2010/11 Match Reports

The End Of An Era Albacete 1 CD Tenerife 2 This was Tenerife's fourth win in their last five games and another example of what could have been for fans. Make no mistake, the latest victims are a poor demoralised team and victory over Albacete is not worth a row of beans. But it's a small step the right direction and success breeds success. Coach David Amaral will be delighted with the way things are going and fans have been shown a glimpse into the future. More youngsters were blooded and Ayose and Moreno took their form in the reserves in their stride as they made their senior debuts.* Julio Alvarez struck the winner after Nino's penalty opener. It means that Tenerife should finish third bottom and as I wrote last week, this could see a reprieve. But this week's story is all about one man. Ponferradina visit Santa Cruz on Saturday for the most ridiculously scheduled match of the season. This is the ONLY senior match being played on Saturday. The Club say that this is because the league ordered it, but that makes no sense. Why oh why do we have Tenerife kicking off just before the eagerly anticipated Champions League final? This will massively hit the attendance figures and you don't need to be Einstein to work out that the club officials are not keen on a mass demonstration at the end of the match. But what really sticks in the craw is the way they have treated a genuine Tenerife legend. This will be Nino's final match at the Heliodoro and he deserves a massive Cristo-style send off. But because of the 'suits' stupidity, he will not get one. For Tenerife fans, Nino is God. He arrived in the summer of 2007 with a point to prove. Prolific for his boyhood club Elche, he struggled after a big money move to Levante in La Liga. He scored just once and was damaged goods. Too small. Too slow. Too lightweight. He got hammered by the press. Even Elche didn't want him back. Tenerife were going through a rotten patch. Duff striker after donkey turned up in Santa Cruz. Maybe it was the distance from the mainland, or was it the sunshine? But right from day one Nino found his feet in Santa Cruz. He notched in the first half of his home debut against Cadiz on a scorching hot Sunday afternoon. Wearing the number 16 jersey, he stole a yard on the centre back, controlled a ball over the top and from just inside the box smashed it left footed past the goalie. Sound familiar? He was an instant hero. Tenerife slowly adapted their shape to suit a man who couldn't stop scoring goals. Or running. I swear he thinks he is the road runner. I have never seen a guy chase so many lost causes. His work effort has always been first class and even during the last few sticky seasons he has always put in a shift. At the end of the first season he had bagged 18 goals and was the leagues second top scorer. The following year when paired with Alejandro Alfaro he would go one better, bagging 29 goals and helping Tenerife to promotion. The first season back in La Liga was always going to be tough, but this time Nino took the step up in his stride. Goals were harder to come by, but he still finished with a respectable 14 goals including a memorable hat trick in a 3-2 win over Getafe in front of a packed Heliodoro. Tenerife's relegation led to intense speculation about Nino's future and there were a plethora of clubs jostling for his signature. But Nino brushed it all aside. Happy and settled on the island he penned a new four year contract, the largest in the club's history. “I am very happy in Tenerife” he said at the time. “From the very first time I set my foot here, I have felt welcomed and at home. The fans have been amazing and I am eternally grateful for their support.” This campaign has been one of frustration for Nino and the whole team. At times he has cut a forlorn figure. Living off scraps he lost confidence and around the turn of the year he looked to be showing all of his thirty years. But class is permanent and when the transfer window closed, everything seemed to change. A yard quicker and back chasing down dead ends. Matches were being lost and relegation reared it's ugly head, yet Nino never gave in. The stats don't lie. Eight goals in the last two months and sixteen in a season is another excellent return. Sporting Gijon have been strongly linked with a move for Nino and there is plenty in the story. He is close friends with former Tenerife captain Ayose and Nino's agent has held talks with the club. Strangely, out of favour midfielder Ricardo could also be on his way to Gijon. But as you have read in Canarian Weekly before, his preferred destination is Elche. His old club have an excellent chance of going into La Liga via the play-offs and Nino would be their first signing. “I like the idea of going to Sporting” he said this week. “I have my great friend their Ayose and he has told me wonderful things. But nothing is certain. Let's see what happens elsewhere.” The last line is very leading of course. Is he hinting at Elche? Or maybe he is hoping that Tenerife get some sort of reprieve? Will he leave on loan or on a permanent transfer? Nino is not the only player saying goodbye, but few fans will have any feelings for most of them. Captain Marc Betran has already signed for Osasuna after turning down Real Betis and after once being a hero, he will not be missed. It will be interesting to see what sort of reaction Pablo Sicilia gets. The well liked local lad is joining fierce rivals Las Palmas, and even though he is a Gran Canarian born player, it could go either. For the record this column wishes him luck. Pride, before the fall CD Tenerife 1 Recreativo 0 Real Betis 3 CD Tenerife 1 Events from last night may have changed matters, but as it stands CD Tenerife are still alive in their quest to avoid relegation. If Salamanca have managed to beat Celta Vigo then Tenerife will be down, but assuming that didn't happen.. WE'VE SURVIVED ANOTHER WEEK! And the players must get some credit for that. Wednesday's loss at Real Betis was no shame, and the players did alright. It's almost as though the acceptance of relegation has lifted the gloom. 45,000 people, the biggest in this league for many a season, were there to cheer Betis on to the win they needed to secure promotion. They got it, but not without a fight. Real Betis took an early lead through a Ruben Castro penalty and Salva Sevilla made it two soon afterwards. But Tenerife had a go and got their reward with a rare Julio Alvarez goal. Isidoro killed the contest off on the stroke of half time, but there were positives for the hardcore fans. Nino had to sit the match out through suspension so German, who played well against Recreativo, got his first ever start. It was an important moment as the 21 year old will lead the line next season. Four days earlier he came on as a sub and changed the match against Recreativo. Tenerife welcomed back Mikel Alonso and he would have a stormer. One day we will discover what happened to him around Christmas. For those that don't know he was Tenerife's best player in the first half of the season. He then got injured and when he returned he was so out of favour he couldn't even make the bench. Whispers of a contract wrangle seemed the obvious reason. But he was back against Recreativo and was comfortably man of the match. If he had not got injured, then maybe the season would have been different. The visitors were still chasing a play off place, but they never really threatened. However neither did Tenerife. A couple of half chances fell to Hidalgo and for long periods it