Liam_Richner

The Pros and Cons of the Athletic Bilbao Cantera Policy.

Published on March 27, 2015January 11, 2017 by Liam_RichnerLeave a comment

Athletic Bilbao have produced some great footballing talent in the past. Fernando Llorente, Javi Martinez and Ander Herrera to name just a few. The secret behind Bilbaos excellent young talent is through their Cantera policy. The club is unique in the way it only uses players from the Basque region of Spain. They recruit the hottest prospects that the Basque region has to offer and bring them through the ranks before they move on to bigger and better things.

This policy began back in 1912, however it has had to tackle opposition in order to still function today. During the reign of General Franco between 1939-1975, the Basque people suffered terrible oppression; their unique language, culture, customs and style were all banned because they didn’t fit in with the ideal of a one-nation Spain. Support for Bilbao from the Basque region was a vote against Franco.

The fans of the club adore the Cantera policy. A poll in the 1990s revealed 75% of the supporters would rather see the club relegated than abandon the policy. It brings the club its identity. The fans own Athletic, making that link between the team and the supporters that even more special. Los Leones has never been relegated from La Liga (one of only four teams in Spain to hold such a record). This must mean that the Cantera policy works and it makes the side more successful, surely? Top European clubs import foreign players in order to gain success- but somehow Bilbao still fight strong in arguably the best quality league in the world. They finished 2013-14 in fourth position and made it to the group stages of the Champions League for the first time in 15 years.

But as more plaudits come in to praise the system, it also has its critics. As the club only uses regional players, it is believed that this hijacks their chances of success. They haven’t won a league or cup competition since 1984 when they won both La Liga and the Copa del Rey.

Some of the players to have played for Athletic have caused a stir. The policy of using players that were born and raised in Basque country has seemingly loosened up on occasion. Former Centre back Fernando Amorebieta was born in Venezuela but was eligible to play for Athletic because he grew up in the Basque Country as well as his parents being from the area.

Enric Saborit, now 22 years old, was signed by Athletic in 2008. The unusual thing was that Saborit was born in Barcelona. However, his mother is Basque, and that seemingly gave Athletic the right to pursue the player.

Ander Herrera is another who raises doubts to whether Los Leones kept to their ‘strict’ policy. He grew up in Zaragoza and played in Real Zaragoza’s youth system before playing for the senior squad. He could be signed by Athletic because he was simply born in Bilbao.

What does this say about the club? Do they actually deserve the plaudits of sticking to a system that through this evidence has it’s own loopholes? The game is growing each year, meaning more foreign exports are being driven into the major European leagues, including Spain. Can Athletic therefore keep their policy going?

With Real Madrid and Barcelona splashing out ridiculous sums of money for players, (Madrid spent £85 million on Gareth Bale and Barcelona spent £75 million for Luis Suarez), it seems that the Cantera will not be able to provide Los Leones with a team capable of mounting a serious title challenge. Fans will therefore need to make a choice. Do they want a team that wins trophies? Or do they want a team that keeps to their tradition, their identity and their pride in sticking with the Cantera?

They haven’t been able to keep hold of their prized assets either. Big money moves have come in for star players. Yes, Athletic need the money as the economics surrounding La Liga means that the lesser teams need to bring in as much income as possible through transfers, merchandise and ticket prices. But this means they start each season back at square one. It’s like a cycle. Over three to four seasons they bring up the talent from the Basque country, finish strongly in the league, and then sell their best players.

Ernesto Valverde for me is an underrated coach. He has a clear philosophy and is taking Athletic forward with clear direction and ambition. Currently the side is on a five match-winning run in La Liga. However the club are eighth in the table, ten points behind Villarreal, who occupy the last European place. Had the players Athletic natured in the past stayed in Bilbao, Valverde would possibly have a competitive team up there with Barcelona, Madrid and Atletico Madrid. They would not just be in the fight for Champions League qualification, but genuine title contenders.

So lets look five maybe ten years down the line. Will Athletic start looking down the table rather than up? It’s hard to tell but personally I don’t think much will change regarding their status. They will still produce the class of players that can play at Bayern Munich, Manchester United, Juventus, Real Madrid etc. It’s a system that has worked for the club for over 100 years. Nobody can scrap a tradition that’s lasted as long as this. The Cantera has been the heart and soul of Athletic Bilbao. It has produced talents for decades and will continue to do so. Yes they will have a tougher battle with the economics and so called ‘globalisation’ of the game, but the supporters are behind the team and the club will fight to continue their excellent standard of bringing up the best from the Basque country. As I mentioned before they have never been relegated from La Liga. That record speaks for itself.

Could English clubs benefit from this? I believe so. Greg Dyke is always moaning not enough home grown players are playing in the Premier League. There are even talks of reducing the amount of foreign payers in a squad down to 13. If a team such as Southampton kept to a policy like the Cantera then they would be a force to reckon with. They have one of if not the best youth system in the country. Gareth Bale, Alex Oxlaide-Chamberlain, Theo Walcott, Calum Chambers, Adam Lallana and Luke Shaw are all players to have come from the academy. Had they all been in the same team we would definitely have Champions League football at ST. Marys.

