by Satish Sekar © Satish Sekar (May 20th 2008)

Spain’s coach Luis Aragonés has just announced his squad for the European Championship in Austria and Switzerland. Fifteen months ago Spain’s progress was anything but assured. Aragonés arrived at Old Trafford – a man under great pressure. It is to his credit that his team still came to play football. The then England manager Steve McClaren gave a début to Manchester United’s on-loan goalkeeper Ben Foster. He impressed, but injury and lack of opportunity blighted his progress. In the absence of Wayne Rooney England’s line was led by Peter Crouch. England started well, almost getting a dream start but Michael Carrick’s early effort failed to beat Spain’s captain Iker Casillas. Shaun Wright-Phillips – one of the main victims of the racist abuse in the Santiago Bernabéu when the two sides last met – was ineffective, especially in terms of the delivery of his crosses. No England player excelled on that February night in Manchester.

Spain grew in confidence. Their passing was crisp and incisive. David Villa was at his best that night and Valencia team-mate Miguel Ángel Angullo found Fernando Morientes in space in the area, but he blazed a glorious chance over the bar. It wasn’t the only opportunity that he spurned, but despite failing to impress at Liverpool Morientes posed a real threat. Fernando Torres sat on the bench soaking up the atmosphere at Old Trafford, but despite being linked with a lucrative move to Manchester United and being courted by Sir Alex Fergusson, he would leave Atlético de Madrid for Liverpool in the summer. Spain’s defence, marshalled by Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos and Barcelona’s Carlos Puyol, was rarely troubled. Casillas had little to do in the first half as England struggled to mount meaningful attacks.

The quality of the first half was poor, especially when compared to the very entertaining game at Brentford’s Griffin Park Stadium the night before where Ghana regained West African bragging rights with a 4-1 demolition of a shell-shocked Nigeria – their first victory over the Super-Eagles in almost fifteen years. The second was little better. A measure of the lack of quality of this match is the fact that the player who would decide the outcome wasn’t even on the pitch until just over ten minutes into the second half. Barcelona’s midfield dynamo Andres Iniesta was the best player on view that night. It seemed destined to end 0-0 until the ball glanced off Rio Ferdinand’s head and found Iniesta on the edge of the area. He curled an unstoppable shot past Foster who was reduced to flapping at air. Iniesta’s twenty yard goal on sixty-three minutes was magnificent. Spain continued to pass the ball around and England seemed devoid of ideas. There didn’t seem to be a plan A, let alone B. The game would have benefited from seeing more of Iniesta, but the little on offer was better than nothing – much better. Spain played out the remaining minutes in relative comfort, while England showed industry but were sadly lacking in guile and artistry. Mercifully the crowd was spared further suffering by the final whistle.

Despite a lacklustre display by England the stadium announcer informed the crowd that the Man of the Match was Rio Ferdinand. Apparently there was nothing wrong with my hearing. He might have been England’s best player in yet another match where the midfield pairing of captain Steven Gerard and Frank Lampard didn’t really work, but he wasn’t the best player on the field that night – Iniesta was, or possibly Villa. England and McClaren were booed off the pitch – deservedly. However, it should be noted that the behaviour of the crowd that night was exemplary. They had paid good money and were entitled to see a far better performance. If my experiences are anything to go by the UEFA Cup final was not the only occasion that fans had to face an increase in hotel prices and an owner with a very shoddy attitude who thinks that objecting to a faulty fire-alarm waking you up at 4.30 in the morning means that you don’t want fire alarms. He refused to take any responsibility for it, but the attitude of fans in Manchester more than made up for it. The conduct of long-suffering England fans was exemplary. They got behind the team and only let them hear what they thought at half time and again at the end. Spain’s fans have endured a lot of disappointment over the years too. Their behaviour was exemplary as well. There was no repetition of the shameful racist abuse by Spanish fans and England supporters made those who braved the weather feel welcome. Perhaps a line could be drawn under the shameful events of November 2004 at last.

Naturally a post-mortem was required after such a dismal performance. McClaren had few explanations. As a tactician his limitations were laid bare. He had made a Spanish side that was struggling at least to get results look impressive. It was a friendly and it didn’t matter greatly, but England’s performance was lacklustre to put it mildly. As usual McClaren preferred to concentrate on the positives, such as the display given by Ben Foster, but there was little to be pleased about. It was a typical McClaren performance that glossed over the cracks, but failed to convince. David Beckham was still the highest profile casualty of McClaren’s reign at that stage and he had been axed by his club coach Fabio Capello at Real Madrid as well due to his decision to sign a big contract with Major League Soccer in the USA to play for the LA Galaxy. Beckham would win over Capello through hard work and play an important part in ending Real Madrid’s trophy drought. In time he would force McClaren into a humiliating climb-down too. Beckham’s supply was badly needed against Spain on February 7th 2007 at Old Trafford – a ground that still features his achievements prominently despite a seemingly less than amicable parting of the ways.