looked as if a goalless draw would bring in the relegation stamp. But the introduction of German halfway through the second half changed matters. Tenerife played with two up top and this freed the midfield. Both sides started to attack and there were gapping holes for the sides to exploit. It was like a cup tie at times. Tenerife rode their luck and got another large slice of fortune at the death. A fine through ball had German away down the left wing. He tore into the box and the keeper Fabricio lunged Superman-style towards the ball. From my angle he may have got some of it, but he certainly got more of the Tenerife man. German went down, the ref pointed to the spot and the protests began. It was a tough decision to make. Nino picked up the ball. But Hidalgo, who has not missed a penalty all season, had other ideas. He strolled towards the ball boy and grab one himself! He looked at Nino, who threw back a stern glance, and thought better of it! Tossing the ball away he went for the water bottle and a supportive slap on Nino's back. Thankfully Nino smashed it past Fabricio, otherwise the dressing room might have been a frosty place. A quick word for Manolo Martinez, the former Tenerife captain, who had a super game for Recreativo. I wasn't the only person in the press box looking down and wondering what could have been if he was wearing the white rather than the black shirt. Oasis Fm ratings: CD Tenerife: Sergio Aragoneses 7, Marc Bertran 6, Pablo Sicilia 6, Ezequiel Luna 7, Bellvis 7, Ricardo 6, Mikel Alonso 9 (Kitoko 77min), Omar 6 (Juanlu Hens 56min 6), Antonio Hidalgo 7, Dubarbier 6 (German 65 min 7), Nino 7. Recreativo: Fabricio 6, Rafita 7, Manolo Martínez 8, Gallardo 6 (Cabrera 81min), Raúl Cámara 6, Juan Villar 7, Emilio Sánchez 6, Jesús Vázquez 6, Aitor 6 (Aaron 54min 6), Dani 7, Asen 5 (Fidel 53min 7). This weekend Valladolid are the visitors and they are in a real purple patch. 14 goals in their last six matches has seen them cement a play off place. They came down from La Liga with Tenerife last season, but that is where the similarities end. A dodgy spell in mid season cost them any chance of automatic promotion, but after Real Betis they are the class act in this league. The Fat Lady has arrived Granada 2 CD Tenerife 1 Last Sundays defeat in the south of Spain was the latest in a line of disappointments for fans of Tenerife. The weekend started badly when Nastic and Salamanca won. This meant the Granada game was must win. And I mean MUST win, must win. But of course that was never going to happen despite taking an early lead through Pablo Sicilia. Tenerife got their now customary away game red card, Melli this time, and shipped two late goals. Granada stay on track for the play off's while Tenerife will be mathematically relegated this week. If they lose at home to Recreativo on Saturday and Nastic do the biz at home to Granada the Tenerife will be relegated with five matches still to play. Even a win would only prolong the agony with a trip to league leaders Real Betis coming up on Wednesday. So all eyes on Recreativo and all eyes on the crowd. A mass protest is planned before the match and during as well. Fans have got together and the idea is the stadium will be empty for the first ten minutes. The supporters will chant and sing outside whilst the game is going on. How this helps the team, I don't know. I wouldn't knock the fans, they have been magnificent this season, but I don't feel protests work. The players will not perform any better, the chairman will still make mistakes and the world will continue to revolve. On the pitch a former Tenerife captain returns. During his three and a half year stay Manolo Martinez divided the fans. He was, and is, Marmite. I loved him. He is my kind of player. What he lacks in pace and skill he makes up for in commitment and smarts. He was a fine captain and was an important part of the promotion winning squad. Criminally underused during the La Liga campaign, like Culebras he should never have been released at the end of last season. If he was here, wearing the armband and playing alongside Culebras at the back Tenerife would not be getting relegated. FACT. He will get a warm reception on Saturday and he spoke fondly of the club in a press conference this week: “I will always be associated with Tenerife. I had a great time there. The fans are amazing and they can inspire you to do so much. I played over 100 games (111 in fact) and I'm proud of what we achieved. It is so sad to see what has happened and I do feel that it could have been totally different.” You don't need to be Einstein to know what he is on about. Martinez returns with his new side flying. They had an awful start to the season, but since December they have been the form side in the league. They are just six points off the playoffs and they have an excellent run in. They have not lot since January 22nd and confidence is sky high. They do have some problems for this match. Urugyuan defender Andres Lamas is out for the season with a knee injury and he is joined in the stands by the excellent Pablo Sanchez. Martinez himself will need a fitness test after missing last weeks win over Cordoba. Tenerife will be without the suspended Omar, but whom lines up is anyones guess. Coach Amaral has chopped and changed so much it's a waste of timing trying to guess. Last week Germain was given his senior debut and it would be nice to see the young striker on the bench. With Melli suspended Sicilia should partner Prieto in defence with Alonso, Kitoko and Ricardo making the midfield three. It's hard to believe that just two years ago Tenerife fans were celebrating on the pitch in Girona after that Dani Kome goal. Now we are just ninety minutes away from dropping into the abyss. Another Santa Cruz surrender CD Tenerife 0 Villarreal B 1 Total and utter despair. That was my four word answer when asked how I felt after Tenerife's defeat to Villarreal's stiffs last weekend. I was tempted to have a headline, a couple of pictures and a blank page with just the one word at the bottom of the page. Rubbish. Or maybe Roobish as they say in Yorkshire. But the Ed wasn't up for that idea. The simple plan would sum it up mind. I'm reminded of the classic quote from Friends by Jennifer Aniston's charcter Rachel: “You know I really thought I had hit rock bottom. But today it's like there's rock bottom, then 50 feet of crap... then me.” This can't go on. Can it? I have actually forgotten when Tenerife last won a match. I want to say Xerez? The long and the short and the tall of it is Tenerife are now eleven points from safety. But in reality it's twelve as Tenerife would lose any head to head with Nastic. In fact one wag of a journalist was musing when Tenerife would be relegated (Betis in two weeks is the favourite) and also whether they would finish last. That is very possible. Ponferradina are actually playing alright for a side at the bottom of the table and we could swop places with them this weekend. The latest embarrassment in Santa Cruz came in front of the lowest league crowd for six years. Barely 8,600 souls witnessed another disaster. David Amaral has now played three and lost three. Our fifth manager of the season should be looking over his shoulder. The first one was fired for losing the first four matches. Maybe Tenerife should now just give managers a monthly contract? Falque got the games only goal just after the half hour mark in a match that Tenerife were never in. The fight has gone out of the side and the supporters it seems. Amaral changed the shape