I for one would be proud to be a Los Leones supporter. I love the way the club goes about things and hope that the Cantera system remains to be successful. It for me is how football clubs should approach the game- with the addition of four maybe five foreign players to boost their chances for success in league and cup competitions.

Keep it up Bilbao!

CAN AJAX EVER REPEAT THE FEATS OF THEIR PAST?

Published on December 13, 2014January 11, 2017 by Liam_RichnerLeave a comment

Amsterdam is flooded with history. Stroll through the Dutch capital, and you will come across famous landmarks that really do represent the country’s culture. The iconic Dam Square, the flowing canals, the illustrious Magere Brug and the buzzing Red Light District all play their part in the epicentre of Holland’s major city.

But no history is found to be more prestigious in the capital than at their football club. Ajax are the most successful Dutch team in history. 33 Eredivsie titles, 18 KNVP cups, 8 Johann Cruijff shields, 4 European cups, 1 Uefa Cup, 2 UEFA Super Cups, 2 Intercontinental cups and 1 European cup winner’s cup fill the illustrious trophy cabinet.

Throughout time since their establishment in 1900, Ajax Amsterdam have had teams that have ruled domestic, continental and world football. With three nicknames, “de Godenzonen” (Sons of the Gods), “de Joden” (the Jews) and “I Lancieri “(The Lancers), they were named joint 5^th best club of the 20^th century alongside Santos.

The current Dutch champions have never been relegated from the Eredivsie, and are one of only four clubs to have won all three major European competitions.

Since 1996 they have been playing at the Amsterdam Arena found in the southeast of the city. With a capacity of over 50,000 it is the largest stadium in all of Holland- seems about right for the most renowned team in the country.

The youth setup in Amsterdam has always been breath taking. The club have produced many of Holland’s finest ever players. Johann Cruijff, Marco Van Basten, Dennis Bergkamp, Edwin Van Der Sar, Patrick Kluivert, all regarded as legends in Holland, started their careers at the Ajax academy.

Current players Rafael Van der Vaart and Wesley Sneijder and Nigel de Jong also have come from the academy.

It’s not just this that has brought them such success, scouts in Europe look for the new uprising starlets from neighbouring countries too. Jan Vertonghen, Thomas Vermaelen and Christian Eriksen all moved to Amsterdam as teenagers.

For Ajax, their supremacy started in the late 1960s going into the 70s. They were named European Team of the year 4 times between 1969-1973. They won the European cups three years on the bounce between 1971-73.

This was at the time Johann Cruijff was without doubt the best player on the planet. His ‘new’ turn, which is used by pretty much every footballer today, baffled defences. He was the man every Ajax fan went to see during his time there.

In the 1980s they won 8 domestic league and cups, with the likes of Marco van Basten, Frank Rijkaard and current Southampton manager Ronald Koeman in the side.

But the best team ever produced by Ajax was that of 1995. That same year they were named the world’s best team and you could understand why. Their starting XI made up the national side. Van der Sar, Edgar Davids, Clarence Seedorf, Frank de Boer, Marc Overmars, and Patrick Kluivert. The list could go on.

They won the European cup in 94/95 as well as the Intercontinental cup and the Super cup. Throughout the 90s they won 6 domestic league and cups.

Recent times haven’t been as illustrious though. 1995 was the last time they won a European trophy. The club still has produced players like Klass-Jan Huntelaar, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Luis Suarez, who have gone on to bigger and better things, but they couldn’t help Ajax become the force they once were.

Frank de Boer, the current manager of the club, has seen them win four domestic titles since taking charge in 2010. But that next step on the European stage proves illusive.

Every season they make it to the Champions League group stage, and each year they seem to fail to progress. This season they finished third in their group behind Barcelona and PSG, and will enter the Europa League as a result.

What’s changed then? Well the game certainly has since the 60s and even 90s. Billionaires are becoming more common in the game, and compared to Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Chelsea and PSG, Ajax just cannot afford the big players.

The best Dutch players don’t stick around either. In the 90s, most of the Ajax team were the main core of the national side. Nowadays, most of the squad play their trade abroad. Goalkeeper Jasper Cillissen, and defenders Daley Blind and Joel Veltman were the only Ajax players to feature in Holland’s 23-man squad for last summer’s World Cup in Brazil. Blind has since moved to Manchester United.

The club are a team that are well regarded in Holland, but for the world to acknowledge them, they need to at least get as far as the last 8 of the Champions League.

They remind me of Celtic. Again, the Glasgow club are constantly in Europe’s elite competition, but they also fail to stamp their mark.

Ajax are a club that is proud of it’s history- who wouldn’t be? But the question is, do they want to be remembered for back then, or remembered for the now?

