by parties of the left with anti-corruption agendas?
The most revealing explanation was that to do with Obama's agenda to root out corruption - wherever it might be. The world's policeman is the world's anti-corruption prosecutor as well. And to get a flavour of this, one only has to take a look at what was posted onto the White House's website on 24 September last year.
"President Obama and the US Government continue to drive a robust agenda to stem corruption around the world and hold to account those who exploit the public’s trust for private gain. Preventing corruption preserves funds for public revenue and thereby helps drive development and economic growth. By contrast, pervasive corruption siphons revenue away from the public budget and undermines the rule of law and the confidence of citizens in their governments, facilitates human rights abuses and organized crime, empowers authoritarian rulers, and can threaten the stability of entire regions. The United States views corruption as a growing threat to the national security of our country and allies around the world."
This briefing goes on at considerable length in explaining how the US has become a "global leader on anti-corruption efforts". Among its various "actions" include "working with other countries to promote anti-corruption, transparency and open government". Maybe the US had been talking to the Swiss Government and Swiss prosecutors. But while the reports were of FIFA and possibly Blatter being fingered, thoughts turned elsewhere. Spain.
Ángel María Villar Llona is the president of the Spanish Football Federation. He has been since 1988. He is also a vice-president of FIFA. In the recent vote for the FIFA presidency, Spain sided with Blatter. This was hardly surprising. When the spoils for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups were announced, Villar Llona rounded on those who were accusing FIFA of corruption (principally the British media) by saying that "FIFA is clean and does things with honesty". He has echoed Blatter's sentiment that FIFA represents a football "family". When he was re-elected as president in 2008, he spoke of the "union between all the families of football". He taunted the English FA with its talk of "allegations", ones which should not be made about families. He was one of those who, when David Bernstein of the FA spoke out against Blatter, turned on Bernstein and the FA.
In 2010, a Spanish judge concluded that Villar Llona and other directors of the Spanish federation should be absolved of accusations that had been made against them, though the judge did say that there had been "abominable management in accounting for trips, expenses and purchase of foreign currency".
Villar Llona was due to have been restored as FIFA's head of referees, reward for backing Blatter in his re-election campaign; this, despite his facing possible sanctions related to the bidding for the 2018 World Cup. Where does Blatter's resignation leave Villar Llona?
But while the Spanish Football Federation may now look a little isolated within UEFA (not totally of course because the French, among others, had also supported Blatter), what about Spain, as in its government?
The US and Spain have generally had a strong relationship. It was the Americans who primarily brought Franco into the twentieth century by having - with the help of the likes of American Express - promoted the tourism which was to explode in the 1960s. The Americans also gave Franco military support. More recently, there were strains in the relationship because of Zapatero's opposition to the Iraq War, though Spain did then support US policy in Afghanistan. Under Rajoy, relations have been more cordial. But what about corruption?
As if the Partido Popular and the Spanish Government needed any more reminder of the issue, at the same time as the PP was getting a kicking in regional elections, there were more arrests in Valencia while a judge, in addition to opening proceedings against former PP officials in respect of the so-called "B accounts" affair, was fixing a civil bond of 1.2 million on the PP.
One looks at the wording from the White House statement of September last year. While some of it would not apply to Spain, some of it does. FIFA's affairs are one thing, but what of those of the Spanish Government? What does Obama make of corruption charges here? And what would the US make of Spain were it to be governed by parties of the left with anti-corruption agendas?
Thursday, July 10, 2014
Mallorca: The Brazil Of Tourism
Ultra-efficient, superbly organised, highly modern in approach, swift to move, react and take the attack to the opponent: the product of integrated thinking, planning and development. Inefficient, poorly organised, outdated in approach, slow to move, react and attack: the product of disjointed thinking, lack of planning and development. Germany thrashed Brazil. A nation known for many things, not just its football but also engineering and motor cars, applied the science, quality and skills of Mercedes and BMW in order to drive a high-speed autobahn through the dead end of a team that had nowhere to go, except in reverse; a very heavy reverse. The other nation is known for one thing - football. Yes, there is an awful lot of coffee in Brazil as well, but its national being is defined by the limits of the white lines of the pitch and by the clichéd soccering samba of the sons of Pele and Zico. Or was.
Betting your whole national being, your societal raison d'être on one thing is a sure route to ultimate disappointment. But once upon a time that national being was unquestioned and, though there were disappointments, the nation could take solace from the knowledge that spiritually it ruled the world, and the world watched in awe. But then the world began to wake up to the possibilities that it admired so greatly. Simultaneously, the one-time world leader forgot its roots. It exported its talent to distant shores, which watered down the very essence of the pool from which it had sprung. It failed to once again foster, nurture and encourage the flamboyance to be found on wonderful, sandy beaches under a burning sun. The nation's gold and silver were sold off, and there was not even tarnished bronze to cling onto. For all this, there had been hope. There were still jewels among the fool's gold. Until, that is, disaster struck. The nation was deprived of the backbone of its Silva, while a broken bone in the back of its golden boy left it flopping around like a great big floppy thing.