and the line up again. Club captain Marc Betran was embarrassingly dropped to the stands and Aitor Nunez was handed a rare start at right back. Josmar was given another 25 minutes at the end of the match and Iriome started his third straight game for the first time in three years. But it made no difference. The squad is a busted flush. Their needs to be a root and branch review at the end of the season. Who will stay? Who cares right now, let's look at the that in June. This weekend Tenerife have the very tricky trip to Granada. They have had a solid season, but they are a tiny team and a glance at the table shows how far we have sunk. Granada are on the verge of the play off's thanks mainly to their excellent home form. A couple more wins should see them cement that spot along with Celtz Vigo, Elche and maybe Recreativo who are finishing like a train. Incidentally Angel bagged his first senior hat trick for Elche last weekend. This was the same Angel who left Tenerife in search of first team football. Not good enough for us, but good enough for the fourth best side in a division Tenerife are about to prop up. And people still wonder why Tenerife fans have such long faces! Next season it will be the joys of Segunda B. If you are wondering what the standard is like, well Marca TV on Sunday afternoons is your friend. I have seen a few games recently and it's shocking. Not as bad as womens professional football, but not much better. It's choke full of klumpers and kids not good enough for the top flight. League One in England it ain't. So this Sunday afternoon stick on your CDT top, open a Dorada and cheer the lads on. Gol TV are broadcasting live with a 4pm kick off. Maybe Tenerife's resurrection starts the week after Easter. Or is that just......................... ROOBISH! Tenerife stunned by the Mighty Quini Alcorcon 3 CD Tenerife 2 They say you get no luck when you are at the bottom. You also often get what you don't deserve. This was tough on Tenerife. They worked hard, put in the effort and still came away with nothing. It was harsh very harsh. In last weeks Canarian Weekly I hinted how tactically Alcorcon could be beaten. I'm guessing coach David Amaral took a copy to the mainland as he took my advice. He kept faith in Iriome alongside Nino and the wide players gave them lots of ammunition. Twice Tenerife took the lead as both players notched. But I also warned of the dangers on hand from striker Quini. He duly bagged a brace as Alcorcon scored two late goals to break the visitors hearts. Quini himself told the press after wards that it was a scrappy win: “We left it late and Tenerife played very well. But we showed our character to grab the win. The play off's are still a possible.” They are certainly for Alcorcon while Tenerife have now got just eight matches to pull off the Great Escape. Fortunately results went Tenerife's way last week so it's pretty much as you were at the foot of the table. This Saturday Villarreal B pitch up in Santa Cruz and they have had a fine season. They made a really fast start to the season and even though they have tailed off they are safe for another season in the second tier of Spanish football. In fact half a dozen of them have tasted European football this season as Villarreal charged into the last four of the Europe League. This should be a good time to face them. They have lost their last five matches and took a beating at home by Cordoba last week. Tenerife could face former youngster Airam, who controversially joined the visitors at the start of the season. He was a goal machine for the reserves but was never given a chance to move out of the stiffs and into the full squad. His frustration boiled over and when he was out of contract he moved to the mainland. While he has hardly set the world alight, he has found his feet and has done OK. He will come up against former reserve team mate Carlos Bellvis who is having a good run at left back. He is looking forward to the match up: “It will be nice to see him again. But we have more important matters to worry about. We have to get the Alcorcon setback out our system. We played well but got no points. On Saturday we must play well and get points.” Bellvis admitted the Alcorcon defeat was a major setback: “I'll be honest it was deflating. The whole team felt sick and annoyed. We know the fans are with us, so we will keep on battling.” Strong words. He is not the only to come out with some fighting talk. Juanlu Hens is not the Roy Keane type, but in Tuesday's press conference he was sounding almost Churchillian: “We are realistic. We know we don't have enough points and the numbers and situation doesn't lie. But we still have a chance. If we win on Saturday that will put our rivals under lots of pressure. We still have a very good chance. We can do this.” Midfielder Julia Alvarez agrees: “It's very simple. If we win all our home matches and then get a few points away that might be enough. We are realistic and it is one game at a time. Three points on Saturday first, then we focus on the next three points.” The match kicks off at 5pm on Saturday and it seems the squad has developed a siege mentality. It could be tasty in Santa Cruz this weekend! Barca kids batter Tenerife CD Tenerife 1 Barcelona B 4 A year ago Barcelona came to Santa Cruz and were given a real test by Tenerife. The hosts squandered chance after chance before Barca regrouped and put Tenerife in their place. The 5-0 scoreline was harsh. A few months later Tenerife travelled to the Nou Camp on a wet and windy May night. Again Tenerife gave a good account of themselves. Starting strongly Ayoze and Alfaro missed half chances before the home side clicked. This time Tenerife did get a goal back through Roman Martinez (remember him?) before Barca walked out 4-1 victors. How many Tenerife fans would have imagined that barely eight months later Tenerife would be humiliated by Barca's B side in a similar fashion. The H word is the difference. Last season's defeats were expected but the team still had a go. They rolled up their sleeves and tried their hardest. If only this Tenerife could show the same grit. Barcelona's B team had an average age of just 20. The backline was 19-20-20-19. It was always going to be Barca's youth and guile against Tenerife's brawn and know how. Unfortunately it was never a contest. Just like the matches with the senior side last year Tenerife started well. How often do I write that in this column? They looked well set up and created the better chances. Nino crashing the best against the bar when a goal seemed certain. But this just gave false hope. Barcelona B were promoted last season and they have been brilliant in the higher standard. They have had a few sticky away games, but on the whole Luis Enrique side have cut the mustard. They are set up the same way as the first team, they play the same way, they act the same way. You get my drift. They even play in the stripes so as to give the extra side a psychological fear. Luis Enrique will certainly replace Pep Guardiola one day. Unless a major job comes begging. He has done an amazing job with these kids and it was a classic Barcelona move that led to the opener. Fontas stole the ball in midfield, kicked into the Tenerife half and left the defence for dead. As he drew Aragoneses, he picked out the unmarked Edu who swept it into the open net. Five minutes before the break it was two. Tenerife failed to clear a corner and centre back Bartra went into Lionel Messi mode. He skipped past four players before setting up a simple finish for