It is so similar to Northern Ireland in many ways, conflicted identities, conflicted language, a historical physical conflict. Now, in my job of teaching Business English to foreign business people I have around 12 students from the region. Some are avid unionists, some avid separatists, all of them are top people, who I now consider as friends. It helps that I educated myself to the nuances of the conflict during a visit in 2009. I went to the Basque majority region of Northern Navarra (Pamplona), to the seat of the rebellion in Donosti (San Sebastian) and to Biarritz in the French Basque country.
But I didn't go to Bilbao, which I now regret.
While the main support for ETA came from Donosti in the province of Guipuzcoa, the majority of Basques supported the centre-right PNV (Basque Nationalist Party) in Bilbao and the province of Viscaya.
Ironically, Bilbao in particular and the Basque Country in general are the power house of Spain, the base of its industrial strength. But the one thing that gives pride to all the people of Viscaya is the local football team, Athletic.
The name is the English form of Atlético, as the club was formed by English seamen from Southampton, who did the regular cargo run from the south of England to northern Spain. They taught the local stevedores the beautiful game in the docks during lunchtimes. Hence why Athletic play in the same kit as Southampton football club, black shorts and red and white striped tops.
The club only employ Basques, which is an enormous source of pride to the local people. It has meant that they struggle to compete, as they usually have below par players playing for them who can't be replaced easily. That doesn't faze the fans. They taunt the fans of the Donosti club, Real Sociedad, that they aren't real Basques because there are Spanish and foreigners playing for them. The taunting stopped briefly last season as Real Sociedad beat Athletic in the final of the King's Cup. However, Athletic made the final of this year's competition and duly won it, beating Mallorca on penalties after a 1-1 draw in Sevilla.
This victory ended a 24 year wait for a trophy. To celebrate, the team did the traditional "Gabarra", where the team arrive in the centre of Bilbao by barge from the northern docks to the city hall, along the Nervion river. A staggering one million people watched the Gabarra from the river bank and any vantage point that could be garnered. I tried to poke fun at some of my prouder students by pointing out that they'd only won a wee cup, not the Champions League. It didn't go down too well!
I don't believe in their Basque only policy - sport should be for all in my opinion. It would also allow them to seriously compete. Surely a quota system could be applied to allow for a Basque majority in the dressing room? But that doesn't fly with any of the supporters that I have spoken to. Despite not competing for La Liga, Bilbao regularly fill their 53,000 capacity stadium and it is notorious in Spain for being a "hot" stadium, especially for the visits of Real Madrid and Real Sociedad.
Whether I believe in single ethnicity clubs or not, Athletic will always have an admirer in me. The area has great scenery, gastronomy, history and culture, but most of all great people. The King's Cup may be the only trophy they can seriously challenge for these days, but that matters not a jot to the locals. Their enormous pride in the club is a thing to behold, an inspiring case of local pride in an increasing global corporate game.
But I didn't go to Bilbao, which I now regret.
While the main support for ETA came from Donosti in the province of Guipuzcoa, the majority of Basques supported the centre-right PNV (Basque Nationalist Party) in Bilbao and the province of Viscaya.
Ironically, Bilbao in particular and the Basque Country in general are the power house of Spain, the base of its industrial strength. But the one thing that gives pride to all the people of Viscaya is the local football team, Athletic.
The name is the English form of Atlético, as the club was formed by English seamen from Southampton, who did the regular cargo run from the south of England to northern Spain. They taught the local stevedores the beautiful game in the docks during lunchtimes. Hence why Athletic play in the same kit as Southampton football club, black shorts and red and white striped tops.
The club only employ Basques, which is an enormous source of pride to the local people. It has meant that they struggle to compete, as they usually have below par players playing for them who can't be replaced easily. That doesn't faze the fans. They taunt the fans of the Donosti club, Real Sociedad, that they aren't real Basques because there are Spanish and foreigners playing for them. The taunting stopped briefly last season as Real Sociedad beat Athletic in the final of the King's Cup. However, Athletic made the final of this year's competition and duly won it, beating Mallorca on penalties after a 1-1 draw in Sevilla.
