Summer beats spring all ends up to football fans, forget all that stuff about new buds and frisky lambs. Summer is the great leveller, the old season is forgotten and all teams start off with the same possibilities. As for CD Tenerife fans we couldn’t wait for the new fixtures to come out, the heartbreak of relegation from La Primera had eased and at least there was the local derby with Las Palmas of Gran Canaria to get the blood pumping.
There were some recriminations that money wasn’t spent to bolster the squad after getting back into Spain’s top league and that disquiet threatened to boil over when the Santa Cruz club announced that long serving coach Jose Luis Oltra wouldn’t have his contract extended ““ he was out. Several players expressed doubts about staying without their popular leader and the vultures were circling waiting to pick off Tenerife’s best players. Goal machine Nino and captain Bertran seemed a long way from penning new contract deals.
Good news was needed and it came with the appointment of Gonzalo Arconada (above) as the new coach on a one year deal after leaving Numancia. The 49 year old brother of Spain’s legendary goalkeeper arrived with a good record of winning promotion for unfancied teams and a lot of respect for his tactical knowledge and no nonsense approach. With a few old favourites like Ayoze, Hector and Culebras leaving the Heliodoro we scanned the papers and websites for news of possible new arrivals.
The first signing was a popular one, the return of midfielder Antonio Hidalgo from Malaga after five years away. Natalio (above) an attack minded midfielder was next. He managed nine goals as Murcia slid out of the Segunda, on loan from Almeria but in a winning team he is capable of much more. Normally the signing of a Las Palmas player would be met with a little resistance but French left back Gregory Beranger’s decision to switch his loan from owners Sevilla really upset The Pios. Well that’s music to our ears.
The biggest signing of all was quite a coup. Julio Alvarez (below) was tempted away from Mallorca, fifth in La Liga last season. A real class midfield act, his capture sent out positive signals for the campaign ahead. The latest addition is central defender David Prieto, on loan from Sevilla. In the midst of this activity Icod born winger Iriome returned from Huesca with a mission to re-discover the form that had Liverpool bidding 2 million euros for him before he had clocked up 10 senior games.
Still we were sweating on Nino, would he stay. Since arriving from Levante in 2007 he has scored 62 goals in 120 games and is a terrace legend. Finally the good news came, our goal machine was signing an extension to his contract to keep him here for four more seasons.
Changes were coming in other areas too, this season play offs will be introduced, the two top teams going up automatically and the next four playing off for the remaining slot. CD Tenerife are determined to look good this season and with a new kit supplier, all eyes were on the three new strips that were unveiled on the Heliodoro pitch. They should prove popular and this season fans can order them and other CD Tenerife merchandise on line. The British based Armada Sur peña (fan club) will as always be adding a multi national devotion to Santa Cruz games and popping up at many away matches.
Since the fixtures came out we have shared a dream of the ultimate climax to the new season, winning the last league game at Las Palmas to clinch promotion. Harsh reality has taught us that we cannot guarantee that destination but it’s as much about the journey and the pride, passion and loyalty of supporting CD Tenerife.
CD Tenerife Fixtures 2010-2011
29/08 Girona – Tenerife
05/09 Tenerife – Salamanca
12/09 Rayo Vallecano – Tenerife
19/09 Tenerife – Celta
26/09 Xerez – Tenerife
03/10 Tenerife – Cartagena
10/10 Barcelona b – Tenerife
17/10 Tenerife – Numancia
24/10 Cordoba – Tenerife
31/10 Tenerife – Elche
07/11 Tenerife – Gimnastic
14/11 Huesca – Tenerife
21/11 Tenerife – Alcorcon
28/11 Villarreal b – Tenerife
05/12 Tenerife – Granada
12/12 Recreativo – Tenerife
19/12 Tenerife – Real Betis
02/01 Real Valladolid – Tenerife
09/01 Tenerife – Albacete
16/01 Ponferradina – Tenerife
23/01 Tenerife – Las Palmas
30/01 Tenerife – Girona
06/02 Salamanca – Tenerife
13/02 Tenerife – Rayo Vallecano
20/02 Celta Vigo- Tenerife
27/02 Tenerife – Xerez
02/03 Cartagena – Tenerife
06/03 Tenerife – Barcelona b
13/03 Numancia – Tenerife
20/03 Tenerife – Cordoba
27/03 Elche – Tenerife
03/04 Gimnastic – Tenerife
10/04 Tenerife – Huesca
17/04 Alcorcon – Tenerife
24/04 Tenerife – Villarreal b
01/05 Granada – Tenerife
08/05 Tenerife – Recreativo
11/05 Real Betis – Tenerife
15/05 Tenerife – Real Valladolid
22/05 Albacete – Tenerife
29/05 Tenerife – Ponferradina
05/06 Las Palmas – Tenerife
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