The world had long known about Brazil's football, but it wasn't until after the Second World War that it really started to take notice. There was the disappointment of 1950, but then there was the boom of the late '50s and early '60s. On an island in the Mediterranean, there was no disappointment in 1950 because there wasn't as yet anything to be disappointed with. Instead, there was the incipient manifestation of what was to come, housed in tents by a beach in Alcúdia. The great tourism football club was in the process of being conceived, and Club Med was the seed. Within a few years, at the end of the '50s and into the early '60s, the boom was to blast tourism into a totally new orbit. The world looked on in wonder, and was then further wonderstruck as other booms occurred, such as around 1994, when the island indulged in a binge of new development. Over this period, the island could count on a solidity in the defence of its market, but one combined with adventure. It was the touristic defence of Nilton Santos and Carlos Alberto, racing forward to deliver the coup de grâce. And from this solidity came the real flair and riches from the extravagant supply lines of its Garrincha and Jairzinho for its number tens, its Pele and Zico, to net the seemingly endless bonanza that erupted from its wonderful, sandy beaches under a burning sun.
The world, though it looked on in wonder and in admiration, did not do so with deference. It looked on and learned. And one thing it learned was efficiency, organisation, modernity, swiftness to act and integrated planning. In some parts of the world this meant a bottom-up approach from all but scratch combined with top-down guidance from strategically minded governments. One thing in particular that it learned was that the island, rather like Brazil, had extracted its riches as much if not more through improvisation than planning. It had taken the talent of its beaches and built castles on its sand but failed to pay adequate attention to the foundations and to the potential breaches by the tides of competition. And this competition was aided by its foreign coaches, those from the island itself, its grand hotel chains which exported know-how and expertise and left the island in the hands of politicians, in thrall to ProZone tourism statistics but without the soul of that one-time flair.
Betting your whole island being on one thing is a sure route to ultimate disappointment. There are many other things in Mallorca, but its island being is defined by the limits of one industry, which is prone to a disastrous snap in its back that renders it supine in the face of challenges. Re-definition is needed. Real planning is needed. The bounceback starts now. For Brazil, at any rate.
Betting your whole national being, your societal raison d'être on one thing is a sure route to ultimate disappointment. But once upon a time that national being was unquestioned and, though there were disappointments, the nation could take solace from the knowledge that spiritually it ruled the world, and the world watched in awe. But then the world began to wake up to the possibilities that it admired so greatly. Simultaneously, the one-time world leader forgot its roots. It exported its talent to distant shores, which watered down the very essence of the pool from which it had sprung. It failed to once again foster, nurture and encourage the flamboyance to be found on wonderful, sandy beaches under a burning sun. The nation's gold and silver were sold off, and there was not even tarnished bronze to cling onto. For all this, there had been hope. There were still jewels among the fool's gold. Until, that is, disaster struck. The nation was deprived of the backbone of its Silva, while a broken bone in the back of its golden boy left it flopping around like a great big floppy thing.
The world had long known about Brazil's football, but it wasn't until after the Second World War that it really started to take notice. There was the disappointment of 1950, but then there was the boom of the late '50s and early '60s. On an island in the Mediterranean, there was no disappointment in 1950 because there wasn't as yet anything to be disappointed with. Instead, there was the incipient manifestation of what was to come, housed in tents by a beach in Alcúdia. The great tourism football club was in the process of being conceived, and Club Med was the seed. Within a few years, at the end of the '50s and into the early '60s, the boom was to blast tourism into a totally new orbit. The world looked on in wonder, and was then further wonderstruck as other booms occurred, such as around 1994, when the island indulged in a binge of new development. Over this period, the island could count on a solidity in the defence of its market, but one combined with adventure. It was the touristic defence of Nilton Santos and Carlos Alberto, racing forward to deliver the coup de grâce. And from this solidity came the real flair and riches from the extravagant supply lines of its Garrincha and Jairzinho for its number tens, its Pele and Zico, to net the seemingly endless bonanza that erupted from its wonderful, sandy beaches under a burning sun.
The world, though it looked on in wonder and in admiration, did not do so with deference. It looked on and learned. And one thing it learned was efficiency, organisation, modernity, swiftness to act and integrated planning. In some parts of the world this meant a bottom-up approach from all but scratch combined with top-down guidance from strategically minded governments. One thing in particular that it learned was that the island, rather like Brazil, had extracted its riches as much if not more through improvisation than planning. It had taken the talent of its beaches and built castles on its sand but failed to pay adequate attention to the foundations and to the potential breaches by the tides of competition. And this competition was aided by its foreign coaches, those from the island itself, its grand hotel chains which exported know-how and expertise and left the island in the hands of politicians, in thrall to ProZone tourism statistics but without the soul of that one-time flair.
