From now until the kickoff of the La Liga season, I will 'preview' the 20 teams that will be vying for this year's crown.

Note that I didn't review every player or position, nor is this a strictly statistical based preview. It is designed to get people thinking about issues and for you all to leave your comments about the specific players, coaches and issues that relate to all of these La Liga clubs.

I do not claim to know everything about every La Liga team, but everyone has their favorites, and we all can learn from each team's respective fan base.

Also note that, yes, I do research all of these teams, and yes, I do make mistakes. So, feel free to correct me as always in the comments even though everyone does that already.

I'd like to give a big thanks to Elisa, from Forza Football and The Offside-Athletic Bilbao for her help on today's preview. Check our her blogs and podcasts for more Athletic information.

Today's team is by far the most 'traditional' La Liga team that exists today, Athletic Bilbao


Athletic Bilbao (11th in La Liga in 2007-08)

Stadium: San Mamés

Nickname: Rojiblancos, Los Leones

Interesting Fact: The nickname Los Leones comes from Saint Mammes, who according to some accounts, was thrown to the lions and devoured. Thus, the stadium is called San Mamés and the players 'Los Leones'

In: Del Olmo (Eibar); Ion Vélez* (Hércules), Íñigo Vélez (Murcia), Toquero (Sestao River); Lafuente* (Athletic)

Out: Zubiaurre (Elche)*, Moya (Barakaldo), Angulo y Aitor Ramos (Écija), Aranzubía (Deportivo), Luis Prieto (Valladolid), Beñat Etxebarria (Conquense)*, Tiko, David Cuéllar (Murcia), Del Horno (Valencia); Aranzubia; Expósito

First Five Games:
J1 Almeria
J2 @Malaga
J3 Valladolid
J4 @ Recreativo
J5 Getafe

Athletic Bilbao, In a League of Their Own

Oh how does one sum up the policies of Athletic Bilbao in a few paragraphs, without taking away from the actual focus of the articles.
In case you are not aware of the Athletic Bilbao policies, you can read my previous post on the old Center Holds It digs on Homegrown Footballers at Their Finest for more information.

To make a long story short, Athletic Bilbao is located in the Basque Country, one of the autonomous regions of Spain, made somewhat infamous by the group Euskadi Ta Askatasuna (ETA) which has been responsible for many of the bombings taken place in Spain as they fight for a Basque Country which is independent from Spain.

Now, I do not want to give the impression that ETA is all that exists in Spain, but there is a very large sense of Nationalism, without being a nation.

This carries into Athletic's most remarkable policy, the cantera. Cantera in Spanish literally means 'quarry' but in soccer terms it means a youth system in which clubs grow players from an early age to adapt into the first team when they are ready.

Most Spanish clubs have canteras but no one sticks to this policy as strict as the Basque. They Basque will not draft any players into the Athletic system unless they are Basque, or have acquired their soccer skills in the Basque country.

You may think this is a joke, but is it no joke. They will not waver from this policy. End of story. This places a strangle hold on the team when it comes to the transfer window. If there are no worthy Basque players to sign, then Athletic will not sign anyone.

How ridged is the system? Chus Pereda, who was a well known player in the 1960’s in Spain, was turned down by Athletic even though he was captain of the Basque’s under-16 side. Why the refusal? Pereda was born in Burgos, which is not a Basque town. Therefore he wasn’t Basque enough to play for the team. Pereda thanked them by scoring a hat-trick years later at San Mames playing for his new team, Barcelona.

Recently, the cantera policy has come under increasing scrutiny in Bilbao. Athletic were saved from relegation in 2006 in the final game when a Deportivo loss saved them from the first relegation in team history. Some less than nationalistic fans feel the time has come to get rid of this ’stale’ policy, but with many of the old time players voicing their support for the policy, it appears as if it won’t be gone anytime soon.


According to Marca 76% of Athletic fans would rather see the team relegated than give up the cantera policy. That's deep.


Times They Are a Changing


For the first time in 110 years, Athletic has accepted a sponsor on their shirt, local refinery Petronor. Athletic will receive $2M Euros per year for 3 years. This an historic change that breaks with tradition. Athletic need to find new sources of revenue if they want to remain debt free.

