Osasuna-Athletic, Supporters vs Hooligans

Good afternoon, dear Osasunists! Today is the D day, as it was in the II World War, and we receive one of our "neighbours", "cousins" in our home, at El Sadar; and this is one of the those moments I use the former name of Osasuna stadium. It's the sense of History, and Tradition! Athletic Club de Bilbao is the one. After last Thursday match in Manchester against the "Red Devils" of Man United, Bielsa's team is a craze all over Europe in the mass media. And there are many mistakes on the journalists' opinions as I heard on the radio yesterday night. I am the first one to congratulate the team from Bilbao, though I have my opinions about the match last Thursday. It is obvious that Athletic played brilliant at Old Trafford, but we must take in account that there are only two points between Athletic and Osasuna. And that is my point to critizise some comments on RNE station in TABLERO DEPORTIVO. As they dedicated some parts of their programme to praise the play of Athletic yesterday night. I accept those good comments when the Spanish journalists talk about a "Spanish" team against a foreigner in Europe. But when they are going to talk about a match in La Liga between two team of the region, worldwide called a derby, they must be unbias, neutral and talk about true facts. Everyone must bear in mind that Osasuna and Athletic are playing this evening in Pamplona for a European post in the Spanish League. Both teams have to follow different politics in their clubs and there have been lots of news these days about their different situation. Osasuna is not one of the most debtor teams in La Liga, but the incomes are not big enough to mantain a competitive team in Spain. Osasuna is a "selling" team. As a good player stands out in Osasuna, he is leaving the team the next season. If that player was born in Navarra, Basque Country, or was in the club since he was a child, Athletic de Bilbao is the club to contract him. The worst of all that situation for a Osasuna supporter is not the question of the loss of a good plyer for the team, but first the idea that he is going to play for a most hatred rival in La Liga, and the amount Osasuna get is very low for the economy of the club. So, my first point to differ Athletic from Osasuna is the budget. I include the incentives Athletic de Bilbao obtain from the local and regional governments, the Town Hall and the Diputacion- regional government-. Both teams are looking for more investments to build new stadiums. As Osasuna is struggling to get private investors and must move from the centre of Pamplona, the team from Bilbao is moving in three years time just 150 metres from their actual site. It is almost impossible for a modest team like Osasuna to have a fair play against such a powerful team like Athletic dde Bilbao. My second point is their poilitics, which affect poorer closer teams like Osasuna and Real Sociedad. Urrutia is, since last 7th July, the chairman in Bilbao, and his winning card was the coach, Bielsa "El loco". He is a coach of a different style from the former coach in Bilbao, Caparrós. So, many supporters in Bilbao were quite doubtful of that risky politics, but Urrutia won, and the first matches in this season weren't as good as the actual position shows. It is said that Bielsa's play is similar to Guardiola's in Barça, or viceversa as Bielsa is older and more experienced. Therefore, everything is said, and it is a brilliant play that gives importance to the football. After six months in Bilbao, Bielsa had the Bilbao supporter forgot the good moments with Caparrós and Athletic is 5th in the classification of the Spanish League, is playing the final of Copa del Rey against Barça, and last Thursday they mastered a match at the famous Old Trafford against the former best team in England, perhaps in Europe, Manchester United. On the other hand, Osasuna's coach is from Bilbao. He is not a foreigner famous coach, but Mendilibar is a hardworking coach, used to struggle in uncomfortable position in former teams, and to fight to avoid relegation or to get a team go back to First Division. Mendilibar made a mistake in his opinion about this match in the first leg of the season. He is very honest and said Osasuna should be grateful to Athletic, and those words hurt Osasunism, the club and the supporters. The good results helped him to diluate those comments and Osasuna is 7th in La liga now. Mendilibar could explain his words further. My final point is the Navarrian issue. There is a famous paper in Spain which main heading in this kind of games is the amount of Spanish players in a "Nationalist" team like Athletic de Bilbao. Thus, there will be two Navarrians in Bielsa's team, and none of them played for Osasuna ever, and one of them is the most hated for the supporters, and the goalkeeper, Iraizoz, was about to play when he wasn't well considered in Lezama. However, we musn't forget the outnumbered players formed in Osasuna who were wrongly sold to Bilbao, and the worst for a Osasuna fan, in a Figo way, those who boosted their Osasunism and they are on Bilbao bench, do you remember David Lopez? All in all, I hope the game will be for Osasuna!But overall I hope both teams give all supporters a good evening of good football! Gora Osasuna! Aupa Rojillos!