Betting your whole island being on one thing is a sure route to ultimate disappointment. There are many other things in Mallorca, but its island being is defined by the limits of one industry, which is prone to a disastrous snap in its back that renders it supine in the face of challenges. Re-definition is needed. Real planning is needed. The bounceback starts now. For Brazil, at any rate.
Saturday, June 07, 2014
MALLORCA TODAY - Mallorca survive the drop
Cordoba 0 : 0 Real Mallorca
Last round of matches of the season in the Segunda, Mallorca scrapping to avoid the drop away at Cordoba who are looking for a play-off spot. A defeat on the cards and so relegation? Depending on other results, Mallorca could lose and stay up. A draw would otherwise surely be enough.
Mallorca came out strongly, Hemed having two good opportunities within the first ten minutes. Mallorca continued to create more chances, but Ximo had to clear off the line to prevent Cordoba going ahead, and Cordoba began to take over as the half wore on, only for Hemed - again - to waste a chance just before the break.
The second half became tense. Matches elsewhere were going in such a way that were Cordoba to score and win, then Mallorca could indeed be relegated. With under 20 minutes left, one of those other matches - Lugo v. Mirandés - eased Mallorca's worries; Lugo taking the lead. On the pitch, Aouate saved to prevent Pelayo putting Cordoba in front, but Cordoba - desperate for a winner to put them into the play-offs - couldn't convert their pressure into a goal. Nil-nil, Mallorca safe. Now what matters is the financial state of the club. And the future of its management, its appalling mismanagement.
Last round of matches of the season in the Segunda, Mallorca scrapping to avoid the drop away at Cordoba who are looking for a play-off spot. A defeat on the cards and so relegation? Depending on other results, Mallorca could lose and stay up. A draw would otherwise surely be enough.
Mallorca came out strongly, Hemed having two good opportunities within the first ten minutes. Mallorca continued to create more chances, but Ximo had to clear off the line to prevent Cordoba going ahead, and Cordoba began to take over as the half wore on, only for Hemed - again - to waste a chance just before the break.
The second half became tense. Matches elsewhere were going in such a way that were Cordoba to score and win, then Mallorca could indeed be relegated. With under 20 minutes left, one of those other matches - Lugo v. Mirandés - eased Mallorca's worries; Lugo taking the lead. On the pitch, Aouate saved to prevent Pelayo putting Cordoba in front, but Cordoba - desperate for a winner to put them into the play-offs - couldn't convert their pressure into a goal. Nil-nil, Mallorca safe. Now what matters is the financial state of the club. And the future of its management, its appalling mismanagement.
Saturday, May 31, 2014
MALLORCA TODAY - Mallorca almost safe after Las Palmas win
Real Mallorca 2 : 0 Las Palmas
Vital that relegation-threatened Mallorca got a result against promotion-seeking Las Palmas, and defender Agus almost gave Mallorca a perfect start, striking the woodwork with a header on quarter of an hour. Mallorca were generally on top without making any dominance count until, three minutes after the break, a header was on target, Nsue putting Mallorca ahead. And, after 61 minutes, Israeli striker Hemed put Mallorca two-up. Las Palmas, pushing to secure a play-off position, pretty much bottled it. Mallorca were much the better side and played one of their best matches of the season. Relegation cannot be completely ruled out, but Mallorca, with this win and climbing to sixteen with 50 points, have probably made their Segunda participation safe.
Vital that relegation-threatened Mallorca got a result against promotion-seeking Las Palmas, and defender Agus almost gave Mallorca a perfect start, striking the woodwork with a header on quarter of an hour. Mallorca were generally on top without making any dominance count until, three minutes after the break, a header was on target, Nsue putting Mallorca ahead. And, after 61 minutes, Israeli striker Hemed put Mallorca two-up. Las Palmas, pushing to secure a play-off position, pretty much bottled it. Mallorca were much the better side and played one of their best matches of the season. Relegation cannot be completely ruled out, but Mallorca, with this win and climbing to sixteen with 50 points, have probably made their Segunda participation safe.
Sunday, May 25, 2014
MALLORCA TODAY - Girona 1 : 1 Real Mallorca
Another match, another coach (Olaizola, the third this season), and another disaster probably on the cards. Girona were in a relegation spot before the match, Mallorca one place above relegation, so there was everything to play for. Mallorca came out the stronger, Nsue having a good chance after just three minutes. Both sides had penalty claims ruled out and Mallorca seemed to run out of steam around the half-hour mark, and sure enough, goalkeeper Aouate recalled by Olaizola, made a hash of things three minutes before the break, allowing Migue to put Girona ahead. A touch of fortune for Mallorca after quarter of an hour of the second half, Jandro being sent off for a second yellow, and that changed things, as did the introduction of Geijo. Hemed produced two saves in quick succession by Girona's Becarra and then, with twelve minutes left, Geijo equalised with a header from Martí's corner. Though Mallorca were all over Girona, the winner didn't come. Had it, then you would have thought Mallorca would have pretty much made themselves safe. As it is, they stay in eighteenth, one place above relegation and with two more matches to go. (Alaves, in a relegation place, are away against second-placed Eibar later, so are unlikely to create a change in position.) Unfortunately for Mallorca, the last two matches are both against sides with genuine play-off ambitions, Las Palmas at home and then Cordoba away on the final day of the season.