Nolito. It was a crushing blow for the home faithful. Half time brought a response from the hosts but Barca were wise to the ways of the world. Patiently waiting for the counter attack they were comfortably soaking up the pressure. Omar rasped a shot past the post from distance and Dubarbier had another effort well saved before he was correctly dismissed for a second bookable offence. This finished off the home resistance and in driving Biblical standard rain, Barca went for the throat. Ten minutes from time another sweeping move found Nolito in an acre of space on the edge of the box. He brought the ball onto his favoured right foot. His shot beat the outstretched hand of Aragoneses, cannoned off the post, struck the keeper on the back and rolled into the net. It may have been streaky, but it was certainly deserved. And two minutes later Nolito colpeted his hatrick with one of the goals of the season at the Heliodoro. Aragoneses's kicking has been a joke all season and this time he was made to pay. His poor clearance fell to Nolito who was just a few yards inside the Tenerife half. He chested the ball down and then smashed it back over Aragoneses's head and into the unguarded net. Nolito's hat trick grabbed all the headlines but the whole team deserved the plaudits. At the death when Noah had just finished chopping down the final tree, Nino scrambled home a late goal which was no consolation. The following day when asked about Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere, Pep Guardiola said “Wilshere is a fine player but I have five or six just like him in my reserve team.” The British press scoffed. Trust me guys, he is not wrong. Oasis Fm ratings: C.D.Tenerife: Aragoneses 5, Juanlu 5, Pablo Sicilia 5, (Omar 53min 6), Luna 5, Beranger 5, Kitoko 6, Antonio Hidalgo 5 (Kome 81min), Natalio 5 (Igor 64min 6), Julio Álvarez 5, Dubarbier 6, Nino 5. Barcelona B: Olazabal 6, Montoya 8, Bartra 7, Muniesa 7, Abraham 8, Fontás 8, Jonathan Dos Santos 8, Roberto 7 (Ilie 46min 7), Edu 8 (Tello 71min 7), Soriano 7 (Benja 53min 7) , Nolito 9. Tenerife will be hoping Barca do them a favour this weekend as they host Nastic and Tenerife travel to face Numancia. They need to get back on track quickly as they are now four points adrift of safety. Tenerife make steady progress CD Tenerife 2 Xerez 1 After over 400 days of being stuck in the relegation places Tenerife managed to spend just five days out of the dreaded drop zone before being drawn back in late on Wednesday night. Despite this, it's been a decent week for Tenerife fans. It all began with a bang last Friday night with Tenerife bagging a deserved win at home to Xerez. The visitors arrived on a poor run and without their top goal scorer. Jose Mari's absence was a massive blow to Xerez's game plan and they struggled with just the one striker. Mario Bermejo cut a disconsolate figure as he tried to get something going, but Tenerife's defence is meaner since Antonio Tapia arrived in the dug out. It was all Tenerife in the first half. Kitoko was pulling the strings in midfield and the Congoese is an excellent addition to the squad. He has swiftly connected a fine understanding with Hidalgo and between them they snuffed out all the Xerez attacks, despite veteran winger Capi showing his full array of tricks and treats. Nino has looked out of sorts for a while and again he squandered the best of the Tenerife chances. For some reason he has lost his killer instinct. In seasons gone by he would shoot at every opportunity but lately he is always looking for a team mate or trying one last turn. It's not like him. Half way into the first period Tenerife were unlucky not to take the lead. A well worked move lead to Nino's chest down falling sweetly for Julio Alvarez whose snap shot cannoned back off the post. Tenerife were dominant. Xerez filled their defence and tried to block the well. But just before the break Tenerife had their reward. Another decent corner from Alvarez arrowed towards Pablo Sicilia at the far post and his sweet volley flew past Chema and into the onion bag. It was Pablo's fifth goal in two months and he celebrated in front of the Armada Sur fans like he had won the World Cup! He is a very popular player and is in the form of his life at the moment. Xerez went in at half time with their heads in the chest after not recording a single shot on target. And Tenerife went for the throat at the restart. They tore forward safe in the knowledge that Kitoko was guarding the back door. They forced a plethora of corners and got their second goal from one of them. How, I still don't know. Tenerife have had a bit of luck recently with the officials. Don't get me wrong, it's long overdue. Alvarez's corner flew over everyone's head and went out for what looked like a throw in. The linesman raised his flag and indicated as such. But Sicilia was down on the ground clutching his head and as he blew his whistle the ref pointed at the spot and booked Bermejo. Even a few days later as I type this I don't know what it was for. It was similar to the one Tenerife conceded against Rayo a few weeks back. As Wayne Rooney will testify to, its amazing how quickly these things level themselves out! On the TV replays it seems the ref gave it after the linesman, sorry linesperson had flagged. But the flag was not raised to the chest as is the signal. Secondly Bermejo may have given Sicilia's jersey a slight tug, but there was no connection with his face. It was, and still is, very bizarre. Obviously the Xerez players went bananas and it took ages before Antonio Hidalgo blasted the spot kick past Chema. That should have been game over, but wise old owls knew differently. Seconds later a sweeping move was wonderfully finished off by Cordero to give Xerez hope and start off a nervy half an hour for home fans. Xerez were suddenly a differently side. Sensing blood they throw on three attackers. Tenerife defended like lions and when Nino had a perfectly good goal ruled out for offside, he was two yards onside, the fans feared the worst. But new manager Tapia has been around the track more times than Jodie Marsh. He didn't panic and late on his introduction of Dani Kome would prove inspired. He held the ball up, worked the angles and found every defenders leg to trip over. The full time whistle moved Tenerife out of the dropzone, above Las Palmas and gave the league something to think about. Tenerife were back... Oasis Fm ratings: CD Tenerife: Sergio Aragoneses 7, Marc Bertrán 7, Ezequiel Luna 6, Pablo Sicilia 7, Beranger 7, Kitoko 9, Antonio Hidalgo 7 (Mikel Alonso 75min 6), Julio Álvarez 6 (Kome 83min 7), Natalio 6 (Omar 60min 6), Dubarbier 8, Nino 6. Xerez: Chema 7, Juan Luis Redondo 7, Leandro 6, Vicente Moreno 6, Raúl Llorente 7, Pablo Redondo 6 (Nieto 60min 6), Cordero 7 (Antoñito 75min 6), Bruno Herrero 5 (Barber 46min 7), Capi 7, Óscar Díaz 6, Bermejo 6. Or so we thought! Cartagena 1 CD Tenerife 0 On Tuesday Tenerife traveled to face a Cartagena side who were without three of their first choice defenders, including former CDT player Clavero and ex Arsenal clumper Pascal Cygan. Again Tenerife had the better of the first half, and again Nino wasted the chances. The second half was a scrappy and affair and one goal was always going to be enough. Mid way through the half Touche stole it for Cartagena and Tenerife never looked like getting it back. The defeat coupled with Nastic's fine win at Xerez put Tenerife back in the bottom four, but hopefully only for another few days. This weekend sees a rare Monday night match at the Heliodoro