[lfc-news] Spanish invasion gathers pace - Guardian

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The Guardian, 28 Aug 2004
Culture divide disappears as Spanish invasion gathers pace
Traffic between La Liga and the Premiership is at an all-time high
By Dominic Fifield

If Xabi Alonso had any lingering doubts about swapping Primera División for
Premier League, he was quickly reassured. "There were concerns that I might
be out of the spotlight if I moved to England so I talked to the national
manager Luis Aragonés before signing," said the Liverpool midfielder. "He
told me not to worry, that he'd be following the Premiership closely this
season."

These days, Aragonés could do little else. Where once La Liga paid little
attention to the crude and frantic football emanating from these shores,
other than occasionally to lure a Gary Lineker or a David Beckham to the
sun, now they can hardly afford to ignore it. Real Madrid may have
instigated a new transfer policy of buying British, but the Premiership is
attracting Spaniards in ever greater numbers and quality. At this rate,
Aragonés will be joining the new France coach Raymond Domenech as a regular
observer in the stands.

The influx of Englishmen at Madrid and the regular export of Spaniards to
the likes of Liverpool and Bolton have bemused many Iberians. At the Reebok
Stadium tomorrow, some six Spanish players will be in attendance - either
out on the pitch or nursing injury as they watch from the sidelines. The
home side boasts a pair of veterans from La Liga in the former Real Madrid
duo Fernando Hierro and Iván Campo. For Liverpool, the influx of talent is
more youthful: Alonso, a Real Sociedad icon back in San Sebastián, has
moved to Merseyside for £10.7m to be joined by the 26-year-old winger Luis
García, a £6m recruit from Barcelona.

Antonio Núñez and Josemi, £2m signings from Real Madrid and Málaga
respectively, are also on the books. Indeed, Liverpool could arguably
include more Spaniards in their first-choice line-up than Real these days,
for all that the reverse could be true should José Camacho find room for
his English trio of Beckham, Michael Owen and Jonathan Woodgate. "For me,
it is not about what country a player comes from," said the Merseysiders'
Spanish manager Rafael Benítez. "What is important is whether a player is a
good professional. These players are good people, good footballers and good
professionals."

Benítez's presence was undoubtedly the primary attraction for the quartet
of compatriots to sign in at Anfield. "The manager has a great reputation
and is someone I have wanted to work with," said Alonso. Real had expressed
an interest in the midfielder, only to turn their attentions to foreign
recruits instead, reflecting the fact that local talent in the top echelons
of La Liga is still occasionally crowded out by overseas signings.

Premiership clubs such as Bolton or Blackburn - Javier de Pedro joined from
Sociedad - still boast the financial clout to offer competitive salaries to
plunder the Spanish league. English clubs also increasingly lean on their
recently introduced Spanish scouting networks.

Arsenal's talent spotter Francis Cagigao, once a youth-team player at
Barcelona and Highbury but now based in La Coruña, persuaded Arsène Wenger
to sign José Antonio Reyes from Seville. He also spotted Francesc Fabregas
playing in a Barcelona youth-team match last Easter.

Aragonés included Reyes, along with Alonso, in his squad for next week's
friendly against Scotland and the World Cup qualifier in Bosnia. Should
Wenger complete the £2.75m signing of Valencia's Miguel Angulo ahead of
Tuesday's transfer window to add to the goalkeeper Manuel Almunia then the
Spanish contingent at Highbury, so long considered a French enclave, will
be four with Cagigao's influence plain to see.

There has also been a shift in mentalities. Playing in England is no longer
seen as a hindrance to the Spaniards' international careers. Nor, as they
once did, do they question their ability to adapt to the style of the
Premier League. "You can make too much about the apparent differences
between Spanish and English football," said García, who has spent the last
six seasons at different clubs and has moved to Liverpool as much in search
of stability. "Sure, there are variations in tactics, but I think I can
adapt and do well."

Few doubt Alonso's ability to thrive in new surroundings. The 22-year-old
is reluctant to talk up his own game, though there are plenty of others who
will do that for him. "Real went for Patrick Vieira, but I'd rather they'd
signed Xabi Alonso," said Míchel, capped 66 times by Spain, who spent 20
years at Real. "He can do everything. He can do what Patrick Vieira can do
and much more, while Vieira can't do what Xabi Alonso can do."

Alonso, who already speaks immaculate English, has done all he can to
prepare himself for tomorrow's anticipated debut, studying a video of
Liverpool's opening-day draw with Tottenham Hotspur and undertaking his own
research on Bolton's tactics.

"Players in Spain or Italy don't usually get to see a lot of games with all
the distractions out there," said Benítez, "but Xabi wanted to learn
everything about his new team-mates, as well as about the opponents."

"You can learn a lot more about your opponent by studying them so I make
notes about them," said Alonso. "I have always had an interest in England,
and always wanted to play over here. That's one of the reasons I learned
the language, though I never presumed I would one day get the chance to
play for Liverpool.

"English football is something I've always wanted to experience. It's a new
life for me, a new style, but something I am looking forward to. In the
past, maybe Spanish players did not look to play abroad but that mentality
has changed. The prospect of playing for Liverpool is exciting. This is a
step up for me."


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