Saturday, May 17, 2014
MALLORCA TODAY - Mallorca fail to ease relegation worries
Real Mallorca 0 : 0 Real Jaén
Hardly worth taking note of, given momentous events involving Atletico and Barça, but for the record ... two poor teams, but with relegation worries played out a nil-all draw. Alfaro had a clear chance for Mallorca in the first half and Hemed hit the woodwork in the second. But Mallorca didn't exactly dominate. They are one place and two points above the relegation zone, but there are games to follow.
Hardly worth taking note of, given momentous events involving Atletico and Barça, but for the record ... two poor teams, but with relegation worries played out a nil-all draw. Alfaro had a clear chance for Mallorca in the first half and Hemed hit the woodwork in the second. But Mallorca didn't exactly dominate. They are one place and two points above the relegation zone, but there are games to follow.
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
The Tourism Benefits Of Football
The chairmen of Leicester City and Burnley football clubs will be very happy Thai and Lancastrian gentlemen. Thanks to the new television deal, they can look forward to their clubs receiving untold fortunes in the Premier League next season. Of relegated sides from the Premier, the comedy gold that is the Cardiff City boardroom risks turning to dross despite the parachute payments.
We are familiar enough with the financial imperatives of Premier League football to the teams which inhabit it. In Spain, though the finances are different (the rich - Real Madrid and Barcelona - get absurdly rich, while the others make do), there are similar imperatives. At Real Mallorca they are only too well aware of them, but while the club's woes have been well chronicled, the fall into the Segunda was and is only part of them. The fall could be very much further.
While the football focus is on club finances, what of the wider economy in towns and cities with football clubs? What are the economic profits and losses from tourism of a team being in the premier division or in the second?
I am unaware of there having been a study of the economic impact of Real Mallorca's relegation. If there is to be one, it will probably have to come from the Balearics Chamber of Commerce, which would be following the lead of Chambers of Commerce in other parts of Spain that have sought to put numbers on the impact of promotion if not relegation. And one of the more thorough studies has been that involving Real Zaragoza.
Promoted at the end of the 2008-2009 season, Zaragoza went down again, along with Mallorca, last season. In anticipating the 2009-2010 season, the local Chamber of Commerce examined the benefits of promotion by assessing those that had been derived from the season before relegation (2007-2008). It was a highly detailed examination, and one that threw up some revealing statistics. There was a calculation of the total number of fans (of other teams), of away team members and personnel, of media people and of referees and linesmen. The number of fans was 14,707, an average of 774 per match. Away support for Spanish football teams is considerably lower than in England, and by way of comparison, the average number of away fans for matches in the Championship (equivalent to the Segunda) in 2012-2013 was 1,323, almost double, therefore, the away support for a Zaragoza La Liga match.
The distance that has to be travelled is the principal reason for lower away support, but unlike in England, where an away fan would typically not stay overnight, in Zaragoza a half of the away fans did. It is the overnight stays of fans, teams, press and referees, their spend on hotels, restaurants and other services that are at the heart of the calculation of economic benefit. In total, it was reckoned to have amounted to over 20.5 million euros in the 2007-2008 season.
Another study, that for Murcia, which was promoted in 2007, shows that the general economic benefit was over ten million euros. One for Granada has revealed that the local economy benefits by 28 million euros from promotion.
A professor at the University of Oviedo, Plácido Rodríguez, has done a fair amount of research into the effects of clubs' relegation and promotion on their local economies, but he admits that it is difficult to calculate the effects of relegation. I'm not sure why. If studies can place numbers on the positive impact of promotion, surely the same methodologies can apply in the case of relegation. The professor says that there haven't been "exhaustive studies" into the effects of relegation, and this has led to rather misleading reports. The losses from relegation, e.g. in Zaragoza and Murcia, are reported as being the same as the gains from promotion, when they clearly can't be. Apart from anyone else, there are still the referees and the teams.
Quite obviously though, there is a loss because of relegation, and one indirect way is through the promotion of the town or city. The study into Zaragoza's promotion highlighted the fact that mere presence in the top division exposes the city to greater recognition nationally and internationally and that this leads to more general tourism. The study put a value of 5.5 million euros on this aspect alone.
Whether Real Mallorca's descent into the Segunda has a negative impact in this regard is impossible to say. Nonetheless, there is much to be said for premier league presence acting as a means of indirect tourism promotion. For example, of all those new Chinese tourists who are coming to Spain, a goodly number know all about Madrid and Barcelona because of football. It may only be football, but perhaps rather more attention should be being paid to Mallorca's parlous situation. Back in the top flight, and there is a nice little means of tourism promotion.
