Dixie Flatline

The Primera Liga 2003/04 Preview<P>With acknowledgments to Tricky Winger!<P>Alavés finished last season mid-table and despite capturing Polish international keeper Jerzy Dudek from Feyenoord on a Bosman transfer will probably not improve much on its 11th place. Javi Moreno will be expected to lead the lines up front for the Basque club but his goal return over the last few seasons have, to say the least, been rather disappointing. In fact, Alavés has been poor in front of goal, scoring only 41 goals in the last campaign. But Wim Jansen has done well with limited resources to secure the club’s long-term future in the Primera Liga and he will do well to finish inside the top ten.<P>Athletic Bilbao finished the 2002/03 season as the champion of the Primera Liga, breaking the Barcelona stranglehold over the title. But the club’s insistence on signing only Basque players, while admirable in the day and age of itinerant players, means that replacing players of the calibre like Julen Guerrero and Ismael Urzáiz, who both went to Bayer Leverkusen, with Jon Kortina, Jorge Barbarin and Edu Alonso is very difficult. Of course, the romance associated with the club evokes memories of Celtic’s triumph over Inter Milan in the European Cup. But with Bilbao’s commitment to the European Champions’ League combined with its defence of the crown, one would be forgiven for thinking that Luis Fernández’s resources will be stretched beyond breaking point and the club will be lucky to finish inside the top five. A lot will rest on the shoulders of Spanish international Joseba EtxeberrÃ*a, Aitor Karanka and Jorge Pérez.<P>For fans of Atlético Madrid the days of 1996 are a long time ago now, and after returning to the Primera Liga last season, Asier De la Cruz needs to make improvements to the squad to keep the club in the top flight for another season after it squeezed out of relegation in the last days of the season. De la Cruz has spent cautiously over the summer, preferring to add experience and youth in Rubén, César ElÃ*as Santis and Alberto Artigas to the club’s squad rather than splashing out on bringing a ‘big name’ to the club. A lot of the responsibility for the club’s future rests with Toni, Córcoles and Salva. Juninho remains at the club after some tense times last season and he hopes to make an impression in the new season. Still, one cannot expect too much from this club just yet, though the quality through the squad should see it avoid relegation for another season.

Dixie Flatline

Undoubtedly, Barcelona is in the ascendency at the moment, despite losing its domestic crown to Athletic Bilbao last season. Winning the European Champions’ League more than made up for that loss and Spain’s most successful club in the league and cup will hope to continue its great run under boss Lorenzo Serra Ferrer. However, Barcelona possesses an aging squad and while Rivaldo and Lilian Thuram are still excellent players, there must be some doubts over whether they can maintain their extraordinarily high standards given they are now the wrong side of thirty. But Patrick Kluivert is undoubtedly the best player in the world and at 27 years old, he is cherry ripe for another extraordinary season before Holland chases glory in the European Championship. Players like Gabri, Gerard and Simão should ensure that the club’s future is still just as bright as it is now. Surely, Barcelona must be the favourite to claim La Liga’s crown.<P>Cartagonova’s meteoric rise from the third division into the top flight is simultaneously a fairy tale and a lesson to other smaller clubs in the lower reaches of Spain’s football league. Formed only in time for the 1995/96 season, chairman Señor Manzano’s astute hiring of Señor Flatline has transformed the club into a potential giant of Spain’s football. But the manager’s credentials as the pick of the crop of Spain’s next generation of managers will be tested like never before as he attempts to preserve Cartagonova’s status as a Primera Liga club. Señor Flatline has spent money and brought many players to the club in the off-season, but again he will rely upon José Manuel Redondo to score the goals and Fernando Couto to hold together the defence. In Paulo Miranda, he potentially has signed the next Juan Veron while plenty of players like Michel, Iulian Filipescu and Rufete have been given second chances by the manager. With a fanatical fan base helping to turn the Estadio Cartagena into a cauldron that most teams fear, Cartagonova’s fate this season may well be determined by its home form. <P>Celta Vigo’s cup success both in Europe with the UEFA Cup and domestically with the Copa del Rey has not been enough to shift the club above fifth place in the league. But VÃ*ctor Fernández has spent more than £20 million on improving the squad, bringing highly regarded players like Andrés Olivera, Quique Ã�lvarez, Sharbel Touma and Mattias Asper amongst others. But losing Argentine international Gustavo López is a big blow and his influence and creativity will be missed. Defending the UEFA Cup this season might be a distraction upon the men from Vigo, but surely another top five finish is not beyond the club. Whether they improve upon that is another question.

