|
 |
 |
|
ÁLVARO ARBELOA COCA
Date of Birth: 17 January, 1983
Nationality: Spain
Period at Deportivo: 2006 - 2007 (31 January)
Transfer: €1.3 million (2006, from Real Madrid)
Clubs: Liverpool (2007), Deportivo (2006-2007), Real Madrid Castilla (2003-2006), Real Madrid C (2002-2003)
Sold: €4 million (2007, to Liverpool) (€1,35 million was paid to Real Madrid, according to a clause)
Height: 183 cm
Weight: 86 kg
Position: Defender (Central/Right)
|
|
|
 Few players spent such a short period at Deportivo as ARBELOA did, but still had a big impact. He arrived in the summer of 2006 as part of the rejuvenation-project, played every single Liga match until the end of January 2007 and was sold to Liverpool that month. The Galicians needed cash, while Arbeloa had opened eyes in Spain and Europe. Even Real Madrid were rumoured to want him back.
In July 2006, Salamanca-born Arbeloa became the tenth signing of Deportivo those months. Financial problems and with a large part of the veteran players leaving caused the Galicians to look for cheap alternatives. The departure of defenders Romero, César Martín and Héctor meant that defensive reinforcements were needed. Lendoiro stepped in when Fabio Capello arrived at Real Madrid, knowing that the Italian coach always is looking for short-term success and is (therefore) not very fond of youngsters.
Another era of star signings and veterans arriving at Real Madrid had arrived, without much options for young Spanish talents. Capello took with him, among others, World Player of the Year and central defender Cannavaro. Besides, Sergio Ramos was signed a year earlier for a huge sum of money, meaning he had to play always. Back then Arbeloa had two matches in their first team behind his name, both during the season 2004/2005.
But in July 2006 it wasn’t a difficult choice when the Galicians knocked on his door. Despite interest of Zaragoza and Espanyol, Arbeloa asked his club to release him and he signed at Deportivo.
Before Arbeloa ended up in La Coruña he already had seen much of Spain during the twenty-three years of his life until then. He was born in Salamanca in 1983 and one year later his family moved to Valladolid due to Arbeloa’s father’s work. Later, when young Arbeloa was four-years-old, the family moved to Zaragoza and two years later he started to play football in the local team of Jesús María El Salvador. Aged twelve he signed at Real Zaragoza and spent six years in their youth system. But Arbeloa wanted to combine study (Business Administration) with football and decided that the best thing to do was to move to another city: Madrid.
Aged eighteen he joined Real Madrid for the season 2001/2002 and quickly started to shine. Arbeloa played in Real Madrid C during the 2002/2003 campaign and one year later he performed with Real Madrid Castilla (Real Madrid B). At this point in his career, the youngster had an impressive record in his briefcase: he played with Spain's national squad in all possible categories (U-15, U-16, U-17, U-19 and U-21) and was also part of the team that conquered the 2001 UEFA-CAF Meridian Cup. In total he played three seasons at Madrid’s B-team. Curiously he played in different positions during this three years: Arbeloa started as right-back and later moved to the centre. During the season 2005/2006 coach López Caro also used him as a left-wingback.
Arbeloa's leadership qualities gave him the role of squad’s captain for the 2004/2005 campaign when the team achieved promotion back to the Segunda División, after nine years, and proved to be a squad full of potential diamonds. Names like Arbeloa, Soldado, Jurado, Balboa and De La Red were very well know among the fans. The media wrote once that this was one of the most promising squads to resurrect the glory from the Madrid past. During that season Arbeloa made his debut in the Primera División on 16 October 2004 at Betis Sevilla (1-1) when he replaced Mejía. An experience that overwhelmed him: "I didn’t even knew that I would play. I was warming up like everybody else and suddenly... I was in and played 30 minutes!". His second (and final but full) Primera match he played on 9 January 2005 at Atlético de Madrid which the blancos won 0-3. According to the Spanish media he was one of the best players that night. Arbeloa also participated in some Copa del Rey matches that season.
