Christmas cheer

Christmas is a quiet time for football in Spain. The teams break on the last Sunday before the 24th and usually are off until about the 28th. They then start to train and they play their first game in January. The first two games of the season are away although I hope to go to both. The first is in Alcala de Henares in the outskirts of Madrid and the second in Vecindario, Gran Canaria. This second is the first organised trip of the season and the first organised trip I have been on. We are going with the Zoneros who are one of the newer fan clubs although now one of the bigger groups.

I was at their christmas presentation where the littlest members were presented with kits from the club. This was a great even and I was honoured to be there. They were also at the same time presented with a plaque from the Irish Clan, theCDT´s latest peña (fan club) for the assistance given by the Zoneros last weekend in the collection of food and toys in the last game of the season.

There have been information in the papers that the club has found some solutions for some of their financial problems. The plot of land where the youth teams train in La Laguna is heavily mortgaged and with little income the club has had difficulties. This month "EL Dia" claims the island government will take over part of the mortgage and part of the land (the back plot). The front plot will be taken over by local businessmen which leaves the club with the main training area and access to their plot. And considerably less debts. More information will be available in the AGM held at the end of this week. President Miguel Concepcion has promised to talk after the meeting to the press.

Although there are still rumours about possible signings nothing has been confirmed and I think it may well be towards the end of the month of January before we hear anything. Someone talked to me that Omar might be coming back but I can't find any source for this.

The club website today has an article withan interview with two of the strongest voices in the dressing room, Sergio Aragoneses and Kiko Raton. Their comments included their hopes for the rest of the season, how they plan to play for everything, how loyal they feel to the team, the club and the fans. "It is incredible this year, 9,000 season ticket holders, how much that helps. At home we need to be invincible as we have been up to now.  and we need to create an special atmosphere for the 10 game that are left especially against our direct rivals".
They both hope to take the team back to professional football where it belongs for the fansto bring them some happiness, especally in times like these where football has a special part in peoples hearts.

Money trail

There has been a lot of talk on line this week about the clubs finances. The accounts for the season 10/11 were released and they make for sad reading. There is no question if we had stayed in La Liga we would have been better off. But things are what they are. Without doubt the team can not afford to stay too long in Segunda B.

Figures released for the last season have been compared with the previous years in the press and the figures here are from the Zonablanquiazul website.

Television

Television money was 14 million for the year in primera, 2,5 million last year and 70,000 this year for the season. There will be extra money should the club make the playoffs.

Season tickets

There was 6 million euros taken in season tickets in primera and 2,950,000€ last year. This years figures haven't been released but with nearly 5,000 less season ticket holders and a 30% reduction in cost it will be considerably less.

Stadium publicity

In primera was 1,1 million and segunda was 580,000€

The club has as an asset the land in Geneto which has been valued at 15.885.884 euros (not sure when) and the Cabildo has promised to buy this. They will be purchasing it but they have already given the club 4,2 million against the purchase which is what the club played the players with in June.

The debts total 38.269.956,45 euros, of which 21.476.935,52 need to be paid off before the 30 of June 2012 and the rest 16.793.020,93 is on longer term loans. In the short term loans there are 4,7 million which were due last June and have still not been replayed so perhaps there is room for manoeuvre.

Agenda for the week 30 May - 5 June 2011

Agenda for the week  30 May - 5 June 2011

 

 

DAY	TIME	PLACE	ACTIVITY
Monday	10.00	Heliodoro	Training
Tuesday	10.00	Heliodoro	Training
Wednesday	10.00	Ciudad Deportiva	Training
Thursday	10.00	Heliodoro	Training
Friday	10.00	Heliodoro	Training