Dixie Flatline

Deportivo La Coruña’s pre-season preparations were interrupted by board ructions which saw the old chairman swept away by an alliance led by Pablo Ferrer, who appointed Miguel Casquero as the new manager after Cartagonova’s Señor Flatline turned down the opportunity to manage the 1999/2000 champion. On the brink of bankruptcy even with the funds injected by the new chairman, Deportivo has had to sell many of its highly priced stars like Paolo Montero who left for Ajax for £12.25 million, Roberto Baronio who went to Atalanta for £9 million and Edgar Davids who rejoined Juventus for £16.25 million. The sales netted the club £43 million, some of which has been spent by the new manager, but clearly this season will be a season of rebuilding, and it would be absurd to consider Deportivo a chance for the title. But the triumvirate of Diego Tristán, Roy Makaay and Turu Flores will still cause many defences plenty of problems over the season, while César is an important man in the defence.<P>Elche has quietly built itself as a solid Primera Liga performer after its promotion from the Segunda Liga in 2002/03. However, Deportivo managed to lure away its manager and his replacement Miguel Rubio has not had much success at Lleida in the last three seasons. Several players were signed by Casquero before he left the club and of those Hélder, the Portuguese international defender, Vladimir Ivic, the Yugoslav midfielder, and Jesper Grønkjær, the Danish winger, will be the most important to Elche’s cause this season. But as always, Elche’s hopes are pinned on the Argentine striker Pedro Guede who remains as prolific as ever.<P>Paco Flores needs to be rather frugal with his money as Espanyol continues in the shadow of its great cross-town rival Barcelona. But so long as Argentine international MartÃ*n Posse remains at the club, Espanyol always has the chance to cause bigger clubs plenty of problems. Mauricio Pochettino starts the season on the sidelines and his future at the club is apparently clouded over a dispute about his wage, but his defensive qualities will be absolutely necessary for the club to survive another season. He will be helped by new man Roberto Ayala, who was signed from Valencia in the summer, but Sietes, who failed to shine at Cartagonova, is a risky investment for Señor Flores.<P>Extremadura is another promoted club from last season and Andoni Goikoetxea has spent cautiously in attempting to preserve his club’s status as a Primera Liga club. In HÃ¥kan Mild, Antonio Mata, and Marco Etcheverry he has brought in plenty of experience but a lot of the responsibility for the goals will come from David Karanka. Full of willing triers, one might believe that Extremadura will struggle to cope with the pressures of top flight football.

Dixie Flatline

Málaga put the disappointment of relegation in 2001 behind them to win promotion the following season and in 2002/03, finished a creditable ninth. VÃ*ctor Ruiz has spent more than £8 million on consolidating his club’s status in the Primera Liga with Turkish international Tayfun and Argentine striker Mauricio López the pick of the transfers into the club. But as usual, DarÃ*o Silva, Miguel Angel Zepeda and Ismael will be the players the fans rely upon to bring success to the club. A top ten finish beckons for this club.<P>The island club Mallorca has like many other clubs this season, splashed the cash in order to bring some success to the club. With the opportunity to play in the UEFA Cup via the Inter-Toto Cup an attractive outcome for Señor Juande Ramos, he spent £10 million in the off-season bringing in players to strengthen an already impressive squad. But as usual Alberto Luque is the man who can bring success to the club with his goals vital to the plans of Señor Ramos. He will continue to be supported by Roberto Losada, the ex Real Oviedo striker. But an aging squad, including Finidi George, Ã�ñigo Uribarri, José Emilio Amavisca and Carlos Roa are all the wrong side of 30 and are not growing any younger. Still, Mallorca should give other clubs a run for their money this season.<P>Osasuna escaped relegation by the skin of its teeth on the last day of the last season and it needed to recruit some new players to ensure its survival this season. The club needed Veiga, the former Cartagonova keeper, to be the hero and he certainly was. But the big problem is a lack of firepower, and Señor Miguel Lotina has tried to remedy that by bringing in Oktay, the Turkish international striker, on a Bosman free transfer from Las Palmas and Peruvian international Pablo Zegarra from Salamanca. Still it may not be enough for Osasuna to survive the trap-door for another season having finished the last three seasons in 17th.