The Life of Seve Ballesteros: Part 7 ‘Regain and Retain’

Published on October 16, 2014January 11, 2017 by Liam_RichnerLeave a comment

After looking at Ballesteros’ life off the course yesterday, today I wanted to look at his final Ryder Cup years, 1995 and 1997…

Part 7: ‘Regain and Retain’ (1995-1997)

“It was so fantastic that the only way I can describe it is “the miracle of Oak Hill!”

After the disappointment of 1993 at the Belfry, Europe bounced back to retain the Ryder Cup in 1995.

Seve wasn’t in the greatest form, and insisted to play first in the singles as he felt he was better off taking on one of team USA’s strongest members. He lost his singles match to Tom Lehman.

Philip Walton was the hero that day, sinking a chip shot on the eighteenth to seal victory.

“I thought it was wrongheaded to continue to play Ryder Cup matches in England. I believed that the cup would have disappeared many years ago if it hadn’t been for the participation of mainland Europeans.”

From the late 1980s, the European Tour had considered hosting the Ryder Cup in other European countries rather than just Britain. The decision that the 1993 edition was to be played at the Belfry was the last straw. And Ballesteros took to the press to push for a Spanish Ryder Cup in 1997.

In 1994, Spain was announced to become the first country in Europe to host the Ryder Cup other than Britain. The question now was which course. Seve wanted to be played at a course he was developing (Novo Sancti Petri). However, the committee announced that it was the Valderrama Golf Course, one of the most prestigious and elitist golf courses not just in Spain but also in Europe.

“Initially I objected the offer, but after consulting my brothers, I had a change of thought.”

Schofield asked Seve to be Europe’s next captain for the 97’ Ryder Cup. At first, he rejected the opportunity, stating he very much wanted to play in his home country. Schofield did state that a captain could possibly play as well, but we all know you can’t be a good captain and play to the best of your abilities at the same time. And after talking it over with family, Ballesteros made a U-turn and became Europe’s captain.

After suggesting switching the foursomes and fourballs events around on the timetable (a move which has now stuck in every Ryder Cup since), Ballesteros made what he recalls “the toughest choices I have ever made in my life” by choosing his pairings for the first two days.

Unlike captains before him, Seve personally asked each team member to name who they would feel comfortable playing with. This proved to be the right move as by the end of the Saturday session, Europe were winning 9-4.

Needing just 4 points from the 12 singles matches, Seve was secretly confident that his team could win and retain the Ryder Cup. However things didn’t go too smoothly. Olazábal lost his match as well as Nick Faldo.

But good old reliable Colin Montgomerie, in the pouring rain, sunk the final putt. Europe had won again, for Seve, “his proudest moment in his career.”

A moment that touched me most about the 1997 Ryder Cup was the post match conference, where Jose Maria Olazábal burst out in tears whilst describing his injuries, which ruled him out from playing for 18 months.

Seve response was this…

“He didn’t disappoint, he made a great contribution. He won two and a half points for the team out of a possible four. For me, Jose Maria Olazábal has been and always will be one of the greatest Ryder Cup players of the modern era.”

This was to be the last Ryder Cup Seve Ballesteros was to participate in as either a player or captain. With five Ryder Cup wins, he was key in Europe’s success at the back end of the twentieth century.

The Life of Seve Ballesteros: Part 6 ‘The Lady Pleaser with a Sore Back’

Published on October 15, 2014January 11, 2017 by Liam_RichnerLeave a comment

Part six of my bio doesn’t really go into Seve’s golfing career on the course. This segment looks more into his problems with his back, his ‘playboy’ manners and his other hobbies off the greens of the golf course.

Part 6: ‘ The Lady Pleaser with a Sore Back’

“The real burden for my back was the physical pain that became even more annoying and crippling.”

For all of Ballesteros’ success on the golf course, he suffered physically. After an accident as a young boy left him hobbling around for a couple of weeks as well as caddying at the Padreña club, Ballesteros’ back was taking its toll.

Ballesteros admitted he struggled through his major wins and Ryder Cup triumphs. And in 1993, he had enough.

The Spaniard and his family travelled to Scottsdale, Arizona, for treatment. He undertook the treatments for a couple of months with no significant improvements.

This wasn’t the first time he suffered a set back in dealing with his back problem. In 1977 after the Spanish under-25 championship, Seve went to see Dr. Carbajosa. He advised Ballesteros to give up golf for a year.

Seve admitted that if he listened, he might not have suffered again with back problems. But the thought of no golf for a year was unbearable. And arguably he wouldn’t have been as successful as he was if he listened to the Madrid doctor.

In 1995, Ballesteros went to Florida to have an operation on his back. Again this failed to sort out the problem.

Seve even travelled to Germany to meet Dr. Hans-Wolfgang Müller. The German doctor had treated the likes of Boris Becker, Linford Christie, Michael Owen and the Bayern Munich football team. Even his treatments didn’t make any improvement on Seve’s back.

In the end, Seve gave up on treating his back, and instead looked to workouts and swimming to at least numb the pain.

“When a lad has pretty girls following them around the golf course. It gives them extra motivation. More then once I tried to impress them. They seduced me.”