We are familiar enough with the financial imperatives of Premier League football to the teams which inhabit it. In Spain, though the finances are different (the rich - Real Madrid and Barcelona - get absurdly rich, while the others make do), there are similar imperatives. At Real Mallorca they are only too well aware of them, but while the club's woes have been well chronicled, the fall into the Segunda was and is only part of them. The fall could be very much further.
While the football focus is on club finances, what of the wider economy in towns and cities with football clubs? What are the economic profits and losses from tourism of a team being in the premier division or in the second?
I am unaware of there having been a study of the economic impact of Real Mallorca's relegation. If there is to be one, it will probably have to come from the Balearics Chamber of Commerce, which would be following the lead of Chambers of Commerce in other parts of Spain that have sought to put numbers on the impact of promotion if not relegation. And one of the more thorough studies has been that involving Real Zaragoza.
Promoted at the end of the 2008-2009 season, Zaragoza went down again, along with Mallorca, last season. In anticipating the 2009-2010 season, the local Chamber of Commerce examined the benefits of promotion by assessing those that had been derived from the season before relegation (2007-2008). It was a highly detailed examination, and one that threw up some revealing statistics. There was a calculation of the total number of fans (of other teams), of away team members and personnel, of media people and of referees and linesmen. The number of fans was 14,707, an average of 774 per match. Away support for Spanish football teams is considerably lower than in England, and by way of comparison, the average number of away fans for matches in the Championship (equivalent to the Segunda) in 2012-2013 was 1,323, almost double, therefore, the away support for a Zaragoza La Liga match.
The distance that has to be travelled is the principal reason for lower away support, but unlike in England, where an away fan would typically not stay overnight, in Zaragoza a half of the away fans did. It is the overnight stays of fans, teams, press and referees, their spend on hotels, restaurants and other services that are at the heart of the calculation of economic benefit. In total, it was reckoned to have amounted to over 20.5 million euros in the 2007-2008 season.
Another study, that for Murcia, which was promoted in 2007, shows that the general economic benefit was over ten million euros. One for Granada has revealed that the local economy benefits by 28 million euros from promotion.
A professor at the University of Oviedo, Plácido Rodríguez, has done a fair amount of research into the effects of clubs' relegation and promotion on their local economies, but he admits that it is difficult to calculate the effects of relegation. I'm not sure why. If studies can place numbers on the positive impact of promotion, surely the same methodologies can apply in the case of relegation. The professor says that there haven't been "exhaustive studies" into the effects of relegation, and this has led to rather misleading reports. The losses from relegation, e.g. in Zaragoza and Murcia, are reported as being the same as the gains from promotion, when they clearly can't be. Apart from anyone else, there are still the referees and the teams.
Quite obviously though, there is a loss because of relegation, and one indirect way is through the promotion of the town or city. The study into Zaragoza's promotion highlighted the fact that mere presence in the top division exposes the city to greater recognition nationally and internationally and that this leads to more general tourism. The study put a value of 5.5 million euros on this aspect alone.
Whether Real Mallorca's descent into the Segunda has a negative impact in this regard is impossible to say. Nonetheless, there is much to be said for premier league presence acting as a means of indirect tourism promotion. For example, of all those new Chinese tourists who are coming to Spain, a goodly number know all about Madrid and Barcelona because of football. It may only be football, but perhaps rather more attention should be being paid to Mallorca's parlous situation. Back in the top flight, and there is a nice little means of tourism promotion.
Saturday, May 10, 2014
MALLORCA TODAY - Defensive Mallorca grab point in Numancia
Numancia 1 : 1 Real Mallorca
Increasingly desperate times for Mallorca, relegation a prospect and indeed the club's whole future in doubt. Away in Castile and Leon at Numancia, a lowly placed side (the same as Mallorca therefore), there was just a chance of some relief, and a header by Alfaro on twenty minutes suggested that there would be. Numancia, though, were not lying down. The woodwork was struck twice before Regalón equalised with a header. A point for Mallorca, which was about the limit of the team's ambitions. Possession stats reveal much: Numancia 72%, Mallorca 28%. Corners stats, too: 15 for Numancia versus one for Mallorca. At least the defence played well.
Increasingly desperate times for Mallorca, relegation a prospect and indeed the club's whole future in doubt. Away in Castile and Leon at Numancia, a lowly placed side (the same as Mallorca therefore), there was just a chance of some relief, and a header by Alfaro on twenty minutes suggested that there would be. Numancia, though, were not lying down. The woodwork was struck twice before Regalón equalised with a header. A point for Mallorca, which was about the limit of the team's ambitions. Possession stats reveal much: Numancia 72%, Mallorca 28%. Corners stats, too: 15 for Numancia versus one for Mallorca. At least the defence played well.