and it's a 6pm kick off against Barcelona B. The visitors are the reserve and youth team of the Nou Camp crew and choke full of potential stars. Luis Enrique has taken to management like a duck to water and he has his side flying at the moment. They have scored 14 goals in their last 4 matches including 6 at normally solid Numancia. Jonathan Soriano is the man of the moment. The 25 year old has resembled a journeyman until the last eighteen months. He was top scorer in their promotion season and has kept the ball rolling back in the second division. He has hit five goals in the last week and must be stopped at all costs on Monday. Don't forget the match is exclusively live on Oasis Fm and it will be great to hear Tolf back on the second mic. He's mates with Pablo Sicilia so let's hope he has a story or three to tell us! Tenerife's juicy carrot Celta Vigo 1 CD Tenerife 0 January 17th 2010. Officially the most depressing day of the year. The world is rushing to get aid to Haiti after a massive earthquake. The United Nations are threatening Iran with sanctions. Gordon Brown has the lowest approval rating of any sitting prime minister since the first world war. Iyaz has the UK's number one single with Replay and CD Tenerife are fourth bottom of La Liga. Yes Ladies and Gentlemen you have to go back over thirteen months to find the last day when CD Tenerife were not in a relegation zone. But that could all change tonight (Friday). A win this evening over Xerez will see CDT leapfrog Las Palmas and sit above the dreaded dropzone. Jose Luis Oltra, Gonzalo Arconada, Toño Hernandez, Juan Carlos Mandia and now Antonio Tapia have all taken charge of a side in the relegation positions. Wow, that's frightening. Last weekend's brave defeat to new league leaders Celta Vigo was harsh. Michu's fine 89th minute goal gave Celta the points after Tenerife had given them a decent game. Nino had a goal disallowed for offside, correctly, in the first half and saw another whistle just past the post. But this game is not worth a row of beans in the context of the season. Celta, like Betis, will surely go up and last weekend none of the bottom six won. So for once the match being moved has actually helped Tenerife. A win tonight would exert massive pressure on the sides below, and they all have tough matches. Albacete travel to Real Betis, Salamanca go to decent home side Alcorcon, Las Palmas go to fourth place Granada and it's Celta for Nastic! Nobody should be counting any chickens as Xerez are on the cusp of the play off places and will go fourth themselves with a win. They did finish below Tenerife in last season's La Liga and they have had an up and down return. They looked to have turned a corner after Christmas as a few new faces started to gel, but last week they shipped three goals for the second straight weekend and back to back defeats has made the fans restless again. Their record in Santa Cruz is poor and last season they were lucky to only lose one nil. Alfaro's late goal gave Tenerife the points in a match they dominated. Like Tenerife they have maintained the bulk of the squad from last season but their best player so far is their oldest. Jose Mari has been around the block a few times, but the ever green striker has found a new niche in the blue of Xerez. He has bagged eight goals since signing from Nastic and the strapping forward will pose Tenerife a few problems. Tenerife welcome back Pablo Sicilia after suspension and have Mikel Alonso fully fit. He played his first match in six weeks as a substitute and he should replace Kitoko in central midfield with rejuvenated Antonio Hidalgo alongside him. However, in training yesterday (Thursday), all three were in the same side with Hidalgo playing just behind Nino in attack. This would see Dubarbier wide left and Natalio starting on the right. With Xerez expected to play 5-4-1 this would certainly work in Tenerife's advantage. The reintroduction of Hidalgo has coincided with Tenerife's good recent run. He has played under manager Tapia before and says the regime changed has helped a lot: “I am enjoying my football at the moment. When you are not playing it gets very frustrating especially when the team is not doing well. What Tapia does is very simple. But it works. I like the way he sets the team up and we feel more comfortable. The new players have come in and given us a boost as well. We are very confident we will stay in this league.” The rare Friday night match is the start of a strange run of fixtures for Tenerife. They have the weekend off before a Tuesday night match in Cartagena. Then Tenerife have a Monday night match with Barcelona B. Nothing too strange about that you might think. But the game will kick off at 6pm on Monday 7th March. Yep, the game will start during office hours. It's like Wolves playing at 4pm on a Thursday. Crazy. Of course nobody is taking any responsibility for it. Gol TV wanted the match to be played on the Friday like the Xerez match. Tapia turns the tide CD Tenerife 2 Rayo Vallecano 1 Something is stirring in Santa Cruz. I have no idea what has happened on the training ground but CD Tenerife have suddenly turned a massive corner. Their 2-1 victory at Salamanca couple with last Sunday's excellent win over league leaders Rayo has seen a massive momentum shift. Suddenly Tenerife are looking and playing like the team everyone expected them to be at the start of the season. They are a yard quicker, noticeably fitter and the confidence is back to promotion season levels. They are using width, the centre backs seem to be communicating and Nino is playing with a smile. Let's enjoy it while we can! The Rayo win made it back to back victories and six matches unbeaten. Tenerife have gone from being seven points adrift to being level on goal difference with the safety places. It's been an excellent few weeks and quite a change from the despair of the Derby match draw with Las Palmas. Tenerife tails were up after the win in Salamanca. They were without both first choice central midfielders in Mikel Alonso and Ricardo, plus new boy Kitoko who played well the week before, but this just gave Hidalgo the responsibility he craves. He was magnificent against Rayo, lording the middle of the park. Dubarbier was busy down the left flank and Alvarez was having a rare fine game. Rayo have hit the top of the table almost by default. They have been knocking on the door for the last few seasons and this may be there year. They are a decent team but for me, not a patch on Celta and Real Betis. Against Tenerife they looked a little leggy. Their record in Santa Cruz is shocking and they never looked like recording only their second win in twenty five matches in the islands capital. The hosts were much more compact in the first half. They carved out a few decent opportunities and even though Rayo hit the bar from a freak corner kick, there was only one team who were going to break the deadlock. This came shortly after the hour mark when ref Pino Zamorano, who normally favours the visitors in Santa Cruz, gave a penalty for a Arribas handball. The incident happened right in front of my commentary position. It was controversial. One mainland journo went nuts, but it seemed to hit his arm and his was on the edge of the area. And as we know, on the line is inside. After a lengthy delay Antonio Hidalgo stepped up and smashed the ball past Cobeño. But Zamorano wasn't happy. He ordered a retake for encroachment. It was harsh but having watched the game on tv since, he was right. Dani Kome and Nino are well inside the