Many socios are not happy and a few peñas (supporters clubs) are boycotting the new kits in a few different ways. Some are selling the jerseys without the logo on the front, others will not wear the jersey at all. Whatever is the case, Athletic have finally felt the pinch that they have avoided for many years.

At least the sponsor is a Basque company, as if it would have been any other way.


Take What You Can Get

Based on the cantera and Basque only policy, the transfer market can be slim pickens as this season was just that.


Athletic's biggest signing on the year was Joseba Del Olmo, a striker for $300K USD, demonstrating the lack of money currently in the Basque club. Del Olmo is a striker, netting 5 goals last season for Eibar in the Segunda Division.

For this reason, the Basques rely so heavily on developing their own players in the cantera.

I'd be lying if I said I knew anything about any of the other signings this year before reading their names and doing some background research.

Ion Vélez returned out on loan to Hercules. He is a striker, supposedly young and fast from what I've read. The fans on AupaAthletic seem to think the world of Vélez. With many of the fans rallying around the youngster, saying he is the next best thing in the Basque Country.

Íñigo Vélez knocked it around in the lower leagues until getting a chance to play first team ball in Real Murcia, a newly promoted side last season. Last year he was linked with Wigan in the EPL, but the deal never panned out.

Toquero came up through a Segunda B side and is supposed to be sent on loan to Eibar for the 2008 seaosn.

Lafuente was sent back from a loan spell with Espanyol. He backed up Kameni and upon gaining a position in the first team when Kameni was out, he injured himself and did not play past the second game.

An Athletic of Old

Based on the lack of a silly season with Athletic, the team in 2008-2009 will be a shadow of the team from last season.

Athletic decided to dump off some dead weight, Asier Del Horno, on loan from Valencia, Daniel Aranzubia on a free to Deportivo and Luis Prieto on a free to Valladolid.

This offseason has been a whirlwind for the Athletic Bilbao players, thanks to one Joaquin Caparros, the mister.

Caparros decided that a pre-season that included 16 games would be a good start and allow the team to come out on fire. 16 pre-season games?? That's insane. So far, they've only lost 2 out of 11 games played.

I guess trial by fire is the way to get a club to respond.

But, this trial by fire may be going south, as Athletic are currently riding a 3 game losing streak.

Caparros is keeping an eye on Jonas Ramalho, a 15 year old youngster who may be Caparros' next diamond in the rough.

It looks as if the Athletic fans are in accordance as for who to place in the starting 11.

Iraizoz is the given in goal for Athletic, he split time last season with Armando but the call is for Iraizoz to start in net for Athletic.

The defense is anchored by Iraola who featured in 36 games last season and was developed by the Athletic cantera. Aitor Ocio, former Sevilla FC player, played in 27 games last season and will start as one of the center backs. Along side Ocio is Amorebieta, a tall and strong center back. Outside is Koikili, a fierce outside back who plays more like a linebacker than anything else.

The Athletic midfield does have talent, with Yeste considered the star of the club. Yeste normally plays in the hole behind the forwards. He is simply an all around good player and will play in all of the games in which is he fit. He is currently in a battle with the press.

Susaeta scored four goals last season and has had a very successful pre-season. He and Del Olmo will see time in the midfield this season.

Upfront is Llorente. Llorente is the obvious target in the offense and normally finds himself the lone attacker and is the target of all long balls tossed up by the fullbacks. He netted 10 goals last season and was the obvious attacking choice for Athletic. However, Llorente is known for his dry spells and for his lack of self-confidence. Athletic is looking for him to put on his big boy pants and suck it up this season.

Survey Says

Joaquin Caparros' decision to make the worlds longest pre-season ever will not have the desired effect. Instead of coming out of the gates fast, a tired and injured Athletic will struggle thanks to a pre-season that featured 4 games in 6 days. Yikes.

With a bruised and battered Athletic side coupled with a pretty lackluster off-season in terms of signings will place Athletic right where they left off last sesaon. A lack of stability and consistency failed them last season, as moments of brilliance were overshadowed by those head-scratching times where nothing seems to go right.

Caparros is a good manager, but in a way he is still handcuffed by the Basque only policy. Will that policy change any time soon?

One signature on the AupaAthletic boards says it all.

Por un Athletic... SIN extranjeros.
(For Athletic..without foreigners).