Sunday, May 04, 2014
MALLORCA TODAY - Mallorca now in real relegation trouble
Real Mallorca 0 : 2 Eibar
Mallorca at home to high-flying Eibar. An open first half with Mallorca creating chances through the Morenos (Alex and Gerard) and benefiting from the lively Asensio. Immediately after the break, Alfaro went close, and there were further efforts from Agus and Alex Moreno, but with fifteen minutes left, all Mallorca's good work was undone when Mainz put Eibar ahead. Three minutes later, Mainz added a second. Eibar may well be in the top division next season. Mallorca most definitely won't be. Indeed, it could be worse. They are now eighteenth.
Mallorca at home to high-flying Eibar. An open first half with Mallorca creating chances through the Morenos (Alex and Gerard) and benefiting from the lively Asensio. Immediately after the break, Alfaro went close, and there were further efforts from Agus and Alex Moreno, but with fifteen minutes left, all Mallorca's good work was undone when Mainz put Eibar ahead. Three minutes later, Mainz added a second. Eibar may well be in the top division next season. Mallorca most definitely won't be. Indeed, it could be worse. They are now eighteenth.
Saturday, April 26, 2014
MALLORCA TODAY - Relegation threatens Mallorca after Alavés defeat
Alavés 1 : 0 Real Mallorca
Hard to believe that Mallorca's season could get much worse, but it has. Alavés, more threatened with the drop than Mallorca, dominated most of a poor first half, neither team deserving of any real plaudits. Mallorca came out after the break with rather more intent, but nothing came of this greater effort. Instead, Alaves's dangerous Borja Viguera finally secured the win, moments after Hemed had missed an open goal for Mallorca.
Hard to believe that Mallorca's season could get much worse, but it has. Alavés, more threatened with the drop than Mallorca, dominated most of a poor first half, neither team deserving of any real plaudits. Mallorca came out after the break with rather more intent, but nothing came of this greater effort. Instead, Alaves's dangerous Borja Viguera finally secured the win, moments after Hemed had missed an open goal for Mallorca.
Sunday, April 20, 2014
MALLORCA TODAY - Mallorca give up against Depor
Real Mallorca 0 : 3 Deportivo La Coruña
A home game against league leaders Depor was never going to be easy for Mallorca but a three-nil loss was worse than might have been anticipated even for a side with Mallorca's troubles. Things might have taken a different course had a sixth-minute strike not been ruled out for offside or if Depor's Lux not made a double save from Alex Moreno and Nsue in the 35th minute. Five minutes later Depor went ahead through a penalty by Sissoko. Mallorca appealed for a penalty of their own shortly after, which resulted only in a booking for Nsue, and then, straight after the break, Depor went two up through Luisinho. With the fans jeering mercenary players and the board, Mallorca gave up. Borja added the third with 25 minutes to go.
Mallorca should avoid the drop (unless their financial matters force them to be relegated in any event), but relegation for solely footballing reasons can't be totally ruled out.
A home game against league leaders Depor was never going to be easy for Mallorca but a three-nil loss was worse than might have been anticipated even for a side with Mallorca's troubles. Things might have taken a different course had a sixth-minute strike not been ruled out for offside or if Depor's Lux not made a double save from Alex Moreno and Nsue in the 35th minute. Five minutes later Depor went ahead through a penalty by Sissoko. Mallorca appealed for a penalty of their own shortly after, which resulted only in a booking for Nsue, and then, straight after the break, Depor went two up through Luisinho. With the fans jeering mercenary players and the board, Mallorca gave up. Borja added the third with 25 minutes to go.
Mallorca should avoid the drop (unless their financial matters force them to be relegated in any event), but relegation for solely footballing reasons can't be totally ruled out.
Sunday, April 06, 2014
MALLORCA TODAY - Mallorca fail to move closer to the play-offs in Galicia
Lugo 2 : 1 Real Mallorca
Mallorca failed to get closer to a play-off position. The visitors had taken the lead after twelve minutes (Riverola) but Lugo came back strongly and equalised through Díaz on the half hour and it was Lugo who mainly dominated the rest of the match. Miño saved Mallorca after 60 minutes but he couldn't on the 84th minute, when pressure from Lugo finally told and Juanjo secured the winner for the home side, who also have play-off ambitions. Seven rounds of matches remaining, Mallorca are four points off sixth spot.
Mallorca failed to get closer to a play-off position. The visitors had taken the lead after twelve minutes (Riverola) but Lugo came back strongly and equalised through Díaz on the half hour and it was Lugo who mainly dominated the rest of the match. Miño saved Mallorca after 60 minutes but he couldn't on the 84th minute, when pressure from Lugo finally told and Juanjo secured the winner for the home side, who also have play-off ambitions. Seven rounds of matches remaining, Mallorca are four points off sixth spot.
Saturday, March 29, 2014
MALLORCA TODAY - Mallorca play-off ambitions not advanced against Recreativo
Real Mallorca 0 : 0 Recreativo Huelva
Despite their stuttering season, Mallorca still have ambitions of a play-off spot, while their opponents, Recreativo, occupy one of those spots.
An even enough first period, Mallorca initially in the ascendancy until Recreativo came strongly into the game towards the break. Little by way of clear chances for either side though. Mallorca upped the pace after the break - and they needed to - with Alfaro, Thomas, Hemed and especially Martí all creating opportunities. Recreativo went down to ten men with eight minutes left, but Mallorca couldn't press home any advantage.