Dixie Flatline

Señor Vincente Del Bosque is in charge of an unhappy squad at Real Madrid and not even capturing the title might save his job after this season. With star players like Raúl, Luis Figo, Fernando Morientes and Alessandro del Piero all unhappy for one reason or the other, squad morale cannot be guaranteed and despite the imposing atmosphere of the Santiago Bernabau stadium, victory in the league is not assured. Yet, surprisingly, Señor Del Bosque has chosen not to strengthen the squad, despite the resources at his disposal. Further, losing players of the calibre of Hierro, so long the beating heart of the capital’s leading club, and Marcel Desailly may not be easily replaceable. This season will be a searching season of the club’s character and a finish outside the top three is certainly foreseeable unless conditions change considerably.<P>Sporting Gijón is the club that Cartagonova boss Señor Flatline admits he wants to model his club upon. After promotion to the Primera Liga in 2001, Sporting has finished no lower than sixth and has participated in the European Champions’ League. The revenue from the European odyssey has allowed Señor Vicente Cantatore to spend a lot of money building the club’s player resources in the off season with former Valencia and Inter Milan midfielder Francisco Javier Farinós the leading transfer. But Brazilian striker Da Silva is the man who is expected to take the big step this season and become the star player he is clearly capable of becoming. Supported by MartÃ*n Rivas and Claude Makelele, Sporting Gijón is a club clearly capable of finishing this season in the top four.<P>The retirement of Russian icon Alexander Mostovoi has left Marcello Lippi looking for a star striker to fill the breach for Tenerife, promoted to the Primera Liga at the end of last season behind Cartagonova. But the recruitment of Pedro Rafael Ojeda is perhaps not quite what the fans are looking for and the responsibility for scoring the goals will probably be at the feet of Chispa Delgado and Hugo Morales. However, with a defence boasting Federico Lussenhoff and Omar Rodriguez is clearly capable of defending well, and Tenerife should be safe from relegation, at least this season.

Dixie Flatline

Desperate to break Barcelona, Valencia turned to Guus Hiddink to lead the club to glory, but again it could manage no more than being the bridesmaid in both the European Champions’ League and the Primera Liga, losing the final of the former to its great rival Barcelona and finishing third in the league. Interestingly, Señor Hiddink has chosen not to spend much money in the off-season, bringing in only Israeli international Idan Tal from Strasbourg, Rogério from Real Betis and Fernando Niño from Getafe to the club. But Valencia boasts players like Gaizka Mendieta, Vicente, Hugo Leal and MartÃ*n Palermo amongst its numbers and surely this will be the year of Valencia. Won’t it?<P>It hasn’t been a big spending summer for Villarreal manager VÃ*ctor Muñoz, with monetary restrictions putting the brakes on the recruitment. Idrissa Keita should strengthen the defence, while former Badajoz striker, Héctor Andrés Bracamonte should give the forward line some punch. But the midfield will rely heavily upon Walter Gaitán to create the chances for the strikers and another finish in the lower half of the league is not out of the realm of possibility for the club.<P>Real Zaragoza has spent its money wisely in the summer to recruit players like Hierro, Sixto Peralta, Diego Placente, Djalminha, Iván Rosado and Francisco Javier Jusué from various clubs. With Iván Kaviedes, Juanele and Alen Paternac providing the ammunition up forward and Luis Cartero, Francisco Jusué, Milan Martinovic, Jordi Ferrón stabilising the defence, if Señor Fernando Castro Santos can integrate the signings into the side, Real Zaragoza could be a dark horse for the title.<P>Señor Dixie Flatline’s predictions:<P>Top Five:<P><P>To be relegated:<P><P>Don’t think I would have tipped my club to be relegated this season! [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="big grin[/IMG]<P>Keep smiling! [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif" alt="smile[/IMG]
Dixie Flatline