area. It was all academic anyway as Hidalgo held his nerve and thumped it past the keeper for a second time. I've lost count of the number of times Tenerife have sat back when ahead this season, and they deserve credit for staying positive. They kept their shape and went forward at every opportunity. It paid off for them when Arribas, who had a shocker of a match, misguided his backwards header. Nino sensed the half chance and was on to it in a flash. The ball dropped invitingly for him and he guided it over the out rushing Cobeño. He deserved the acclaim as he has not got his rewards this season. Game in game out, Nino runs through a brick wall for the cause. His beaming smile summed up the feeling in the stadium. Rayo were shell-socked, but they showed their class as they rolled up their sleeves and had a go. Twice Arragoneses produced fine saves and after Armenteros' shot struck a post, hit Sicilia and trickled the wrong side of the upright, they must have known it was not going to be their day. At the death they won a non-penalty for an alleged push by Sicilia – trust me it's the softest pen you will ever see – which Armenteros converted but it was far too late. Oasis Fm ratings CD Tenerife: Sergio Aragoneses 8, Marc Bertrán 7, Ezequiel Luna 7, Pablo Sicilia 6, Greg Beranger 7, Julio Álvarez 7, Antonio Hidalgo 8, Kome 7 (Juanlu Hens 63min 6), Natalio 6, Dubarbier 7 (Omar 76min 6), Nino 7 (Melli 82min). Rayo Vallecano: Cobeño 7, Coke 7, Arribas 4, Borja 7, Casado 6, Javi Fuego 7, Movilla 6, Trejo 7 (Delibasic 77min 6), Míchel 5 (David Aganzo 58min 6), Piti 7, Armenteros 7. Nino is Tenerife's Girona hero CD Tenerife 3 Girona 3 Another draw, that's four on the trot and the third at home in seven days. It's not good enough for a side that is rooted to the bottom of the table. But scratch the surface and this could be the point that keeps Tenerife up. It's always a rollercoaster supporting Tenerife and this was another thriller. After the disappointments against Las Palmas and Granada where points were tossed away late on, this was a pleasant fightback. Tenerife took the lead early on through Pablo Sicilia but on the hour mark Tenerife were 3-1 down and playing one short after an early bath for goalkeeper Aragoneses. Sloopy defending and some poor decisions had given Tenerife a moutain to climb. But there have been more than a few green shoots of recovery under new boss Antonio Tapia to suggest that all is not lost. Tenerife rolled up their sleeves, Nino struck twice late on and deep into injury time he blew a chance for the match ball and all three points. So a point gained after three matches of seeing two points a fixture being thrown away? Of course, but as always at a price. Sergio Aragoneses is suspended for this weekend's match at Salamanca and Calamity Luis Garcia takes over. But Tenerife look to be a yard fitter and certainly more organised at the moment. And with half the season still to go they are only five points from safety. It sounds a lot but it's two wins. The sides around Tenerife are poor and taken at face value, four matches without defeat is excellent at this stage of the campaign. They have also started to score goals. As you can tell I'm a glass is half full fella! This weekend they face a Salamanca side that has fallen off a cliff. They started the season with a bang and looked like they would be a promotion chasing side. They played Tenerife off the park at the Heliodoro but they have gone into free-fall since November. They have lost their last eight matches, a club record, and last weeks loss to Cordoba was the worst of the lot. Tenerife should travel with confidence but they will be without Ricardo through injury. Mikel Alonso will replace him and it will be interesting to see how many of the new signings see action. Dubarbier has already seen game time, but will there be debuts for Richie Kitoko and Igor de Souza. Kitoko is a Congolese born Belgium Under 21 international midfielder. He started at Standard Liege before a decent spell at Albacete. From there he moved to Udinese in Italy before being loaned to Granada. There he helped his sign earn promotion to the second division before a series of injuries saw he out of favour. When Granada signed Real Betis' Balsas from under the nose of Tenerife he was offered as a 'sorry'. He pitches up in Santa Cruz with much to prove, but at 22 he could be anything. That can't be said of new striker de Souza. The Brazilian has been around the track more times than a greyhound bunny. Tenerife is his sixth side in as many seasons. He is very tall, 6ft 3, and is being brought in as a battering ram or foil for Nino. But Tenerife have been here before with big men. Remember Mikel Arruabarrena? He was a disaster in 2007 and was last sighted at Leganes. Then there is 'El Burro'. Raul Sanchez – comfortably the worst player I've seen in a Tenerife shirt. Igor has plundered just three goals this season...in a division below! The Pontevedra fans are said to be sad to see him leave. That could be Spanish humour. Either way it's not a signing to get the blood pumping. Especially when you see how busy Recreativo, Nastic, Albacete and even Las Palmas have been in the transfer market. It's almost as though the lessons of last season have not been learned. Tenerife face some massive matches over the next few weeks. High flying Rayo Vallecano are in town on Sunday week, before tough trips to Celta Vigo and Cartagena sandwich the home scrap with Xerez. Midfielder Julio Alvarez remains positive. He told the media this week that there is still belief. “The spirit in the camp is high. We were delighted to fight back against Girona. Of course we were disappointed to be in that situation, but it is a point gained. We know we are good enough to go to Salamanca and get a point. That is objective. A win would be amazing, but if we fly back without defeat we will be delighted.” When will they learn? CD Tenerife 1 Las Palmas 1 “Insanity is when you do the same thing over and over again and expect a different result” Albert Einstein 1879 – 1955 “It's not the size of the dog in the fight but the fight in the dog” Mike Skinner 1978 Santa Cruz was buzzing on Sunday morning ahead of the Canary Islands derby. The Tenerife fans had been quiet the evening before. Early nights and Dorada breakfast. All police leave had been canceled. Both managers faced the sack. Defeat was not an option. The 11am kick off certainly didn't affect the players as the match started in it's usual hectic manner. Las Palmas looked well drilled with all play going down the flanks. Quero tricky on the left, Armiche industrial on the right. Viera waiting to bounce on any defensive errors. Tenerife were more patient. Ricardo seized the authority left by Alonso's injury. Juan Carlos Mandia, a manager under pressure opting to play a left back, Sicilia, in central midfield rather than Melli or the benched Hidalgo. Chances were at a premium and as the half progressed with little sign of the deadlock being broken, the match became more and more scrappy. Fouls littered the play. Half time would see some paint torn from the dressing rooms as the managers tried to inspire their charges. Tenerife flew out of the traps and on 52 minutes they had their reward. Omar's juicy corner kick hung invitingly as Barbosa charged off his line. The goalie was trapped in no mans land and Melli, unmarked, connected sweetly and saw the ball fly inside the far post. It was his first ever goal for Tenerife and should have opened the flood gates. Las Palmas looked edgy, then desperate