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Luxemburgo on borrowed time
Author Topic: Luxemburgo on borrowed time (Read 2465 times)
Hero Warrior
...game, set, match.
source: Times Online
By Matthew Syed
PRESIDENT TRUMAN HAD A SIGN on his desk that read: "The buck stops here.� Florentino Pérez, the president of Real Madrid, has a sign that reads: "The buck stops at the office down the corridor, round the corner and second on the left.� It is there that the head coach resides. But this is not a head coach in any conventional sense. Certainly not in the sense in which the term applies to, say, Martin Jol, a strong man who makes many of the big decisions that affect his team.
No, in the surreal world of the Bernabéu it is the president who calls the shots while the coach dodges the bullets. Vanderlei Luxemburgo is almost certain to become the fifth coach in less than two years to get a piece of lead through the brain. His transgression? Handing out orange segments that were sliced too thin.
The problem for Real is that Pérez, a construction magnate with a penchant for blue shirts and grandiose follies, knows as much about football as Rupert Lowe. Since being elected president, he has lavished transfer expenditure on the world's most expensive players (hence the consecutive summer signings of Luis Figo, Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo and David Beckham for a combined cost of about £120 million) while leaving the boring defensive stuff to inexpensive youngsters emerging from the youth programme.
Pérez believes that "what is expensive is cheap�, a reference to the concept that star players more than repay the princely outlay by generating additional marketing revenues. After the signing of Beckham in the summer of 2003, Pérez ventured the following pearl of wisdom: "When you achieve that balance between the magnitude of the club and the magnitude of the players, the effect is frightening, isn't it?� Yes, but not as frightening as the magnitude of your ego, mate.
The problem is that squeezing every marketing penny out of star players eventually takes its toll. This is why Real imploded so spectacularly towards the end of last season. One former Pérez mouthpiece said at the time: "We are tired, you can see it and it doesn't help that we have to play the same players over and over again because the public come and want to see them in every game.�
Glaring inadequacies in front of Iker Casillas, the outstanding goalkeeper, finally forced through some defensive purchases over the past 12 months, but it has been a case of too little, too late. The virtuosity of Real's galácticos has produced thrilling football in recent years, but with the prospect of a second consecutive season without silverware, the policy of Pérez has been exposed as a sham. And who will be made to carry the can? Yes, you guessed it. Responsibility without power: the prerogative of the eunuch throughout the ages.
The nightmare for Real is that when Luxemburgo, the latest eunuch, is dispatched into his already-prepared coffin, they will find it tricky to persuade a high-quality manager to take up the poisoned chalice. Considering that Real were voted the club of the 20th century this is a damning indictment of Pérez's reign. Rafael Benítez is reported to be on the shortlist, but he is surely too virile to accept a job of such monumental impotence. One is reminded of Lyndon Johnson's description of the vice-presidency: "It is not worth a bucket of warm spit.�
The travails of Real would normally warm the hearts of English fans, envious of the unrivalled historical successes of the Spanish giants, except for the fact that the revolving-door policy towards the coach has harmed two of England's most influential players: Beckham, who at least played in all of last night's 1-0 win over Málaga, and Michael Owen, who had to be content with just five minutes as a substitute.
Stability is, in general, an overrated phenomenon, but for the players at the Bernabéu it is becoming vital. One of the few responsibilities of the coach is to determine the method of training and the continual chopping and changing has driven some players to despair. Beckham, in particular, has enjoyed the vigorous training under Luxemburgo (in contrast to the approach of Carlos Queiroz) and is troubled by the looming prospect of yet another adjustment.
Shortly before Beckham arrived at the Bernabéu, Real dismissed Vicente Del Bosque, despite capturing two European Cups, two league titles, a European Super Cup and a World Club Cup in four seasons. "Del Bosque's profile is a traditional one,� Pérez told a news conference at the time. "We're looking for someone with more emphasis on tactics, strategy and physical preparation. Del Bosque was showing signs of exhaustion. I want to be sincere about this — our belief that he was not the right coach for the future.�
Which ranks a perfect ten on the Richter scale of gross ingratitude. Since that time, Beckham has played under Queiroz, José Antonio Camacho, Mariano García Remón and Luxemburgo. Soon he will be under his fifth coach in less than two years, a rate of promiscuity that would leave a harlot blushing.
The time will come when the ritual slaughter of the coach at the high altar of boardroom folly will be seen for what it is. After all, to lose one coach might be considered unfortunate, but to lose five smacks of staggering ineptitude. But do not expect the man who is ultimately responsible to own up just yet. These days, Pérez is good for one thing and one thing only: passing the buck.
Live large and prosper!
mcaw
Full Warrior
Re: Luxemburgo on borrowed time
The coach at real madrid doesnt treally matter i belive that who ever goes there will have a very hard time to put thier imput as i belive that the players already dictate the pace
The best gift for a footballer is Intelligence ---
What amazes me is that the President is responsible for all the mess at madrid since it is he who bought the players and sold others. No to mention it wa he that fired a successful coach and then hired 5 coaches since who in his eyes has failed.
Now you tell me??? Should the President not be fired for such poor judgement in his decisions on who he hired.
To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead
Quote from: Observer on March 22, 2005, 01:16:03 PM
Yeah, but is the members of the club that vote him in. Is they who will have to vote him out at the next election in a few years. Or pressure him to resign now.
THE BEATINGS WILL CONTINUE UNTIL MORALE IMPROVES
Sr. Warrior
In my opinion the decision that hurt the team the most was his failure to respect Claude M... enough to increase his salary commensurate when his performance and resign him.