Before marrying his wife, Ballesteros was seen as a slight playboy by his peers. He recalls seeing ‘Miss Texas’ or Christy. When they travelled together Christy was impressed on how people looked at Seve. However reality it Ballesteros would remind her it wasn’t him they were making googly eyes at.

Seve also saw an unnamed princess from northern Europe. They would spend a lot of time together when their paths crossed in Barcelona. They went sightseeing and the princess even suspended a flight home to spend more time with Ballesteros.

But no one was as close to Ballesteros than his wife, Carmen. She was his “true love.”

“I liked hunting, as it was a popular sport in Northern Spain. I also liked boxing and football, as most Spanish men do.”

Seve had hobbies outside golf. He admired Muhammad Ali, like the millions who did watching him in the ring.

He also was a supporter of Racing Santander football club, a yo-yo team in the Spanish first and second division. He would go to as many games as he could when he was home.

Seve had better connections though with the biggest club in the world, Real Madrid. Offered the best seats in the house, a trip to Madrid was regular for the football fans of the Ballesteros family.

Away from golf, his life wasn’t too shabby. He spent more time with his family from the mid 90s. He won his last title in golf in 1995, and from then, began to fall slowly away from the top of the golfing ladder.

The Life of Seve Ballesteros: Part 5 ‘Scapegoat and The Magic of The Ryder Cup’

Published on October 14, 2014January 11, 2017 by Liam_RichnerLeave a comment

Moving away slightly from his individual accolades, this part of my Seve Bio looks at the powerful people in European golf that Ballesteros didn’t seem to get on well with and also his look back at the greatest competition the sport has to offer…

Part 5: ‘Scapegoat and The Magic of The Ryder Cup’

“If being a rebel means not accepting the authoritarian decisions, then I certainly am one.”

Seve during his golfing career wasn’t always calm. He very much disliked the hierarchy of the European Tour. Especially a man called Ken Schofield. Schofield was the chief executive of the Tour between 1975-2004. Seve felt Schofield singled him out. “I must have felt like a stone in Ken Schofield’s shoe. I swear he did everything he could to stop me from playing.” Schofield is an interesting character. He did do a lot for European golf. However there were many areas that needed approving. Seve knew this, and when he would ask for Schofield to look into these, he felt ignored.

Another figure Ballesteros had a damaging relationship with was the judge John Paramor. Whenever he could, it seemed Paramor would not allow Seve to play his game. He never was allowed to drop the ball if it was a pretty much impossible shot if Paramor was in charge of proceedings. He would often be given penalty strokes for slow play. One incident even saw Ballesteros lose his cool and get disqualified because Paramor insisted Seve had wrongly added his scorecard.

“The Ryder Cup is one of the world’s greatest sporting events.”

In 1979, Seve Ballesteros made his first appearance in the famous tournament. He lost his four-ball and single matches but won a point for Europe in the foursomes. They were crushed by the United States. Seve’s love for the tournament started here though, as he learnt a lot. He loved match play, which is what forms the Ryder Cup. He loved the ever-growing atmosphere by the spectators. He grew to love it so much that by the time the next one came around, he was left torn apart.

Schofield and co. excluded Ballesteros from the 1981 team for not playing enough that year. The effect of this is that Europe lost even heavier than they did in 1979. Seve was so hurt by the exclusion that he vowed to “Never take part in any Ryder Cups ever again.”

1983, and a man called Tony Jacklin is named Europe captain. He wants Seve in his side, but at first the Spaniard declines. After some advice from his brother, Ballesteros turned back on his word and returned to the Ryder Cup with huge optimism. Europe battled hard in Florida, but lost by half a point.

Then the tide turned in 1985. Europe, which had a stronger team that played in Florida and were made favourites to win. The two teams were tied on 6-6 going into the Saturday afternoon sessions. Europe won 3 of their 4 games to make it 9-7 heading into the singles on the Sunday. Seve drew his match. Earning half a point for Europe in the process. But Europe managed to hang on and for the first time since 1957, they had won the Ryder Cup.

“It was at that instant, when I saw the euphoria of the spectators and my colleague’s display of emotion, that I understood the real meaning of the Ryder Cup.”

1987 was to prove even better. Playing away on American soil, the European team was made up of golfers on top of their games. Seve thinks that the team of ’87 was the best one ever. It was here that his partnership with Jose María Olazábal worked it’s magic. With both Spaniards playing similar games, they were near enough impossible to beat. Europe went on to win 15-13. Seve won the decisive point in the singles, defeating Curtis Strange in a slightly heated contest. “Tony Jacklin, Nick Faldo and I were hugging on the edge of the green, crying. We were so excited!” The team of 1987 had made history.

The Americans seemed to be knocked astray after losing on home territory for the first time in 87’. But in 1989, when Europe looked odds on to win yet again, the Yankees thought back to draw the competition 14-14. Europe still retained the cup, but this was a warning for what would occur in 1991. ‘The War on the Shore’ in South Carolina. The Americans, who took to warlike tactics came back to win the Ryder Cup for the first time since 1983. According to Seve, they won the cup “by making Golf pay a high price as a sport.”