Despite their stuttering season, Mallorca still have ambitions of a play-off spot, while their opponents, Recreativo, occupy one of those spots.
An even enough first period, Mallorca initially in the ascendancy until Recreativo came strongly into the game towards the break. Little by way of clear chances for either side though. Mallorca upped the pace after the break - and they needed to - with Alfaro, Thomas, Hemed and especially Martí all creating opportunities. Recreativo went down to ten men with eight minutes left, but Mallorca couldn't press home any advantage.
Sunday, March 23, 2014
MALLORCA TODAY - Mallorca eventually prevail over 10-man Castilla
Real Madrid Castilla 1 : 2 Real Mallorca
Mallorca away at what is Real Madrid's B team, one a couple of points below Mallorca in mid-table in the second division. For once, it wasn't Mallorca suffering the early setback, R.M. having striker Willian sent off before 15 minutes were up. Despite the one-man advantage, Madrid had the better of most of the first period until Mallorca woke up through efforts by Alfaro and Gerard Moreno. Nil-nil at the break, but with less fifteen minutes on the second-half clock, it was one-nil, Madrid going ahead through a Vázquez strike. It might have been expected that Mallorca would dominate, but this wasn't the case, the game becoming open and even, disadvantaged Madrid a match for the visitors. Finally, though, the numerical advantage told, Hemed equalising with seven minutes to go. And then, four minutes later, Thomas put Mallorca ahead. That wasn't it, as Madrid then had a penalty in time added on; Miño saved it. Suddenly, and following the win at home against Tenerife last weekend, a play-off place starts to look like a possibility for Mallorca.
Mallorca away at what is Real Madrid's B team, one a couple of points below Mallorca in mid-table in the second division. For once, it wasn't Mallorca suffering the early setback, R.M. having striker Willian sent off before 15 minutes were up. Despite the one-man advantage, Madrid had the better of most of the first period until Mallorca woke up through efforts by Alfaro and Gerard Moreno. Nil-nil at the break, but with less fifteen minutes on the second-half clock, it was one-nil, Madrid going ahead through a Vázquez strike. It might have been expected that Mallorca would dominate, but this wasn't the case, the game becoming open and even, disadvantaged Madrid a match for the visitors. Finally, though, the numerical advantage told, Hemed equalising with seven minutes to go. And then, four minutes later, Thomas put Mallorca ahead. That wasn't it, as Madrid then had a penalty in time added on; Miño saved it. Suddenly, and following the win at home against Tenerife last weekend, a play-off place starts to look like a possibility for Mallorca.
Sunday, March 09, 2014
MALLORCA TODAY - Mallorca draw in Zaragoza
Real Zaragoza 1 : 1 Real Mallorca
Both relegated from La Liga last season and both might have been anticipating a prompt return, but neither Zaragoza nor Mallorca has enjoyed the best of times in the "segunda división". But at least Mallorca managed a draw, an improvement following the horror show at home in new coach Carreras's first match in charge against Barcelona B. The goal action occurred within the first few minutes, Thomas scoring for Mallorca after five minutes and Roger replying for Zaragoza seven minutes later. Roger caused Mallorca regular problems, Miño saving the visitors halfway through the first period and again in the second half when Roger drew a penalty which Miño saved with three minutes of the match to go. Mallorca, for now, are in fourteenth spot, four points short of a play-off position but only three points above the best-placed side (Hércules) in the relegation zone.
Both relegated from La Liga last season and both might have been anticipating a prompt return, but neither Zaragoza nor Mallorca has enjoyed the best of times in the "segunda división". But at least Mallorca managed a draw, an improvement following the horror show at home in new coach Carreras's first match in charge against Barcelona B. The goal action occurred within the first few minutes, Thomas scoring for Mallorca after five minutes and Roger replying for Zaragoza seven minutes later. Roger caused Mallorca regular problems, Miño saving the visitors halfway through the first period and again in the second half when Roger drew a penalty which Miño saved with three minutes of the match to go. Mallorca, for now, are in fourteenth spot, four points short of a play-off position but only three points above the best-placed side (Hércules) in the relegation zone.
Saturday, March 01, 2014
MALLORCA TODAY - New coach, new disaster for Real Mallorca
Real Mallorca 1 : 2 Barcelona B
Even by Mallorca's standards, this has been a chaotic and embarrassing week, one that has made the club more of a laughing-stock than it has managed to aspire to be in the past. José Luis Oltra was sacked as coach, or was he? Such is the power struggle, pettiness, stupidity and fighting at board level that it wasn't clear what was happening, the appointment of Lluis Carreras as Oltra's successor initially being opposed by German shareholder Utz Claassen, who was in favour of ex-Mallorca, former Spain international and uncle of Rafa, Miguel Angel Nadal, taking over. Finally, Carreras was confirmed. A former Mallorca player himself, the job at Mallorca is his third coaching job. He had three seasons with Sabadell, getting them promoted to the Liga Adelante Second Division. So, Carreras's first game in charge at home to Barcelona's B, the team for which he made his professional debut in 1990 ...
