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The Royal Madrid Club boasts about its marketing strategy on every occasion, which has made them the richest club in the world. However, the fifth change of coaches since June 2003 only confirms the fact that their team's gameplay and selection strategy is very poor, or even nonexistent.
The nine-time European champions could soon become a laughingstock in Europe - five coaches in two and a half years mean that on average, a coach lasted only five months in their position. Each had their own vision, new players were bought according to their plans (though not always), each tried to convey their knowledge and tactical ideas to the team's stars.
Few doubt that the last coach fired by "Real," the Brazilian Vanderlei Luxemburgo, made mistakes. But his dismissal raises the question: who can lead a team that seems to be in a real crisis?
The situation became even more complicated when "Real" president Florentino Perez, his right-hand man Arrigo Sacchi, Emilio Butragueno, and even the players themselves were blamed.
Even when "Real" won their last serious title - the Spanish champions title in June 2003 - it was clear that their future prospects were very uncertain. An unbalanced team, highly dependent on Ronaldo's goal-scoring abilities and the success accompanying him, as well as the excellent performance of Iker Casillas in goal, lost the champions title in the last round to underdog "Real Sociedad."
The following day, F. Perez fired Vicente del Bosque (he was appointed by the previous president), who had helped "Real" win two European Champions League trophies and become Spanish champions twice over three and a half years. The club president justified this decision by stating that V. del Bosque's "work methods were outdated and unsuitable for a club striding forward into the 21st century."
That summer, "Real" president lured English national team captain David Beckham from "Man Utd" to become the face of the club and help them "conquer the world."
Many fans could not understand another step taken by F. Perez - after acquiring the English national team captain, the president sold a player who had been a stalwart of the club, tirelessly and selflessly conducting himself in the midfield.
V. del Bosque's successor at the helm of "Real" became media favorite Carlos Queiroz, who had previously worked as Sir Alex Ferguson's assistant at "Man Utd." Queiroz failed to handle the team's instability and limited number of players and was fired after an unsuccessful season.
Then former Spanish national team coach Jose Antonio Camacho took over at "Real," but this experienced coach lasted only three league matches before resigning from his coaching duties, admitting that he "could not handle the task of getting the most out of Beckham, Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane, and others."
Not for long did the former assistant coach of J.A. Camacho, Mariano Garcia Remon, last at the head coach position, being fired after a little over three months, with V. Luxemburgo taking over at "Real."
The "Real" management hoped that the former "Santos" coach would make the team's gameplay eye-catching with a multitude of Brazilians, but the coach himself chose a more pragmatic defensive and unattractive style of play, which allowed "Real" to fight for the Spanish champions title.
During the off-season, in line with Arrigo Sacchi's recommendations, "Real" spent about 90 million euros on new signings, adding players like Brazilian national team attackers Robinho and Julio Baptista and "Sevilla" defender Sergio Ramos to the squad.
However, many fans questioned whether "Real" had actually improved during the off-season, as battle-hardened players Lui Figo, Michael Owen, Santiago Solari, and Walter Samuel had been sold.
The new signings did not perform as expected, and V. Luxemburgo, it can be said, lost control of the situation, with problems arising due to the age of some of the team's players.
According to experts, Zinedine Zidane, plagued by injuries, was simply exhausted upon his return to the French national team; team captain Raul did not show his characteristic performance long before his recent injury; Roberto Carlos became increasingly vulnerable on the left defensive flank, and D. Beckham was only useful on the right flank.
After a humiliating 3-0 defeat in front of their own fans in "El Clasico," E. Butragueno said that V. Luxemburgo's position was secure, even if the team lost the next match.
"Real" then snatched a dramatic 2-2 draw at the end of a match with "Real Sociedad" and barely beat another Madrid team, "Getafe," in the next round. On Sunday, an extraordinary meeting of the team leaders was called, during which it was decided to fire V. Luxemburgo, who led "Real" to more points than "Barcelona" in the Spanish championship during his 11-month tenure as head coach.
David Beckham's disturbed performance in the weekend match with "Getafe," where the Englishman was sent off the field for a harsh foul against an opponent, is a symbol of the mood brewing within the ranks of "Real."
Newspapers in Madrid claim that "Real" can only turn the situation around by actively working during the winter transfer window and appointing a famous and experienced coach like England's national team coach Sven-Goran Eriksson, Arsene Wenger, Fabio Capello, or Jose Mourinho.
However, unless F. Perez, A. Sacchi, and E. Butragueno acknowledge their mistakes and prioritize football over money, "Real" will continue to roll downhill successfully.
Radio station "Onda Cero" correspondent Jose Manuel Estrada commented on the situation that had developed on Sunday in a clear and simple manner: "Real" must understand that the fans will not take to the streets to celebrate an improved team balance - they want trophies and achievements on the field."