This victory ended a 24 year wait for a trophy. To celebrate, the team did the traditional "Gabarra", where the team arrive in the centre of Bilbao by barge from the northern docks to the city hall, along the Nervion river. A staggering one million people watched the Gabarra from the river bank and any vantage point that could be garnered. I tried to poke fun at some of my prouder students by pointing out that they'd only won a wee cup, not the Champions League. It didn't go down too well!
I don't believe in their Basque only policy - sport should be for all in my opinion. It would also allow them to seriously compete. Surely a quota system could be applied to allow for a Basque majority in the dressing room? But that doesn't fly with any of the supporters that I have spoken to. Despite not competing for La Liga, Bilbao regularly fill their 53,000 capacity stadium and it is notorious in Spain for being a "hot" stadium, especially for the visits of Real Madrid and Real Sociedad.
Whether I believe in single ethnicity clubs or not, Athletic will always have an admirer in me. The area has great scenery, gastronomy, history and culture, but most of all great people. The King's Cup may be the only trophy they can seriously challenge for these days, but that matters not a jot to the locals. Their enormous pride in the club is a thing to behold, an inspiring case of local pride in an increasing global corporate game.
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| Peter Anderson is a Unionist with a keen interest in sports |
One clean sheet in their last 15 P L games sums up much of the second half of the Reds season . United's humiliation @ Palace last night makes the Reds efforts against the Red Devils look all the more galling . All to play for @ the top ; City have tricky ties @ Fulham & Spurs , the Gunners are @ Old Trafford next .
ReplyDeletePeter , are Rafa's Valencia good enough to be a top # 5 Spanish side post 2000 ?
City are on fire with the goal monster in peak condition. They know how to finish a campaign. Ten Hag is surviving on borrowed time.
DeleteCole Palmer will overtake Haaland in the charts next season. He's only scored 4 less and has 4 more assists. Once we get a couple of experienced players next season should be better.
DeleteOr more likely I'm dreaming.
Palmer is good but I don't see him overtaking the goal monster. I think Poch is too good a manager not to improve their position considerably next season. I think they will give City a run for their money. Arsenal will be there or thereabouts. Liverpool, nah. I think the new guy will take a while to settle in. Top four is as much as can be hoped for with this squad.
DeleteI've never been more frustrated with a Chelsea team Anthony. So inconsistent throughout the season and only now looking to gel. I'll be gutted to lose Gallagher for FFP rules in the summer too. Wish we were like Man City and the FFP doesn't apply to us.
DeleteI think Gallagher is a great talent. It is people like him they need to keep. It is not as if he is dead weight.
DeleteIt's the stupid way it's set up. Because he's a home grown talent we can sell him and it counts as "pure profit" thus helping us balance the books. Not selling him for any other reason.
DeleteI am not au fait with the detail so that was useful.
DeleteWhat's the go with Barcelona and Catalonia? Do they still have the will to separate from the rest of Spain like the Basques Peter?
ReplyDeleteSorry I didn't reply earlier. I was in Spain.
ReplyDeleteRed Ron
That was a strange time for Spanish football with Super Depor and Valencia winning La Liga titles, while Barca and Real finished 3rd and 4th some seasons. Atletico and Sevilla spent some of those years in the 2nd division. Valencia won 2 La Ligas and the UEFA in 3 seasons, but it was a side without big stars. Mista was the main striker, nobody knows him. He came to Atletico in 2006 or maybe 07 and was useless. So to answer your question, no I wouldn't say they were a top 5 side post-2000, just a solid well coached side that took advantage of the mediocrity in the other big clubs.
Steve R
The latest polls show support for independence has dropped from 49% to 43%. It isn't much higher in the Basque Country. Much like the polls for a United Ireland, many think of independence as some mythical event that might happen one day, but if there's a referendum tomorrow I'm voting no!