as Tenerife bossed the match. Every time they went forward they looked like scoring. But it never came and with twenty minutes to play Mandia had decided to stick with what he had. The influential Kome was sacrificed for the more defensive Juanlu. Tenerife's wingers tucked in. Tenerife dropped off. Las Palmas smelt blood. On came Quiroga, a strapping 6 foot plus South American striker. Still Tenerife defended deep. The more Las Palmas attacked the more Tenerife conceded ground. Despite this Las Palmas never really tested the Tenerife goal. They had possession and territory but no cutting edge. Until the 88th minute. A regulation attack saw Vega's cross miss the centre backs, holding midfielder and Uncle Tom Cobley. It fell for Quiroga. He scuffed the shot but it still had enough venom to squeeze past Aragoneses. The Custard Crew erupted in celebrations as the home support stared on with open mouths and cold reality. Tenerife had blown it. Another two vital points lost. Forever, Oasis Fm ratings: CD Tenerife: Aragoneses 6, Bertrán 7, Luna 6, Melli 7, Beranger 7, Pablo Sicilia 6, Ricardo 7, Kome 7 (Dubarbier 58min 5), Natalio 5 (Juanlu Hens 69min 5), Omar 6(Iriome 84min), Nino 6. Las Palmas: Barbosa 7, Aythami 6, Samuel 7, Pignol 8, Ruymán 7, Armiche 6 (Pedro Vega 59min 6), David González 6 (Jorge 68min 6), Pollo 7, Quero 7, Viera 6, Javi Guerrero 5 (Mauro Quiroga 73min 7). CD Tenerife 2 Granada 2 A couple of hours after the devastating draw coach Mandia was given his marching orders. It was always on the cards especially since the man who brought him in had left the club two weeks previously. Experienced Antonio Tapia was given the 999 call and the former Real Betis man arrived in time for the match with Granada. 72 hours after the Las Palmas shock, Tenerife fans were still in mourning. Nearly 21,000 packed in on the Sunday but there was barely half that amount on show in blustery conditions a few days later. Tapia's first line up saw a few changes. There were recalls for Alvarez and Antonio Hidalgo who has hardly played over the last three months. Both would reward him. Granada arrived in Santa Cruz in fine form and they took the lead after just fifteen minutes. Dani Benitez's 25 yard free kick was well struck. But a poor wall and awful positioning from Aragoneses helped the ball hit the net. Normally the heads would drop, but Tenerife battled away. They got their reward five minutes later. A good move saw Nino play in Alvarez, whose byline pass picked out the unmarked Hidalgo. He swept it into the net in style. This gave Tenerife hope and they took the game to Granada. Nino squandered a few half chances before the matches turning point. Orellana had already been booked when the ref adjudged he handled the ball. He argued with the ref so hard he was on his way to the bath. From the subsequent free kick Alvarez's free kick somehow squirmed under Juan's body and inside the near post. It was poor goalkeeping but Tenerife didn't care a jot. They were dominant and the faithful delighted at half time. Tenerife continued in the safe vein for the first fifteen minutes of the second half but then, yep you've guessed it, they sat back. Deeper and deeper. They invited pressure and just like Las Palmas, Granada took advantage. Once again it was a substitute who struck the equaliser. Calvo's 20 yard effort took a slight deflection which wrong footed Aragaoneses and it crept past him. It was not one for the highlights reel. Tenerife did have time to steal a lead goal, but they never properly created a killer chance. And at the death the excellent Mikel Rico nearly stole a win but pulled his shot wide. On the plus side it was another point, and Tenerife are now unbeaten in three. They are also just six points from safety. But the reality is it's now six points dropped in three matches, and unless they beat Girona in Santa Cruz this Sunday, they are as good as relegated. Oasis Fm ratings: CD Tenerife: Aragoneses 5, Bertrán 6 (Natalio 70 min 5), Melli 6 (Beranger 42min6), Luna 7, Sicilia 7, Ricardo 7, Hidalgo 8, Juanlu 6, Álvarez 6, Omar 6 (Kome 75min 6), Nino 6. Granada: José Juan 6, Nyom 6, Mainz 8, Íñigo López 7, Siqueira 6, Óscar Pérez 7 (Carlos Calvo 49min 7), Mikel Rico 9, Abel Gómez 6, Orellana 4, Dani Benítez 6 (Collantes 90min), Geijo 5 (Ighalo 78min 5). CD Turkeys CD Tenerife 0 Real Betis 3 Defeat is never easy to accept. Unless you have Superman playing for you, it is something you are going to experience at some stage of any campaign. The pain of a defeat eases with time, but this loss to Betis will linger in the soul for a lifetime. You can accept losing to the biggest club in the division, the league leaders and a tasty outfit. What you can not accept is total surrender and no fight for the cause. A few weeks back fans felt that Tenerife had hit rock bottom when they were humiliated at home by Nastic. But it transpires, we were not even close. This HAS to be as far as our proud club can sink, because if it isn't then relegation will be a certainty in June. Let's get one thing straight. Real Betis are a La Liga side in everything but name. They are easily the best second division side I have seen in the last six years and if they don't go up I will wear a Las Palmas jersey during a commentary match next season. They battered Tenerife from pillar to post. The excellent Emana opened the scoring on six minutes with a shot that was reminiscent of Marco van Bastan's classic from Euro 88. Eleven minutes later it was two nil. Former Las Palmas forward Ruben Castro, who I flagged up in this column last week, picked the ball up on the halfway line. There was a stiff breeze at his back and he noticed Aragoneses was a couple of yards off his line. He caressed the ball into the breeze, over the keepers head, and even though Aragoneses got a finger to it, into the net. It was a stunning goal and it killed the crowd and the match stone dead. The fans couldn't even stomach a boo for Castro. Instead they saved it for the players, coach and board when Real made it three before half time. David Prieto had already had an afternoon to forget. Emana had thrown him around like a rag doll and twelve minutes before the break he totally lost his mind. Emana is a Cameron international. He is 6 foot tall. And a lump. He was also wearing a green and black jersey. Despite all this Prieto must have thought he was a team mate as he passed the ball to him on the edge of the area. Emana thanked his angels for the early Christmas present and he smacked it into the net. The second half saw Real in first gear and with Tenerife offering nothing, the game petered out. But then the real action began. Straight away the fans were calling for everyone's head. The Spanish radio phone in's were inundated with angry callers. The papers the following morning led with pictures of the protests. A board meeting was called and sporting director Santiago Llorente was promptly sacked. This swifty led to rumours of a new manager. But Juan Carlos Mandia got a brief stay of execution and the dreaded vote of confidence. You see the President Miguel Conception cannot sack the manager. That is the job of the sporting director and since that position was vacant, Mandia kept his job. For now. That position will be filled next week and who will be charge of team affairs when Tenerife travel to face Valladoild on January 2nd is anyones guess. Also with the transfer window opening before the match, only Nostradamus knows who will be pulling on a jersey. Captain Marc Betran has been playing like a man after a move