Dixie Flatline

I missed out a team...<P>One more team! [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif" alt="smile[/IMG] Real Vallodolid has been unable to match the spending sprees conducted by other clubs in the summer, bringing in only experienced Argentine defender Hugo Ibarra from Boca Juniors. But there is experience in every position in Francisco Ferraro’s team, and matching its seventh position in the Primera Liga last season is not beyond the ability of the team. Attacking midfielder Christian Colusso is by far Real Vallodolid’s most impressive player and if he creates the chances Rodolfo Bodipo and Juan Antonio Pizzi should be capable of putting them away. In defence, Horacio Carbonari and Bolivian international stalwart Juan Manuel Peña and club captain should allow Señor Ferraro a reasonable feeling of security.

Dixie Flatline

24th of August 2003<P>Primera Liga - Game 1: Cartagonova v Sporting Gijón<P>It starts here. Our fight for survival and the biggest adventure of our lives.<P>Collymore almost gives us a fairy-tale lead on 2 minutes when he rifles a dipping shot at Bizzarri’s goal, but the Argentine keeper does well to parry it away. A few moments later, Redondo powers a header from Michel’s cross at Sporting’s goal, but Bizzarri dives across and pushes it aside. On 11 minutes, we concede our first goal in the Primera Liga when Madsen takes Farinós’ pass, dribbles through Filipescu before hitting a powerful shot through Vidal’s legs. [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif" alt="mad[/IMG] But we’re the better side and when Couto and then Redondo force great saves out of Bizzarri, I think we’re coming closer to that equaliser. But Filipescu tempts fate not once but twice when Sporting believes it has good claims on a penalty for aggressive tackles, yet the referee comes to our aid, ignoring the linesman twice.<P>At the break I congratulate the players on their sterling first half of Primera Liga football and I tell them that they played a lot better than the scoreline shows. I decide, however, that Collymore should make way for Esnáider, and it turns out to be an inspired substitution. After we withstand some early Sporting pressure, Ballesteros’ cleaerance is superbly controlled by Couto, rolling the years back, before the Portuguese captain passes into the path of Redondo and Redondo lashes it home from 25 yards! [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif" alt="smile[/IMG] On 74 minutes, Couto breaks up a Sporting attack by cleanly tackling Lediakhov before finding Esnáider with a defence-splitting pass, and the Argentine gives us the lead with a powerful finish to crown his debut. Then, with 7 minutes to play, Morán administers the death rites to Sporting with a fantastic goal, converting Michel’s good work down the left. Sporting look to fight back, but Vidal holds firm to deny them the goals they need and we celebrate a great first victory in the Primera Liga! [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="big grin[/IMG]<P>Cartagonova (4-3-1-2): Vidal; Lacruz, Filipescu, Ã�lvarez, Ballesteros; Michel, Couto (c), Rufete; Morán; Redondo, Collymore (Esnáider 46).<P>Sporting Gijón (5-2-1-2): Bizzarri; Brandán (MartÃ*n 84), Rivarola, Rivas, Ettien, Mario (Otero 90); Barselleta, Farinós; Lediakhov (c); Calderón (Rubén 60), Madsen.<P>Final score: Cartagonova 3:1 Sporting Gijón
MoM - Fernando Couto

