THE REAL SPAIN #1

Exiled Mag, Tony Higgins, currently on the run (I mean living in Spain) has fallen in love with just about all aspects of Spanish life (bar Real Madrid) not least of which their football. I think we all have to agree it’s not that shabby. But Tony is not going to fill the TF ether with tales of how good Lionel Messi is, he’s going to get deep down and dirty and give you all the gen in what is going on in La Liga as well as a bit of stuff from a lot lower down the food chain as well. Our very own Graham Carr better keep an eye on this Blog as Tony will be spying on some youth development going on around him and if United play their cards right, the next Iniesta night be on a flight to NE1. He couldn’t do worse than the last time Dennis Wise got on a plane to Spain with the Newcastle United credit card in his pocket. These Blogs will come at you around once a fortnight or whenever Tony finds the time, he’s that kind of crazy guy! Anyway, eyes down for the first part in this thrilling instalment.

Being exiled in southern Spain is good most of the time but not on the first day of English Premier League season. My mind drifts back to the heaving bars of NE1 on a nice sunny afternoon and with over 2 hours of extra drinking time what could be better? JAMMY BASTARDS!

The Spanish season kicks off this week and during the season spend Saturday mornings reading my way through the MARCA newspaper, one of the many sports papers over here. MARCA has a Real Madrid bias (not one of my favourite clubs) but I find the sports coverage the best for me. They also detail all the matches (including EPL) to be televised live, over the weekend, so I can plan my weekend football fix. I could get all this information from the net, but there is something to be said for a real newspaper I reckon; the smell of the paper and getting black fingerprints like we did years ago.

Today's edition had a 2-page preview of the Premier League. Great I thought, only to find that we never got one mention. Citeh, Manure, Arse, Spuds and Liverpool all get sizeable mentions but the team that finished in 5th didn’t get a peep. ....scandalous!

So it was with great pleasure I watched, via a dodgy stream, our lads put Tottenham to the sword. Marvellous! Let’s hope we can keep bucking the trend and upsetting the so called big boys.

http://www.marca.com/2012/08/18/futbol/futbol_internacional/premier_league/1345278712.html

Other pieces within the pages of MARCA highlight the crazy kick off times of some La Liga games this season. Some games won't kick off until 11pm, which even for Spain is mental. This has been blamed on "football business" reasons and chasing the Far East football fan. You know the ones that pay hardly owt for the football and sitb watching games in snide football gear while you are paying top whack for the lot.

Another opening day players strike was averted only at the last minute. One wag claiming on TV "what they trying to do wreck the Spanish sex life....."

Athletic Bilbao fans (great club/fans/ground...shit shirt) are also in the news. A hard core turned up at a training session to berate want away Llorente and Martinez. Both players were called mercenaries and "vividores"(free loaders) . Chants of "esta camiseta no la mereceis" (you’re not fit to wear the shirt) accompanied by banners and flares met the players as they turned up to train. Its pure passion....I love it!

http://www.marca.com/2012/08/17/futbol/equipos/athletic/1345227726.html

Enjoy the season and Vamos Los Uracas!

TONY HIGGINS