La Liga blog: Troubled Zaragoza are a club in desperate need of a plan

By Mirror Football in Mirror Football Blog

Published 10:42 23/02/12

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MirrorFootball has teamed up with some of the blogosphere's best new writers to bring you even more great football reads every single day.

Wednesday is La Liga day, and here's www.spanishfootball.info 's David Cartlidge with his take on the week's big issues in Spain.

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Real Zaragoza fans know about being let down, so the latest episode to test their patience shouldn’t have come as any great surprise.

As ever, the fans turned out at La Romareda, and though attendances are dwindling, 20,000 still managed to turn out. They probably shouldn't have bothered, such was the mediocrity on show.  It's this mediocrity that has left them at the foot of La Liga, 15 points from salvation. Relegation is a near certainty.

Zaragoza are everything you wouldn’t want your club to be. Since buying shares in the club and becoming president Agapito Iglesias has overseen the gradual decline of fortunes on the field, and the rapid increase of debt off it.

Briefly there was a period of prosperity with the likes of Gabi and Diego Milito, Alberto Zapater, Carlos Diogo, Pablo Aimar and others taking the club into Europe.

Then a poor run of form was met with a series of managerial dismissals as Iglesias and his henchmen introduced a hire and fire policy at the club.

With such structural collapse, the worst fears of the fans became true, and their side was relegated.

Despite this there was little change in philosophy, and with Zaragoza in the Segunda the recruitment drive was as strong as ever. Iglesias promised a change should they gain promotion, and that the spending would be curbed. Unfortunately, his actions haven't always backed up his words.

Zaragoza did return to the top flight and once again the influx of players was heavy. Further spending ensued, eventually leading to Iglesias' decision to put the club into voluntary bankruptcy.

Incredibly, the turnover of players showed no signs of letting up and, without official money from the club, Iglesias seeked money from third parties, loans, and other sources.

This is what has made Zaragoza one of the most unpopular clubs in Spain.

With several clubs struggling to keep their heads above water - some even going to the wall – the club from Aragon have continued to operate beyond their means.

Iglesias, meanwhile, criticised everyone around him. The coach, the players, his fellow members of the board, the media -  the list goes on.

When he did apologise, in a New Year address, no one believed him.

Most surreal of all was the moment Iglesias announced his own departure from the club.  The Zaragoza fans were jubilant - but it was another false dawn.

The incoming man, Salvador Arenere, lasted just ten days before walking out, stating that he’d been duped into a false role, with Iglesias making him a dummy president.

Zaragoza had been a farce for some time, but this was preposterous. Iglesias’ manipulation of the club had reached new levels.

On the field, Zaragoza have been left with a squad lacking any continuity or character. There seems to be little method or pattern and now their second coach of the season, Manolo Jimenez, is attempting to establish some sense of cohesion. The task has proved almost impossible, and a win at Espanyol, their first in 17 matches, was nothing more than a freak result, as the following match against Real Betis proved.

Betis came with a plan - something that Zaragoza haven't had for years - and duly left with three points.

The most sensible thing that the club could do right now is take stock and plan for next season.

Unfortunately right now any plan would most likely involve Iglesias. As long as his figure looms large, there Zaragoza will continue to struggle.

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Follow David Cartlidge on Twitter @davidjaca nd at www.spanishfootball.info

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