Aragonés had a far easier time. He thought that England was made to look bad by Spain playing well, rather than England simply being poor, but what about racism? Here was his chance to set the record straight. Had this match finally drawn a line under the events of November 2004? “No comment,” said Aragonés. Well did he take any personal responsibility for those events? “No comment,” he said again. And those questions – mine – were the only ones racism in football on the day he won his appeal. He was more forthcoming on why we hadn’t seen earlier Iniesta earlier. “You would like that, but I have to think of what is best for the team.” Nobody else even tried to ask him to comment on racism in the sport. Here was the ideal chance for Aragonés to clear things up and set out his anti-racist credentials. His refusal to comment will convince nobody and win him no friends in his battle to prove that he is no racist.

Luis Aragonés will always be a controversial figure in football. He is a football man and a good coach, but his legacy in the sport will be tainted both by accusations of racism and also the lack of achievement with such a talented group of players. He has one final chance to stamp his authority on Spanish football. Olympic gold in the Barcelona games of 1992 is the last major title the country has won at senior level. While the Olympic title is worth winning, it is almost an Under-23 championship and hardly on a par with the World Cup or European Championship. Spain has never won the World Cup and arguably never really come close. The one major title came in 1964 when Spain won the European Championship. Spain qualified easily for the knockout phase of the last World Cup only to disappoint hugely against France. Aragonés stayed on for a final tilt at glory.

The win against England boosted Spain’s confidence and gave them the platform to improve and qualify despite the rift between Aragonés and Raúl Gonzalez Blanco. Aragonés fell out with veteran goalkeeper Santiago Cañizares as well after the World Cup finals in Germany. Villarreal’s defensive midfielder Marcos Senna da Silva¹ was also dropped. He was affected by talk of a transfer to Manchester United that was halted by the then unsuccessful pursuit of Owen Hargreaves. When Fergusson made an improved offer both Villarreal and the player rejected it. The Spanish club accused Manchester United of trying to unsettle their player. Senna’s form dipped and Aragonés dropped him. It looked like the international career of the first black player to play for Spain in the World Cup finals had ended almost as soon as it began, but Senna had other ideas.

Senna was not selected in the twenty-man squad to face England on February 7th 2007. Villarreal disappointed that season too, but that would change. One of Senna’s ambitions is to win the Primera División title. Last weekend the Spanish season ended. Real Madrid deservedly retained their title, but another story demanded column inches. The runners-up were not Barcelona or Valencia or Sevilla or any of the big clubs. Villarreal came second and Senna was in inspirational form even adding goal-scoring to his reputation as a defensive midfielder, who had passing skills. He even scored a sensational goal from near the half way line against Real Betis on April 27th. Senna has worked his way back into Aragonés’ plans, despite a glut of talented midfielders. So why is this important?

Marcos Senna was born into poverty in Brasil. He is black and has made history in Spain. Aragonés has a reputation as a racist, yet he gave a début to Senna and continues to pick him. His supporters ask why he would do that if he is racist. Either it proves that Aragonés is not a racist as they insist or that he is pragmatic enough to know that as long as Senna can do a job for him then he must continue to pick him regardless of his skin colour “There is no doubt that my selection for the national team is a good thing and will encourage other black players,” says Senna, “but I believe that if a black player is good enough he will be chosen for the national team.” So what does Senna have to say about racism in Spanish football? He looks incredulous. “In the five years that I have played in Spain I have never experienced racism,” says Senna. “Supporters of other teams accepted me immediately when I play for Spain. I have nothing bad to say about them. They have treated me very well. Thanks be to God I have never experienced racism from any of the players, or in any stadium in Spain. I have not suffered racism here or anywhere else. I am very happy here. Spain is not a racist country.” He later qualifies his opinion slightly. There were a few, but not enough to affect him. He just ignored them. He fully supports Samuel Eto’o – ironically another of Aragonés’ protégés – in his fight against racism and comments diplomatically on the previous record of the Real Federación Español de Fútbol (Royal Football Federation of Spain, RFEF). “I don’t know if they have done enough to combat racism in football in the past,” says Senna, “but they are doing it now. Racism has to be stamped out.”

The RFEF President Ángel María Villar Llona addressed the Spanish Senate’s Special Commission to investigate the Eradication of Racism and Xenophobia from Spanish Sport in 2006. He told them that racism was an insult to Spanish society and football. Villar Llona called for racism to be confronted by both the clubs and the RFEF. He wanted them to work with players, community and immigrants’ organisations to eradicate racism and xenophobia. Villar Llona wanted to use idols of the game to drive the message home. He admitted that previous efforts had not been successful and that they had made mistakes. Nevertheless, Villar Llona continues to perpetuate the view – widely held in Spain – that there were only isolated incidents perpetrated by a minority. Piara Powar, Director of Kick It Out, rejects such opinions. “Overt racism of course is not a problem only in Spain,” says Powar, “but reports we are receiving highlight that Spanish football is still bedevilled with racism across the game.”

Villar Llona has steadfastly backed Aragonés, insisting that the former Spanish international is no racist. His view is given little credence outside of Spain. Actions speak louder than words. Aragonés could have strongly condemned racism in football after his ill-advised comments about Thierry Henry. He could have led Spain off the pitch at the Santiago Bernabéu in 2004. He had another opportunity in Manchester in February 2007 to set the record straight. He declined the invitation. His claims to be opposed to racism will be judged accordingly. He has one more chance to set the record straight on and off the pitch at the European Championship – his last. 1Senna gave me an exclusive interview. See Senna de Verdad – The Tank Talks Turkey  that was published in a previous issue of Empower-Sport Magazine.