And it couldn't have started more badly, Mallorca's goalkeeper Aouate being sent off after five minutes for deliberate handling outside the box. Barcelona B scored six minutes later and added a second after 20 minutes. Disaster became even greater disaster when Iriney was sent off two minutes before the break; Mallorca down to nine men. Despite being two players down and despite the calls for resignations (for the board) from the terraces, Mallorca did keep going, and Kevin pulled one back, albeit two minutes from the end. Too little, too late though. An awful result for Mallorca for whom automatic promotion is out of the question but for whom the play-offs are still not out of the question; and nor is relegation.
Even by Mallorca's standards, this has been a chaotic and embarrassing week, one that has made the club more of a laughing-stock than it has managed to aspire to be in the past. José Luis Oltra was sacked as coach, or was he? Such is the power struggle, pettiness, stupidity and fighting at board level that it wasn't clear what was happening, the appointment of Lluis Carreras as Oltra's successor initially being opposed by German shareholder Utz Claassen, who was in favour of ex-Mallorca, former Spain international and uncle of Rafa, Miguel Angel Nadal, taking over. Finally, Carreras was confirmed. A former Mallorca player himself, the job at Mallorca is his third coaching job. He had three seasons with Sabadell, getting them promoted to the Liga Adelante Second Division. So, Carreras's first game in charge at home to Barcelona's B, the team for which he made his professional debut in 1990 ...
And it couldn't have started more badly, Mallorca's goalkeeper Aouate being sent off after five minutes for deliberate handling outside the box. Barcelona B scored six minutes later and added a second after 20 minutes. Disaster became even greater disaster when Iriney was sent off two minutes before the break; Mallorca down to nine men. Despite being two players down and despite the calls for resignations (for the board) from the terraces, Mallorca did keep going, and Kevin pulled one back, albeit two minutes from the end. Too little, too late though. An awful result for Mallorca for whom automatic promotion is out of the question but for whom the play-offs are still not out of the question; and nor is relegation.
Saturday, February 22, 2014
MALLORCA TODAY - A draw but another poor performance by Mallorca
Mirandés 0 : 0 Real Mallorca
A nil-nil draw at Mirandés in Miranda in Castile and León, a small club with a small ground and small or no ambitions, unlike Mallorca whose week has been defined by ever more internal fighting at board level and the resignation of sporting director Serra Ferrer. Coach Oltra has seemingly only held on to his job because the board is so divided, but how much longer can he carry on? A pretty pitiable display by Mallorca in Miranda, there is really little to say about it, other than the fact that Mallorca created hardly a scoring opportunity. Mallorca stay in touch with the play-offs but they should be doing so much better.
A nil-nil draw at Mirandés in Miranda in Castile and León, a small club with a small ground and small or no ambitions, unlike Mallorca whose week has been defined by ever more internal fighting at board level and the resignation of sporting director Serra Ferrer. Coach Oltra has seemingly only held on to his job because the board is so divided, but how much longer can he carry on? A pretty pitiable display by Mallorca in Miranda, there is really little to say about it, other than the fact that Mallorca created hardly a scoring opportunity. Mallorca stay in touch with the play-offs but they should be doing so much better.
Saturday, February 15, 2014
MALLORCA TODAY - Fans call for resignations following home defeat against Hércules
Real Mallorca 0 : 1 Hércules
Mallorca at home to lowly Hércules (lowly meaning eight places below Mallorca with four points fewer before the match), and the home side got off to a positive start, playing with greater intensity and having a goal (Gerard Moreno) disallowed for offside halfway through the first half. And then, having posed little threat, Hércules scored through Hadzic. Mallorca went in search of an equaliser - or more - and as a result Hércules were able to regularly match chances that the home side were. As the game drew towards a close, the crowd started demanding resignations of the board. This was pitiful from Mallorca. Coach Oltra might have gone before now if it hadn't been for all the shenanigans at board level. The players have stayed loyal to him, but now the fans' loyalty to the players, as well as Oltra and the board, was being shown to have become seriously eroded.
Mallorca at home to lowly Hércules (lowly meaning eight places below Mallorca with four points fewer before the match), and the home side got off to a positive start, playing with greater intensity and having a goal (Gerard Moreno) disallowed for offside halfway through the first half. And then, having posed little threat, Hércules scored through Hadzic. Mallorca went in search of an equaliser - or more - and as a result Hércules were able to regularly match chances that the home side were. As the game drew towards a close, the crowd started demanding resignations of the board. This was pitiful from Mallorca. Coach Oltra might have gone before now if it hadn't been for all the shenanigans at board level. The players have stayed loyal to him, but now the fans' loyalty to the players, as well as Oltra and the board, was being shown to have become seriously eroded.
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