But this progress in Madrid’s first team didn’t continue in the season 2005/2006. The two coaches that Real Madrid had during that campaign (Luxemburgo and López Caro) didn't put much trust on him and he spent that season at Real Madrid B. Arbeloa started in 33 of the 44 games of Real Madrid Castilla and was one of the most booked players in the team (16). This lack of options in the star-team of Real Madrid accelerated his exit from the club. Deportivo president Lendoiro had him on his mind for the new Galician project and negotiations started in June 2006. Some weeks later a deal was finally done and Lendoiro set up a difficult construction with Real Madrid; an indication that the club from the capital wasn’t very convinced that Arbeloa would be worthless to them. Deportivo paid €1.3 million and Madrid would earn 50% of his possible sale during the next three years. Nobody expected that this clause would become so effective as it did.
When the deal finally was done, speedy Arbeloa expressed his happiness at his own website: "Deportivo is one of the biggest clubs in Spain and I will have Joaquín Caparrós as my coach. He’s one of the best Spanish coaches available and Sergio Ramos has recommended him as a phenomenal man. I’m looking forward to my time here and know that my time at Madrid is over, after five years. However, Deportivo is a perfect opportunity. I'm sure that I can learn a lot here and, besides, it’s good to know they have trust in me." At the same time he criticized the situation in Madrid: “It cannot be that of every Castilla player not even one is worth to have. It could well be that we aren’t all equipped to play in the first team. But is not one of us worth it?.”
About his personal life, Arbeloa once confessed during an interview that he is a ‘standard’ boy who loves to play with his Playstation. During his time in Madrid, Arbeloa lived with his brother since his family still lives in Zaragoza. The youngster confessed that he had to learn how to cook and he likes to read epic books like Alexander the Great by Valerio Massimo Manfredi. He also has a British bulldog that he named Ronnie, exactly like one of Ronaldo's nicknames.
At Deportivo he started all twenty Liga matches between 27 August 2006 and 28 January 2007. Arbeloa too was criticized heavily when the inexperienced team quickly dropped from the highest spots, starting in October, after a serie of nine Liga matches without a win. But when the dust cleared, and the Galicians remained undefeated in four matches and survived a Copa round against Mallorca, a more fair balanced was made up. Despite the tense period, Arbeloa had done an excellent job, especially considering the circumstances. His colleague Lopo had been called-up for the Spanish side some months earlier. But when Jorge Andrade returned to the starting line-up, it were Arbeloa and the Portuguese defender forming a solid duo at the back. Until coach Caparrós announced a surprise deal at a press conference, when asked about Arbeloa’s absence at a training session.
 With a formal agreement still to be reached, on 30 January 2007 Depor’s coach said that “it's a good option for the club and I'm sure they (Deportivo) will sell him for more than they bought him for five months ago. The club (Liverpool) has got a very good investment.” Arbeloa himself told the media that "I'm as surprised as everyone. It looks like a good move for me and Depor especially as they are going to get double what they paid for me.” In the end Deportivo formally agreed to sell Arbeloa to Liverpool, where Spanish coach Rafa Benitez and players Pepe Reina, Luis Garcia, Xabi Alonso and Miki Roque would become his new colleagues. Arbeloa signed a contract until 2010 at Anfield Road.
Despite Caparrós’ words and Arbeloa’s dream move, supporters of Deportivo were astonished. They were promised a young side which, in a few years, could become another Superdepor. But at the first opportunity, one of the best of them was sold. The real reason was that Deportivo were in deep financial troubles. The salaries of January hadn’t been paid while Alavés still were waiting for €480.000 million promised by Deportivo. The Spanish FA blocked any transfer movement by Deportivo those days until this debt was cleared. This is how the Arbeloa-transfer brought some relief. Still there had been other options as Duscher was close to his final contract-days at Deportivo while Coloccini didn’t seem wanted anymore and Jorge Andrade was highly valued. But within barely 72 hours a deal for Arbeloa was struck. It went so fast that his colleagues at Depor’s training ground thought he was joking… Caparrós was less shocked: “I come from a club (Sevilla) which had to sell players to grow. If we have to do this to make another step forward, so be it.” Sevilla back then were UEFA Cup holders, had won the European Supercup and were chasing the Liga title. As a consequence of Arbeloa’s move, midfielder Pablo Álvarez was subscribed in the Liga.
Arbeloa explained at his own website that “I’ll go knowing that I leave much behind. It hurts to leave, because I expected to remain for a long time at Deportivo. But this is great option. Caparrós has wished me luck. And I must thank him, because he used me in every match. And I also must thank my colleagues, who didn’t believe it when I told them I was going. Finally I want to express my gratitude to Deportivo because they had faith in me. I think this is a good move considering the situation they’re in.”
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