When it came to individual titles, the period of 1991-1994 proved a tough one. During which Ballesteros would go on a sour 26-month streak before winning a title. In 1993 he was winless, and fell in 42^nd in the European rankings, he lowest rank since turning pro nearly twenty years previous. His win in the Benson and Hedges Invitational in 94’ kicked started his ascend towards the top once again, still proving to the world that the old Seve was still there.

The Life of Seve Ballesteros: Part 4 ‘The End of The Golden Years 1988-1991’

Published on October 12, 2014January 11, 2017 by Liam_RichnerLeave a comment

Part four of my Seve Ballesteros piece looks at his final major victory, his private life, the thorns of his career, his mixed opinions of the public and press and a very heart warming story…

Part 4: ‘ The End of the Golden Years 1988-1991’

“My best round at the Open- perhaps even the best round of my career- wasn’t at St. Andrews in 1984. It was the round of 65 with which I finished to win once again at Royal Lytham 4 years later.”

1988, Seve was back at Royal Lytham where he nearly won the Open twelve years previous. He had been struggling for form for the past two years due to the death of his father.

But this tournament was going to bring him back to the heights of the game’s elite. Seve hit the round of 65 on the final day as he overcame a strong challenge by Nick Price to win his third Open Championship. This was his fifth major victory (three wins at the Open and two wins at the Masters) but unfortunately for Seve it was to be his last.

1988 was also a very special year for Ballesteros. In November, he married his childhood sweetheart Carmen Botín. The couple had been seeing each other for eight years before they tied the knot.

Ballesteros had his house in Padreña built from scratch. It was a big house with a huge garden. From one side of the house you could see Santander Bay. On the other side of the house, you could see the Real Club del Padreña.

Ballesteros went on to have three children. Javier, Manuel and Carmen.

“The sport of golf is everywhere. However, it is a very exclusive club at the highest level. It is very difficult to remain at the very top.”

Everyone sportsman has their ‘bogey-team’ or their unluckiest venue. Seve was no exception. The US Open was the thorn of his career. In 1990 he was disqualified from the tournament for turning up late for his tee-off time. Every year pre and post 1990, Ballesteros struggled.

The US Open was the only major Seve had to qualify for as he was never invited to compete. This upset him mainly because the people who were invited were names rather than players who were on top of their game.

“I made a statement to the PGA asking for them to make their invitations more sensibly for the best golfers of the day.”

It wasn’t just the US Open either. The USPGA was another tournament that didn’t favour the Spaniard. He refused to compete after 1990 in the USPGA so he could rest up and prepare for the other majors.

“Journalists, or war correspondents, dub areas of conflict as ‘Comanche Territory’. For me, the ‘Comanche Territory’ of my world was the Royal Club Del Padreña.”

Seve and the golf club didn’t have the best of relationships. As the townsfolk of Padreña congratulated Seve for his achievements, and even set up supporters clubs for their idol. The golf club stayed away. Ballesteros believes it was because they “couldn’t handle the fact a caddie from their club became a golfing superstar.”

Ballesteros never won Spain’s version of Sports Personality, although he won many accolades abroad.

Ballesteros was also asked by the Spanish bidders to host the Olympics in Barcelona in 1992 if he could support them by wearing the Barcelona ’92 cap. Seve accepted, and when they won the games, he was never told thanks for his help. “A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country. I don’t believe in this saying, as I am among my own people.”

“I’d like to underline the importance of visual imagination, when you have to meet a challenge, face an uphill struggle or battle against illness. If you see yourself winning and winning comfortably, that in my opinion is the first step to victory.”

Ballesteros won many fans by his achievements on the golf course. One of those fans, whose name wasn’t revealed by Seve but referred to as Martín in his autobiography, was perhaps his biggest.

Martín was diagnosed with terminal leukaemia when he twelve years old. Ballesteros was asked to visit the boy in hospital, just so that he could meet his hero. When Ballesteros got there, they both instantly got on. They spoke about everything, their childhoods, Seve’s golfing career, everything expect the illness.

Ballesteros carried on visiting, telling detailed stories of his Masters win in 1980, and his triumph at St. Andrews in 1984.

After playing in a tournament in Japan, Seve visited the boy, bringing him caps from the tournament and miniature golf games. However, when he got there he was informed the boy was moved to a different room…

Martín was recovering. He was fighting his illness so hard it was beginning to give up. “His cheeks were rosier in colour, his fair hair had grown. His mother happily told me he was getting better, and stronger each day.”

To Ballesteros’ delight, Martín fully recovered. He is playing golf and has fully qualified to become a lawyer. This was a young man that until Seve died, was like another son to him…

The Life of Seve Ballesteros: Part 3 ‘Joy and Despair’

Published on October 10, 2014January 11, 2017 by Liam_RichnerLeave a comment

This next part of my Ballesteros tribute goes through to the mid eighties, when Seve experienced the biggest highs and also the biggest lows of his life…

Part 3: ‘Joy and Despair 1980-1987’

“This was the happiest moment of my sporting career. My moment of glory. My most fantastic shot. So much so that the picture of me gesturing in triumph is now the logo for my companies.”

