Moreno’s unlamented exit and Joaquín’s last hurrah
THE PAST week in LaLiga saw two events affecting different clubs down in Andalucía. On the surface they seem totally unrelated and, with regard to any causal or consequential links between them that is surely true. And yet, both were driven by the same thing, a passion known to all football fans – a full on, or absence of, unbridled sense of belonging.
On March 5, with the club sitting perilously close to the relegation zone, Granada announced that coach Robert Moreno had been relieved of his duties. Sometimes, when a coach leaves a club, the fans have a measure of sympathy for the man losing his job. He’d performed well in the past, but circumstances had overtaken him. That was certainly the case with Álvaro Cervera who was dismissed by Cádiz in January after lifting the club into the top tier. The same could be said for Elche’s Fran Escriba who returned to the club to save them from relegation, before being sacked as he was unable to move the club forward. Fans of Granada did not have a similar affection for Moreno.
Taking over from a truly successful coach can be a poisoned chalice. Just ask the men who have tried – and failed – to succeed Ferguson at Old Trafford. Although of a different scale, the task facing Moreno at Granada was also problematical. Previous coach Diego Martínez had led the club to promotion and then kicked on to take them into European competition and a glamorous quarter-final tie in the Europa League against Manchester United. Understandably, Martínez was both widely respected and adored by the fans and, when he decided to walk away after the expiry of his contract last summer, he would leave a large shadow for whoever was selected to replace him.
In such circumstances, the coach selected for the new season had an important first task as he eased himself into his new seat – pay due respects to his predecessor. It was something that Moreno signally failed to do. Declaring in his first press conference that ‘Diego isn’t here anymore, Roberto Moreno is,’ struck precisely the wrong chord, and it went downhill from there. He also boldly speculated that his Granada team would be better than Martínez’s. They would be more stylish, a purer and a better football team. Results failed to validate the claim and by August, with the team’s form faltering, calls of ‘Robert, vete ya!’ from the fans at Nuevo Los Cármenes became increasingly insistent. It took until October for Granada to collect their first victory after defeating Sevilla.
Only an improvement in form or a genuine attempt at kinship with the club and its fans could save Moreno. Neither occurred, and following a 3-1 defeat to Valencia the die was cast. After Moreno had been sacked from his previous post in Monaco, he claimed that staff and players were crying, so sad were they to see him leave. That may well have been the case, but very few Granada fans would have been tearful to see him exit their club. On Saturday they entertain Elche, with second team coach Rubén Torrecilla in charge. Granada fans will be hoping for a sign of better things ahead.
Someone who will, however, be loudly lamented when he leaves his club is Real Betis stalwart Joaquín. After progressing through the youth and second teams at the club, the winger made his debut on September 3, 2000, as a wideeyed 19-year-old fan of the club. He’d stay at the Estadio Benito Villamarín for six years before periods with Valencia
– where he won the Copa del Rey – Málaga, and Fiorentina, returning back home to his beloved Betis in 2013. Now, some 22 years after his debut for Los Verdiblancos at the age of 40, he has the chance to deliver a trophy to his adoring Béticos in his swansong season.
After completing a twolegged semi-final success over Rayo Vallecano, Real Betis will contest the final of the Copa del Rey against Valencia on April 23 in Sevilla’s Estadio de La Cartuja. It’s not quite a home game for Manuel Pellegrini’s side, but it’s not far off and the Béticos will be there in large numbers and fine voice to roar their team along. The 2004-05 season saw Betis lift the trophy for the second time in their history, defeating Osasuna 2-1 after extra-time. Of course, Joaquín played in the game and there’s a famous, or perhaps infamous, picture of him cavorting naked with the trophy. Perhaps not the sort of thing the now more mature 40-yearold would be proud of, but it showed a passion that makes fans take players to their hearts.
And it’s not the only demonstration of his affection for the club he calls home. Video of him exhorting his players to give everything for the fans and win against Rayo Vallecano is an inspirational watch, and he has also invested a substantial amount of his own money to become a partowner of the club and ensure a long-lasting relationship with it and the fans who adore him. Valencia is just down the road from me, and I guess it would be logical to hope my local club lifts the trophy in April, but the romantic in me wants to see green and white ribbons on the trophy and Joaquín to be the hero of the hour. Things like that can happen in football, and I have my fingers crossed.
Other results across last weekend saw Barcelona maintain their strong form with a battling 1-2 win at Elche. Sitting in the Estadio Manuel Martínez Valero with my green and white scarf on I was cheering for Los Franjiverdes to deliver an upset, but Xavi’s team always looked the better equipped to dig out the victory and, thanks to a VAR penalty decision, that’s what they did in the end. As well as the silky skills of youngsters Pedri and Gavi, there’s a relentless persistence about this Barça team that promises much for next term.
Talking of next season, it’s increasingly likely to begin with Real Madrid as champions. A comfortable 4-1 win over Real Sociedad, despite trailing to an early Oyarzabal penalty, had a serene air of the inevitable about it and the gap to Sevilla, who could only labour to a goalless draw against 19th placed Alavés, is now eight points. With just 11 games to play, that lead is as much of a rock-solid guarantee of title success as you can get in football.