After a week when a man in Bristol got stuck inside his washing machine during a game of hide and seek with his kids – the good news was the fire service rescued him safely, however, the bad news was that one of his socks was missing! – Real Mallorca came away from Sevilla’s Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan stadium on Monday night with a golden point from their 1-1 draw. A 92nd minute goal from centre back Martin Valjent in his 150th match in La Primera (his first goal in the category) could be worth its weight in gold because it kept Sevilla three points behind us in the classification.
After our recent wobble, Mallorca have gained five points from a possible nine and the crisis could be over. To confirm this we must win on Sunday at 6.30pm against Alaves who will arrive at Son Moix in second bottom position and are fighting for their La Liga lives. Coach Jagoba Arrasate said on Monday night that our point gained was most important, saying “Our first priority is permanence in La Liga to be guaranteed, and any thoughts about an appearance in Europe are premature.” If by some miracle we made it into the Conference League, we would need to drastically improve our squad. We’ve seen on numerous occasions this season that the present incumbents can’t play two games a week on a regular basis, especially if they come up against one of Europe’s seasoned campaigners.
One player who’s been sensational over the past few weeks is 22-year-old Robert Navarro. Surprisingly he was left on the bench in Sevilla but when he was introduced in the 67th minute the game changed completely. The right winger is a key player for us and appears to be enjoying his time on the island. After arriving from a troubled spell at Real Sociedad/Cadiz last season, he’s now been linked on more than one occasion with Athletic Club (Bilbao). He’s admitted his future will be decided in the Summer when he’ll play in the European Championships with the Spanish Under 21s. Mallorca haven’t previously had a player whose introduction changed everything. He created our equaliser in Sevilla and had two great opportunities to put himself on the score sheet only to be thwarted by desperate defending by the home side.
Interviewed in a leading Spanish sports paper last week, Navarro said “It’s a pleasure to be here every day because they make it very easy for me at the Son Bibiloni training ground, from Julian (the chef) to the physios, the kit-men, everyone. I love being here. The city, the stadium are incredible and my family are also loving living here. There is, of course, a possibility that I’ll sign for Mallorca as the quality of life is very important to me and my family.”
Mallorca “B” sinking fast
Football’s often regarded as the world’s most popular sport is a game that captures the hearts and minds of millions. At the core of any football club lies a vital institution – the youth academy. These academies are not just training grounds for young, fledgling footballers, they are the lifeblood of football clubs, supposedly feeding the first team squad with talent and ensuring the club’s future on the pitch. The importance of youth academies cannot be overstated as they also contribute to its financial and social sustainability. In modern football where transfer fees reach astronomical heights the progress of home-grown talent is vital.
That’s what’s supposed to happen in theory but in reality our “B” team have been totally neglected. Last weekend they lost a local derby against Andratx which meant The Roosters had home and away wins against Mallorca “B”. In the league standings Mallorca “B” are rock bottom, 15 points away from salvation with only 10 games left to play. Relegation to third division RFEF looks nailed on with trips to Manacor, Inca, Binissalem and Sa Pobla on the agenda next season.
It appears our “B” team matters little to the club hierarchy as over the years we’ve been bobbing up and down between Third division/Second division RFEF and nobody seems to care. The inexperience of young “B” team players is palpable against teams containing veteran players who’ve played at the highest level here in Spain. Mallorca “B” should be top of the division with the resources available, not floundering around in some local pub league.
The management at the top are very positive but the management of the subsidiary is poor. Losing 17 games out of 25 isn’t good and I remember a few years ago our new owners stated “The youth team is going to be a fundamental pillar in our project.” Talking about something isn’t enough, you need to be seen doing something to get results - fine words butter no parsnips!!
AND FINALLY, men’s rules. We always hear the rules from the female side, now here are the rules from the male side: (1) Men are not mind readers; (2) Crying is blackmail; (3) Ask for what you want, let us be clear on this one – subtle hints do not work, strong hints don’t work, obvious hints also don’t work, just say it; (4) Yes and No are perfectly good answers to almost every question; (5) Anything you said six months ago is inadmissible in an argument, in fact all comments become null and void after seven days; (6) If you think you’re fat, you probably are; (7) You can either ask us to do something or tell us how you want it done, not both: (8) All men only see certain colours, peach for example is a fruit not a colour, pumpkin is also a fruit and we have no idea what mauve is; (9) When we go somewhere absolutely anything you wear is fine – really; and (10) I am a shape – round is a shape!!
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