Following the first Open and Masters wins of his career, Seve was full of confidence. His swing was good, every shot he undertook landed perfectly just as planned. Seve went on to win the Masters again in 1983. But it was 1984 that brings him the best memories.

The Open, held at the legendary St. Andrews Golf Club. Seve Ballesteros was two three shots down on the leaders heading into the final round. The press conference the night before allowed the Spaniard to show off his confidence of coming out as Champion. “I’ll see you tomorrow” he said as he left.

Tom Watson was leader overnight, and it seemed to be a two horse race for the Claret Jug. Similarly to the Ballesteros first Open victory five years previously, the lead was interchanging between the pair.

Then came hole 17. The famous Road Hole. Seve described it as the “most challenging par 4 in the world.” This is what separated the best from the rest. Seve managed to smash the ball onto the green, leaving him to two putt for a birdie.

Tom Watson however played it safe and after a comfortable drive, he fluffed up the second shot with a 2-iron. Ballesteros two shots clear. Seve scored par on the eighteenth meaning Watson needed an eagle to take it to a playoff. He didn’t manage it.

Ballesteros had once again won the Open Championship, and it felt better then ever. He still praises the shot on the 17^th as the ‘golden ticket’ to the Claret Jug.

“My father’s illness had drastically curtailed my preparations for the Masters in 1986. Caring for him was my brother and I’s priority.”

Seve and his father had a very close relationship. They travelled around together to far away places. One trip Seve recalled very well was a trip to Ohio, USA. The golfer treated his father to a limousine to take across the state.

Ballesteros’ father was in attendance to see his boy win the Masters in 1983. Something that Seve always cherished.

Then things started to take a turn for the worst in 1985. Seve’s father was diagnosed with lung cancer. On New Year’s Eve 1985 Seve took his father home after receiving treatment in Houston, Texas. With no way of getting to Santander from Madrid, Seve went all out to get his ill father home. It was the last time the pair travelled together.

On March 4^th 1986, Seve’s father passed away.

Seve was determined to win the Masters in dedication to his deceased father. “1986 will forever be in my mind. The Masters that year will always link with the death of my father.”

Seve began the tournament well. Scoring two-under par overall going into the weekend. A par on day three put him a stroke behind before the final round. After getting himself in a commanding position, things started to go catastrophically wrong.

The 13^th hole was one Ballesteros was keen to eagle and extend his lead at the top of the leader board. But he misjudged the putt. Seve failed to score higher then a par in the remaining holes. Jack Nicklaus beat him.

With so much determination to win, and little practise, Seve made silly, amateurish mistakes. Jack Nicklaus admitted some shots were reminiscent of a “golfer that hasn’t played in a while.”

For Seve, all he felt was grief. “The hardest blow wasn’t that I didn’t become Masters champion, but that I couldn’t dedicate a victory to my father as I pledged.” For Seve, this was the worst feeling he had felt since becoming a professional golfer.

“Sometimes when I look back to 1986 and the Masters. I can’t stop myself crying silent tears.”

The following year, Ballesteros, now coming to terms with the one-year anniversary of his father’s death, was back at Augusta.

Despite feeling more prepared then 12 months ago, the Spaniard suffered yet another big, hard hitting defeat in the play-off with Larry Mize and Greg Norman.

The tenth hole staged the play-off. Ballesteros, Norman and Mize all hit good, solid tee shots. Norman and Mize found the green with their second shots, both only three to four yards from the pin. Seve on the other hand, put too much backspin on his shot, and his ball ended up nine yards back, too far to sink for a birdie.

For Ballesteros, things in golfing terms had hit a low point for the first time since turning pro. But one moment in 1986 he will never forget.

“Walking up the fairway on the 18^th, the crowd stood and applauded as a mark of respect. I waved back. I was very appreciative. I will never forget that walk. Never.”

The Life of Seve Ballesteros: Part 2 ‘The Army And The Maiden Major’

Published on October 9, 2014January 11, 2017 by Liam_RichnerLeave a comment

Following on from yesterday’s introduction to my bio on Seve Ballesteros, here is the next chapter. Today I wrote about his legacy started taking shape…

Part 2: The Army and The Maiden Major (1976-1980)

“In the end everything is down to your mind, your attitude, your will and effort. And also your ability to confront the hard knocks put against you.”

1976 was the year Seve Ballesteros announced himself to the world. It was the Open Championship taking place at the Royal Birkdale. The young Spaniard went into the final round two shots up on the rest of the field, with victory in sight.

Adolescence from Ballesteros cost him dear on the final round, double bogeying the sixth hole and triple bogeying the eleventh. But the young man turned it around in the final few holes to secure a well deserved second place overall. Johnny Miller told the press after the game, “ I think it’s very good for Seve to come second. He will be a champion some day.”