and he could be sold. Julio Alvarez looks certain to go with clubs in Greece and Turkey lined up. Beranger, Melli, Hidalgo, Juanlu and Ricardo could all follow him out of the club. It seems a drastic knee jerk reaction, but something has to be done. The club is a mess at the moment. A year ago Tenerife were looking forward to matches with Barcelona and Real Madrid. The team was working hard, playing good football under a bright young coach. Now it's matches with Lanzarote on the horizon. The football is rubbish and our bright coach is pulling up trees at Almeria. The small plus side is the fact we have still got 26 matches to play. The teams around the drop zone are also struggling to buy wins and surely we can only get better. Surely? Oasis Fm ratings: Tenerife: Aragoneses 7, Bertrán 5, Prieto 4, Melli 5, Beranger 4, Ricardo 4 (Hidalgo 73 min 5), Alonso 8, Kome 6 (Juanlu 55min 5), Natalio 5, Álvarez 4 (Omar 66min 5), Nino 6. Real Betis: Goitia 7, Isidoro 7, Roversio 7, Dorado 7, Nacho 8, Iriney 8 (Ezequiel 81min), Arzu 7, Salva Sevilla 8, Emaná 9, Ruben Castro 7 (Rodri 85min), Molina 7 (Juande 60min 6). Tenerife show signs of life CD Tenerife 1 Alcorcon 0 The green shoots of recovery finally bloomed in Santa Cruz last Sunday. Tenerife went into the match with new boys Alcorcon on the back of a decent point, and clean sheet, at Huesca and that draw seems to have restored the confidence. The swagger is not back – far from it - but there are signs that the medicine is working inside a sick camp. Tenerife were unrecognizable from the side that surrendered against Nastic a fortnight ago. Maybe rock bottom has been truly reached and the bounce back is underway? Alcorcon have made a decent start to life in the second tier of Spanish football and they would cause Tenerife lots of problems. They started off with the league's top scorer Quini in the lone striker role and this allowed Tenerife lots of early possession. Nino spurned an early chance and another effort a few minutes later nearly hit the corner flag. This gave the visitors heart and half way through the first period they changed shape. Fernando and Borja pushed on in the wide positions and Mora was working off Quini. Tenerife struggled to adapt and with Ricardo again marking space Mikel Alonso was swamped in midfield. One sweeping move nearly lead to the opener but Fernando's shot, after some great wing play by Borja, smacked against Melli and went behind for a corner when Aragoneses was well beaten. It was the wake up call Tenerife needed. A subsequent corner fell invitingly for David Prieto and the centre backs bullet effort was smartly saved by Manu and Melli's follow up effort was charged down. Moments later a Tenerife break saw Natalio in acres of space in front of the visitors box. He composed himself and smacked the ball past Manu. But he had hit it too well and it thumped off the post and wide of the goal. It was a decent half and the fans were optimistic as they enjoyed their half time bird seed. But they were soon choking as Alcorcon nearly caught Tenerife cold. Alcorcon forced a corner straight from the restart. It was swung into the near post where Aragoneses caught the ball, then dropped it and Alberdi poked it onto the bar, the ball dropped on the goal line and Mikel thumped it clear. It was a massive let off and the start of a fine second half. A few minutes later Tenerife took the lead. Ricardo found some of his old form to chip over a glorious pass to Nino who had slipped the offside trap. He chested the ball down on the edge of the area and as Manu was advancing, he smashed the ball past him. It was Nino's first goal for 500 minutes and the sense of relief was obvious. It was the sort of goal Tenerife fans have become accustomed to over the last few years. Tenerife used the advantage wisely and they started to pick off Alcorcon who by now where much more adventurous. Nino and Natalio had good chances well saved and with twenty minutes to play coach Juan Mandia decided to stick. He replaced winger Juanlu with central midfielder Hidalgo, but his opposite number Juan Anquela countered. He threw on three attackers and went for broke. And it so nearly worked. Mantañez and Sanz were a real handful up front while the waspish Carlos was buzzing around getting himself involved. He carved out a brilliant chance ten minutes from time. He stormed down the right and spotted Borja had stolen a yard on Prieto. His deep cross drew the defender and Aragoneses, but Borja got their first. He looped his header over the keeper and it seemed to hold in the air for an eternity. Eventually it dipped down onto the far post, hit the inside of the woodwork and started rolling across the goal line. Mercifully it missed the molehill and was scrambled clear. Late on Sanz missed a simple header from twelve yards and in time added on Hidalgo squandered the chance to kill the match off when he wasted a one on one with Manu. The win was massive. Four points, two clean sheets and a win away from safety. It has been a good week for Tenerife fans. On Sunday they travel to face Villarreal B. Like their senior side they are excellent at home and they have kept three straight clean sheets. Former Tenerife B player Airam could start in attack in what will be another testing trip to the mainland. Oasis Fm ratings: TENERIFE: Aragoneses 7, Bertrán 6, Prieto 7, Melli 8, Beranger 6, Mikel 9, Ricardo 7, Juanlu 6 (Hidalgo 70min 6), Natalio 7 (Kome 84min), Julio Álvarez 7 (Pablo Sicilia 91min), Nino 7. ALCORCÓN: Manu 7, Nagore 7, Hernández 7, Nino 7 (David Sanz 79min), Ángel 7, Alberdi 6 (Montañez 61min 6), Rubén Sanz 7, Fernando 6 (Carlos 69min 8), Mora 6, Borja 7, Quini 7. Finally, popular former head coach Jose Luis Oltra is back in management. He rejected a host of jobs in the summer, but has finally said yes to a return to the top flight. Oltra takes charge of Almeria until the end of the season and he faces a tough task to keep them up. They are one off the bottom and last weekend lost 8-0 at home to Barcelona. It's strange how the football Gods move as his first match is the Sunday's trip to Valencia. So that would be the Mestalla Stadium where Tenerife were relegated on the last day of last season in what would prove to be Oltra's last match in charge! All Tenerife fans will wish him well, but already the Spanish media are linking him with moves for Marc Betran and Nino. Say it ain't so Jose... Tenerife's Nasty Nastic Nightmare CD Tenerife 0 Nastic 2 Every season has a watershed moment. It can be argued that Tenerife have already had a few this season, but last Sunday's embarrassing defeat at home to Nastic was the real line in the sand. This was comfortably the worst display from a Tenerife side in years. The sense of despair and frustration was shared by everyone of the 16,463 souls who had turned up expecting their team to perform for them. The attendance was comfortably the highest in the Spanish second division last weekend and every single one of them deserved better. They certainly were entitled to better from Miguel Conception, Santiago Llorente, Juan Carlos Mandia, Marc Betran and Ricardo. Conception is turning into a headless chicken. The club president has the ultimate say on all decisions so he has to take a large slice of the blame. Sure he helped get us promoted and he only took on the job because no one else wanted. And yes he has done a good job in reducing the debt. But his crazy decision to not retain manager Jose Luis Oltra looks the worst decision of the Millenium. His faith in Llorente has backfired spec