La Liga News 24/7
Stadium: Coliseum Alfonso Pérez, (17,700).
Region: Madrid
Nickname: Los Azulones (Dark-Blues), El Geta
Derby:CD Leganés, Segunda Division B
Sponsor: Burger King. Yes, Burger King
Kit Description: Home: An all blue Joma kit with red, white and blue trim and highlights throughout. Away: An all red kit with red, white and blue trim and highlights throughout. Third: An all white kit with red, white and blue trim and highlights throughout. Note: In the interior of the kit, there is a picture of the Burger King. When a Getafe player pulls the shirt over his head during a goal celebration, the King's smiling face can be seen!
History: While a club, or the beginnings of a club existed in Getafe after the war, and had moderate success throughout the next 30 plus years, the club encountered financial distress and was forced to liquidate after the 1981-1982 season. A new club, Getafe CF was formed on July 8, 1983, and began climbing the regional leagues in Spain, winning promotion for 4 straight years until it reached the Segunda Division B. Its progressed stalled and spent much of the 1990's teetering between Segunda B and Segunda A, but amazingly reached the pinnacle of the Spanish First Division after securing promotion after the 2003-2004 season. In just over 20 years, the club had ascended every level in the Spanish Footballing pyramid. Amazing. Quique Sanchez-Flores secured them a comfortable 17th place finish ceding to Berndt Schuster who brought the club to two 9th place finishes, two successive Copa del Rey finals, one of the stingiest defenses in Spain and brought then GK Pato Abbondanzieri the Zamora Trophy for best keeper in Spain. The last two seasons, one under former Real Madrid and Barcelona midfielder Michael Laudrup and the other under Victor Munoz, saw them struggle for survival.
Trophy Room:
* Second Division B (1999)
* Copa del Rey (Runners up) (2007, 2008)
Famous Former Players: Luis Aragones (former Spain manager), Raul Albiol, Ruben de la Red, Esteban Granero, Dani Guiza
Main Story from last year: Besides struggling with relegation for much of the year and the sacking of Victor Munoz during a tense two week stretch that could have destroyed Getafe's chances of maintaining their position in the Spanish First Division, the club hired ex-Real Madrid legend Michel who had very little first team experience. His slightly unsteady hand helped the club secure their place, one has to mention the utter ineptitude of Numancia and Sporting de Gijon for much of the year so a hadful of teams battled for really only one relegation slot. Getafe were amongst the better sides in a grouping of ineffectual strugglers. Another highlight of the year is the brawl between Getafe and Real Madrid "hard-man" Pepe who kicked and punched and scouled at the entire defensive third of the Azulones. Hopefully 2009-2010 will offer more highlights and a return to form for a club that was making its mark on the top half of the Spanish table.
Transfers: Signing Derek Boateng from FC Koeln who saw Portuguese international Maniche as a better fit in Germany. Fabulous. Dani Parejo, who spent much of last year on loan at QPR in England and returned to Real Madrid for a cup of coffee under Juande Ramos has been signed by Getafe with of course an option to return to the Bernabeu if needed.
Squad Overview: Their projected starter in goal is ex-Atleti and River Plate keeper Oscar Ustari if he ever fully recovers from the swine flu. Cata Diaz is a good quality defender and Dani Parejo will help Casquero in the midfield, but the real star of the outfit is ex-Madrid canterano Roberto Soldado. With only 13 goals he isn't the most prollific, nor is he a classic center forward in the Dani Guiza role, he's better suited for a support striker role, he is fit and pacy and the lifeblood of the Azulones.
Prediction: 17th place, another narrow escape.
Share This
Subscribe Here
Posts
