Racing toward the soccer abyss
Santander’s fortunes have taken a desperate turn since relegation from Primera
Three victories in 17 games; second-bottom of Segunda División; two points from safety; and a coach who is not only at war with the local press, the fans and his players, but who also has been saying for weeks that relegation is all but assured with what he has at his disposal. It was hardly the greatest shock in Spanish soccer when Racing Santander sacked its coach, Fabricio "Fabri" González, this week.
The Galician coach had arrived at Racing two days before the 2012-13 season began. He replaced Juan Carlos Unzué, who had worked during pre-season without a contract. A Primera División club this time last season, Racing now stands on the edge of the abyss.
The situation at Racing, which is 100 years old this year, is catastrophic. Its owner, Indian businessman Ahsan Ali Syed, has not set foot in Santander since May 2011 but continues to exercise his power as majority shareholder. The board, with its strings pulled from the shadows by former president Francisco Pernía, has been the target of the fans' ire. The administrators are hovering, and are asking Pernía to admit his guilt in Racing's downfall. Investigators say that among Pernía's "damaging actions" are three million unaccountable euros for transfers and the creation of an academy in Brazil, which does not exist. The suit against Pernía calls for him to be barred from office for five years and to pay Racing five million euros in compensation.
The signings in question are referenced in the administrator's report: Mohammed Tchité, Euzebiusz Smolarek, Nikola Zigic and Ezequiel Garay. In the case of the latter, 600,000 euros was paid to Management Arior for the transfer despite then-coach Miguel Ángel Portugal admitting the deal was made directly between Racing and Real Madrid, without the need for an intermediary.
In the case of Tchité, a sweetener of one million euros was paid to Anderlecht for a friendly match that never took place. Smolarek, signed from Borussia Dortmund for 5.4 million, also carried a 562,500-euro charge for "assessment fees."
The services, say the administrators, "are completely incomprehensible for a soccer club." They also state that no such assessment services were provided by Borussia Dortmund and that VIP receptions and sponsorship events were designed merely for "keeping up appearances."
Pernía says the report is irrelevant and that all the outgoing cash is justified. "The masses are looking for someone to blame and they have found someone, this is the result [of the report], although it is based on arguments against actions that are justified," said Pernía in a telephone conversation with this newspaper.
Pernía was in Bahrain, on the tail of Ali Syed, to "catch up with him. It's pretty obvious he's not going to come to Santander."
The former Racing president says the only way to solve the current issues is for Ali Syed, who Pernía assures is not going to wash his hands of the club, to sit down with the Cantabrian regional government, which bailed Racing out with a multi-million loan in 2011.
Pernía added that in the long term, what Racing Santander really needs is a "solvent" businessman to take over. In the short term, it needs incoming coach José Aurelio Gay to pick up a few results, or the long sleep of Segunda B beckons.