The success at the Open for Ballesteros was the platform from which to build. He had arrived onto the international scene. He was on the front and back pages of newspapers and magazines. He became an idol. He himself set objectives for 1977, and that was to win as much as possible. Including the majors.

“Life can derail your best laid plans. Just as my golfing career was taking off, I was called up to do military service.”

The first three months of 1977 proved tough for Ballesteros. He hated military service not because of what he had to do- but because he couldn’t practise his golf. His general, Antonio Bernal, was very reluctant to let him play. Due to fame for his achievements the year before, Seve was made to do the chores that required the most time. From painting all the sporting courts, to dishing up for fellow militants, Ballesteros was given no time to work on his swing.

By the time he had finished his three-month duty to the military, the Masters in Augusta was just round the corner. Seve hadn’t been round an eighteen-hole golf course since December of 1976. This cost him dearly as he missed out on automatic invitation to the event the year after for not making the top 24. Saying that, it wasn’t bad a feat for the Spaniard making his first appearance in the Masters. And things were only going to get better.

The Open of 1978. Royal Lytham and St. Anne’s. Seve went into the final round two shots back on leader Hale Irwin. On the first hole, Ballesteros made a birdie. Irwin could only secure a double-bogey. Seve had the lead. However both players were constantly dropping shots and the lead changed constantly throughout the front nine. But after sinking a putt on the thirteenth, Seve never looked back. Finishing under par, Seve Ballesteros was a major champion, an Open champion. He became the youngest player to win the championship in the twentieth century and also the first non-British winner since 1907 to win the claret jug. Seve was in the history books. His legacy had well and truly begun.

“When I think back to 1978, it’s not the Open that stands out for me. It’s a particular shot I played in the Hennessy Cup against Nick Faldo. This was the type of shot that marks your life and makes history.”

The Hennessy Cup was a tournament where British teams played teams made up of the rest of Europe. Ballesteros was paired up against Faldo in the singles. The tenth hole consisted of the famous ‘Belfry’. On this hole you have two options. Either aim to drive just in front of the stream with a six iron and play safe. Or go straight for the green. Not many players attempted the second option. That was until Ballesteros came along.

As the crowd watched on, Ballesteros swung the club with such accuracy that he landed the ball just a few feet from the hole. Magical. Shame he missed the putt though. It was the shot of shots that tournament. Faldo applauded. The crowd stunned. “This guy was a great, a natural”. And he would only go on to do better things.

“I became the first Spanish sportsman to prepare himself mentally for the critical moments in their sporting life.”

After three relatively successful outings at the Masters, 1980 was to be the year Ballesteros finally achieved his objective set out back in 1976. Ballesteros undertook phycology training before the tournament with Doctor Alfonso Caycedo. He learned every shade of green on the Augusta course. Studied the crowd through tape recordings. He visualised what the week would be like. All the hard work he put in just to prepare was rewarded. He became Masters Champion.

The Life of Seve Ballesteros: Part 1 ‘The Early Years’

Published on October 8, 2014January 11, 2017 by Liam_RichnerLeave a comment

Seve Ballesteros was a golfing legend. The Spaniard, who died of brain cancer in May 2011 aged 54, amazed us both on and off the course. After reading his incredible autobiography, I thought I would write my own bio on the greatest golfer to ever live.

Split into 10 parts, I hope you find this in depth bio both fascinating and enjoyable to read. Today I begin with the very beginning…

Part 1: The Early Years (1957-1975)

“When I look back. I’m amazed by the way everything turned out. I think my case is remarkable. I turned professional before having any real experience. I didn’t turn amateur like José María Olazábal or Sergio García. I learnt it all the hard way.”

Seve was born in Padreña, Spain in 1957. Growing up, he lived with his family on a small farm. His brothers all became professional golfers before him (except Manuel who died aged 2 in a freak accident). Seve’s uncle Ramon Sota was the Spanish champion four times and even finished a respectable sixth in the Masters in 1965.

After flunking school and getting expelled for turning up drunk, Ballesteros’ mother was very keen for him to not undertake a career in golf. Shipyard work was offered to Seve however thanks to his father’s persistence to let his son pursue with his dream, he refused.

Seve’s father was very keen on him to grow like his brothers had. He encouraged him to go and practise on the beach whenever he could.

Ballesteros worked at his local golf club, the Real Club De Padreña, as a caddie at the age of eight. It was here where he first began to swing a club for the first time. His older brother Manuel gave his first club to him, a 3-iron.

Seve practised on the beaches of the Playa de Padreña as much as he could. As a caddie, Ballesteros was not allowed to use the golf course he worked on to practise. The only chance he got to play on it was during the Caddie’s Championship, which only occurred once a year.

The Caddie’s Championship consisted of three flights. The first flight was a mere nine holes. Do well and you progressed to the second flight of eighteen holes. The third flight was a two-day event of thirty-six holes.