After the season finishes I need to talk to the club - Nino

Nino & Carlos Bellvís were the two players interviewed on Tuesday after the training session in the Ciudad Deportiva.
The forward from Almeria was first and started by saying the game on Saturday was special as “many players will be leaving. It is the last game at home this season and I hope we will play well. We will go out to win, although this doesn't mean much, but we always try to win the three points”.
When asked about his contract with CD Tenerife, Nino stated that “we will see what happens. I am waiting for the season to finish and then we will see what happens. Being realistic it is complicated that I will still be here next year. Possibly this will be my last game but I need to talk to the club and then take a decision”.
The blue and white forward, talked about how sad the relegation made him. “Fans like those here in CD Tenerife don't deserve this, but unfortunately this is what has happened. It is a blow for everyone”.
Lastly, Nino talked about the four years he has spent in the island. What he has seen and felt playing for CD Tenerife. “I have been treated so well and have played as well as I know the whole time. I have been treated very well everywhere I have been on the island and in the stadium which has been great”.
Carlos Bellvís, started by talking about SD Ponferradina. “We have a game against another team who has been relegated which will give the youth players a chance to demonstrate they can play at this level”.
He was asked if he sees himself in the club next season to which he replied, “Lets see what happens to the players who still have a contract. Right now I am playing and we will see what happens. If I am told I have to go I will start looking in the holiday period”.
To conclude the blue and white defender talked about his playing since Amaral was coach. “I have found a rhythm. I am happy for myself but as a group it is terrible the team had been relegated. Right now we need to finish as high as we can in case there is a team who can't pay their players and e can take their place”.

Relegation always hurts - stated David Prieto

Sebastián Dubarbier & David Prieto were the two players from CD Tenerife who were interviewed by the press on Thursday. The Argentine and the player from Andalucia meet the press after the training session which took place in the Ciudad Deportiva Geneto-Los Baldíos.
Dubarbier is clear that “We need to play with enthusiasm as the situations is very hard for the fans, but the players need to concentrate on their work”.
The mid fielder showed himself pleased to have overcome his physical problems which have keep him form the field in the last few weeks, “I hope to play on Saturday, either from the bench or on the field. This injury has driven me mad. The problem with my ankle was strange but now I feel better. The pain is now bearable”.
“The new trainer is trying to help the team but creating order” he commented about the arrival of David Amaral to the technical squad.
David Prieto started by saying that “We need to improve, no one expected the team to be here at this stage in the league we need to find the three points this Saturday. We have things that need correcting”.
“In am trying to work all week to be in the eleven, but the coach is the one who decides”, he said about his options of returning to the team.
“The season has been complicated since the start. They are difficult days for everyone”, admitted Prieto, adding to this: “Whilst mathematically there are chances, we need to fight every points. We need to hold onto that, We need to finish the season in a dignified manor. Being relegated is something that hurts a lot”.

"We need to finish as high as we can" said Ricardo Leon

Ricardo León & Mikel Alonso were the two players who were interviewed in Ciudad Deportiva Geneto-Los Baldíos. The mid-fielders for the blue and white team both think the classification position the team finds itself in conditions their game against Granada this weekend.
For Ricardo “it is clear the the end of the league for us is difficult and we want to finish the best we can. There are still possibly chances. The group feels bad, hurt. The season has been hellish, both personally and generally”.
“Before playing at home in the Heliodoro it was a fortress. This year at home we have had no consistency. After going up and the year in La Liga, living through this situation hurts. And this has been my home for a long time”, explained the local player.
“Right now everyone of us needs to give their best. There is nothing to lose. We need to give everything, to forget the pressure and play football. If play how we should, we could show Granada a thing or two” he concluded.
Mikel Alonso answered “I am working hard to play this week”, when he was asked about his chances to start in Los Cármenes because of the player who can't play in midfield.
For the Basque player, “We need to change the run. We want to do this but we need to play well and against a strong rival like Granada its hard. We need to concentrate on the game, on the best of our play”.
“We need to win all the points we can. We have an obligation and need to try our best. This is an important game. The calculations are as they are. We can all add up and it is normal that you do this but we need to think about how to play” he finished.