Dixie Flatline

In two previous seasons at the club, Fernando Couto had made no more than three goals, but in one match in the Primera Liga he creates two! The board is understandably delighted, as am I, and we end the weekend in third position on the ladder, although the Real Federacion Española De Futbol (otherwise known simply as the Spanish FA) decrees that the first round should be played over two weekends, so only half the sides actually played this weekend!<P>Iván Vidal and Fernando Couto are selected in the team of the week’s starting eleven.<P>A 1-0 victory in Bilbao doesn’t prevent Celta Vigo claiming the Spanish Super Cup 4-2 on aggregate.<P>25th of August 2003<P>Moving into the Primera Liga obviously increases the media’s attention on the club and it already starts. I’m shown several newspaper reports by my trusty sidekick, Luis Sosa, about the future of Stan Collymore. They say he is homesick and that he is already negotiating through English agents about a return to Great Britain. I try to deny the matter to the press in a series of telephone calls to the various journalists writing these stories, but of course when there is even a little smoke there must be a fire and not even the most hysterical of blanket-waving can extinguish these flames.<P>I’m approached by a representative of the official supporters’ club asking me whether the revelations of Collymore’s unhappiness living in the area are true. I’m almost tempted to tell him that I really don’t like the town all that much either and I don’t blame Stan “the Man� for seeking to live somewhere more hospitable, but I grit my teeth and pretend that Stan is absolutely fine living in his one-room apartment (only kidding, it also has a bathroom/kitchen/entertainment room all rolled into one!).<P>Then I get the dreaded call from the chairman, Señor Manzano, who tells me he is disappointed that our Stanley isn’t settling into the area as we would have liked. Well, considering that Stan has been here for three seasons and has played the most league games out of anybody at the club, I think it’s a bit late now to reconsider whether we should have signed the guy in the first place! Don’t you? [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="big grin[/IMG]

Dixie Flatline

26th of August 2003<P>Málaga’s manager VÃ*ctor Ruiz interrupts my time of contemplation and meditation right before breakfast to offer me £400,000 for Misrad Hibic. I’m like a bear when I wake up - a real mean, angry bear who doesn’t like to be annoyed by idiotic people wasting their time on lost causes. Get my drift? [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif" alt="smile[/IMG] [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif" alt="wink[/IMG]<P>Before I can close my eyes and return to blissful sleep, Hércules’ big boss-man Yosu Ortuondo thinks he can tempt me with a nice round bid of £1 million for Iván Vidal. Keep dreaming, mate, like I wish I was!<P>28th of August 2003<P>Big transfers are the talk of the town today with Feyenoord splashing the cash to bring Clarence Seedorf back to Holland from Inter Milan in a move costing £24.5 million. José Mari leaves AC Milan in a deal worth £6.75 million, joining Germany’s Borussia Dortmund.<P>29th of August 2003<P>MatÃ*as Almeyda joins the big-name transfers by moving from Parma to Juventus for £10.5 million. <P>30th of August 2003<P>It is international match day today and Fernando Couto makes a triumphant return to the Portuguese national side in its demolition of Andorra 4-1 in Lisbon this afternoon. He wasn’t a star so he might not be selected again. In European Championship qualifiers, Iulian Filipescu tried his hardest, but a penalty converted by Heidar Helguson on 53 minutes allowed Iceland to sink Romania in Reykjavik. It’s an even worse afternoon for Misrad Hibic as Switzerland overcame the early set-back of a Muslimovic goal on 3 minutes to defeat Bosnia 2-1 and the defender was injured on 28 minutes. Hibic is diagnosed has suffering strained ankle ligaments.<P>In other internationals, Russia thrashed 4 past Moldova in a 4-1 victory in Moskva, Holland took it easy on San Marino 2-0 in Serravalle. Not even a virtuoso performance from Ryan Giggs could save Wales from losing 3-2 to Georgia in Tbilisi. Greece and Northern Ireland drew 0-0 in Athens, while Malta almost caused the upset of the weekend as Iván De la Peña rescued Spain with a 76th minute goal to salvage a point in 2-2 draw. That allowed Norway to sneak away with a 2-0 victory over Albania in Oslo.<P>The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia provided the upset of the day defeating Denmark 3-1 in Skopje. Scotland’s 3-0 victory over Armenia in Glasgow allowed the Scots to move to within 3 points of Denmark at the top of Group 5. A brace from Henrik Larsson allowed Sweden to defeat Israel 2-1 in Stockholm. In Group 7, Ireland’s Robbie Keane’s 10th minute goal was enough to defeat Belarus. Cyprus dented Belgium’s qualification hopes by drawing with Belgium 2-2.