Seve didn’t win the first flight, but after impressing the members of the club, he progressed on to win the second flight at the first attempt. Three third flight wins followed for Ballesteros in the early 70’s. Opening the doorway to professional golf.

New Years’ Eve 1973 will forever be one Seve would have remembered. Traditionally in Padreña, the local boys would play practical jokes in the town. One of the boys in the group decided to mess with the construction pipes on the hole 8 fairway where Ballesteros worked. After the members of the club found out the culprits, they were all banned for a month. This was a heart in mouth moment for Seve as his professional ambition had to be put on hold. However he managed to reapply for his job in February 1974 and make the jump to professional in 1975.

It was tough to begin with for Ballesteros. He was spending too much money on travel to get to tournaments as well as not winning enough prize money to fund it all. He decided he had to return home to secure more finances.

Seve returned to Padreña just in time for the Spanish under 25 Championship. Fortunately for him, the tournament was being played in his hometown. Seve won the tournament as well as 80,000 Pesetas. As a result, he gained sponsorship from a Dr. Campuzano who was very fond of the young prodigy.

One of my favourite quotes from Ballesteros is that of when he talks about participating at the Italian Open in Venice, October 1975:

“I came fifth. But the most important thing I experienced was watching Johnny Miller. He was world number one at the time ahead of Jack Nicholas and I thought I could beat him that day. All these top players in the world and I was unimpressed by them all. After watching them I was convinced I could beat them. No, I knew I was better than them.”

Seve ended 1975, his first season as a pro, sitting top of the Spanish and European rankings. However the year didn’t finish positively on the course. In November 1975, Ballesteros travelled to America where he tried to gain passage to the PGA Tour.

Informed by his brother/agent Manolo that he would have to stay in America over the winter months, Seve decided that being at home with his family was more important. He was in a healthy position to qualify, but he purposely flunked the back nine holes to miss the cut.

He went home to spend Xmas and New Year’s with his family. Not knowing at the time what would happen to him the following year….

Milan Baros Who? Forgotten Man Retold…

Published on October 6, 2014January 11, 2017 by Liam_RichnerLeave a comment

Who reading this knows of Milan Baros’ current whereabouts? Nope, me neither. The former Liverpool and Aston Villa striker seems to have seen his career filter out since his time in England.

You may be wondering why I’m going on about a player that for some of you, you may not have even heard of. But for me, Baros was one of my favourite players growing up.

I liked the way he played. He was always in the right place at the right time to poke the ball into the net from six yards out. I liked the fact he wore the number five jersey instead of the traditional number nine or ten at Liverpool. He was perhaps the first striker I actually watched in great depth as I grew up.

For those readers that need some background on whom I’m talking about. Milan Baros is a former Czech Republic international who scored 41 goals in 93 games for his country. He made his international debut in 2001 against Belgium in a friendly match. He scored on debut. He retired from national duties after the European Championships in 2012. One of his career highlights is winning the golden boot at Euro 2004 where he scored 5 goals.

As for his club career, the Czech News Agency described him as “the star of the Czech league” when he was at a young age. Baros attracted a lot of attention from clubs around Europe. Liverpool successfully landed Baros in 2002. The Czech helped the reds to their League Cup win in 2003 and European triumph in 2005 before moving to Aston Villa. Spells in France with Lyon and a loan to Portsmouth followed before he moved to Turkish giants Galatasaray in 2008. Milan made 93 appearances for the team (scoring 48 goals) from Istanbul but after Euro 2012 he was frozen out of the side. He left Istanbul in February 2013.

This is where the trail had begun to fade. But I researched and found out that Milan Baros has actually been in his native Czech Republic playing for the team that signed him as a 12 year old. FC BanÍk Ostrava were the first team that Baros turned out for as a youngster coming through the ranks.

I know what your thinking. Who on earth are FC BanÍk? Well they are a team that was formed in 1922. Their past honours include three domestic titles (back when the eastern part of Europe was known as Czechoslovakia). They won the Intertoto Cup seven times between 1970-1989. More recently they won the Czech league in 2004 and Czech cup in 2005.

With a stadium capacity of just over 10,000 and a tight budget, FC BanÍk finished mid table last season (10^th). Baros admitted he was close to hanging up his boots before rejoining his former team but stated: “At first I was in two minds whether to play at all. But after three months I have felt much better. I began to miss football again. If I had no appetite and didn’t physically feel good, I certainly would have thought about retirement”.

Baros’ agent Pavel Paska added in by saying: “With BanÍk we agreed on the contract. Milan wanted to come back to Ostrava, three minutes we were done. Though Europe knew that Milan was injured, we got four other offers, both from India, United Arab Emirates and also Italy. But this was not all about money.”

Baros has yet to make an appearance for BanÍk since returning. He has been recovering from damaging his cruciate ligaments playing in Turkey last December.

I’m glad to hear Milan is playing still though. He might not be playing for one of the giants of Europe, but at least he is happy playing back in Czech Republic. Like the old saying goes- there is no place like home.