Deportivo La Coruna: The magical highs to disastrous lows

Over the last twenty years of my football supporting life, I’ve been lucky enough to have seen the majority of the world’s greatest footballers, live ; sometimes playing in modern football’s greatest ever sides.

Whilst they won’t be remembered in the same bracket as Madrid’s Galacticos, I’m still adamant that the Deportivo La Coruna team I saw in the Champions League ,in 2002, is one of the best I’ve ever seen. Something about them had me hooked. It was my first European game and there isn’t much that can beat European nights under the lights. When ’the champions’ starts playing, it’s one of my favourite feelings in football. And, as a Manchester United fan, it’s a feeling I definitely miss!

Back to Deportivo. On that night, there was a great balance amongst the side, with quality spread across all areas of the pitch. There was a clear team cohesion and a solid defensive structure which allowed their flair players to flourish further up the field. They were also extremely street smart even though I wasn’t quite old enough to appreciate their expertise in the dark arts of gamesmanship back then. I found myself feeling bitter, one at Fabian Barthez having “one of those nights” he was capable of, and costing us at least two goals, and at the tactics deployed by the Spaniards. But they were brilliant. In a frantic, end-to-end game which provided both teams with numerous chances, the counter-attacking football was sublime from both sides. However, there were just times when Deportivo controlled the game, with slick passing to keep possession, running the clock down, feigning injuries and frustrating the home side by any means necessary.

Highlights of the Champions league game v Deportivo La Coruna: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEkNVhQopKk

They were a great team, too. That Deportivo La Coruna side boasted talented names such as Diego Tristan, Victor, Valeron, Aldo Duscher and Sergio and I was fascinated by this little stocky playmaker that bossed the game in the middle of the park, Donato. The Brazilian born midfielder who represented Spain at Euro ’96, was a general that night. This frustrated me even more. He looked tiny, but was untouchable!It should have been no surprise how good Deportivo were though, they won La Liga in the 1999/00 season, with notable players such as Mauro Silva, Djalminha and Roy Makaay all starring for the A Coruña side. They had challenged for the league a few times in the 90’s with surprising big-name transfers like Bebeto and Rivaldo bringing them close to success. And then It was only a penalty that prevented Deportivo from reaching the 2004 Champions league final, losing 1-0 on aggregate to Jose Mourinho’s Porto.

Donato, Brazilian born playmaker.

Deportivo La Coruna, League winners 2000

Fast forward nearly twenty years and Deportivo have turned into a yo-yo club, suffering numerous relegations. This season they were in serious danger of further relegation to the Tercera Division, Spain’s third tier. Today, they sit almost 40 places below that magical title winning team. So, what went so horribly wrong? The truth is a sad story that, many of my close friends will be able to relate to. Did Deportivo La Coruna ‘do a Leeds ’?

After winning the league in 2000, Deportivo managed to finish in the top three for the next four years, but then started to slide down the table.. By 2011 Deportivo fans felt heartbreak as their side was relegated to the Segunda Divison. The following eight seasons led to numerous promotions and relegations until more recently when they have struggled in the second division. Before COVID-19 halted football across the globe, Deportivo were in 19th and had staring into the abyss.

Some say the problems started with the manager that lead them to such heights, Javier Irureta. Some of the squad at the time made public comments that things were not the same and that something needed to happen to change their fortunes. It’s one of my bug bears in modern football, things going wrong? Blame the manager. But things at A Coruña were much bigger than that. When Irureta signed a contract extension in May 2004, after seven fantastic years at the club, who could have guessed that it would all be over by the end of the next season?

Irureta knew he needed reinvestments in the squad and once again pleaded with the club President, Augusto César Lendoiro, to put his hand in his pocket as he had done previously when he brought the likes of Rivaldo to the club over the last decade. But the funds had started to dry up and Lendoiro could no longer support the manager like he had done previously.

Brazil World cup winner, Rivaldo playing for Deportivo La Coruna

All of a sudden, things looked desperate. The majority of Deportivo’s stars that had helped them challenge and win league titles, had been sold or were too old to make the same impact they were previously able to. Debtors circled and attracting superstars was no longer an option as they struggled to replace their outgoing stars. Golden boot winner Roy Makaay, was sold to Bayern Munich for €19.75million, but no replacement came in. The same summer, Donato retired from football. Two huge influences on their previous success, that could not be replaced. Club legend Fran even opened up a legal battle against the club due to financial disparities. The cracks grew and the knock-on effect was huge. It looked as though their previous few seasons of spending to challenge for those high league positions had caught up with them (remember what I said about doing a Leeds?). Transfers coming in, players that departed were not sold for significant figures and a wage bill that had risen through the roof.

This led to the club becoming reliant on Champions League income to keep the club afloat. When this didn’t happen, the slide turned into an avalanche. The financial disaster of relegation soon followed as the club realised that Lendoiro’s success over a decade ago had left the club with a debt of over €150 million.

Dutch striker Roy Makaay, Golden boot winner

In 2013, the club went into administration. The reports that were released were shocking, describing the club as not living on this planet with a “reckless business model.” The financial side of the President playing football monopoly was catastrophic. Lendoiro had to leave. Although he’d brought the club huge success’s he’d also caused the dramatic downfall. He had given his manager a blank cheque and asked him to win titles, with catastrophic consequences. Who could blame the manager for playing along? Javier Irureta has since recalled that, in hindsight, they should have sold their big players earlier, when the bigger offers were coming in. This would allow the club to consolidate and use the money wisely, reinforce across numerous areas. But when you’re bringing the fans the good times, why would you stop and think “Do I need to sell my best players so we are not in trouble in years’ time.”

This season, after being rock bottom of the Segunda division, new manager Fernando Vazquez was hired and managed to win six out of six games, showing some light at the end of the tunnel. No longer bottom of the league and hitting a run of form, hopefully they can pick back up straight away when football resumes. Although, sitting over 30 places lower than in the early 2000s, it’s been a huge fall from grace.

Deportivo despair

I just hope the club, and all ambitious football clubs for that matter, learn the lessons of Deportivo La Coruna and Augusto César Lendoiro. We have had numerous cases here in England, Leeds United are probably the biggest example. After 14 seasons in the wilderness, Leeds at least look to be returning to the Premier League; Perhaps they could be the inspiration and hope for Deportivo and their followers that have suffered so much for the past eight seasons. Financial Fair Play was clearly brought in to try and counter act and prevent owners from making such financial gambles, spending across a period of time instead of all at once. In England, we have the ‘fit and proper tests’ but how valid are these? We have seen examples, especially recently, such as Bury FC. Unfortunately, they were expelled from the Football league in August 2019. How is this still being allowed to happen to Football clubs?

The roller coaster ride of some football clubs, achieving such highs and devasting lows, is simply part of football. The joys and heartbreaks are what makes the sport and feeds such passion. Relegations are something that each year, some supporters have to stomach. But no fan should have to worry about the future of their football team. It is much more than “just a game” for millions across the world. It is a lifestyle and a true passion. Owners have a care and duty not just to the club, but to their employees and more importantly their fans, the people that were there before they arrived and will be there long after many owners leave. It’s the fans that pay their hard-earned money each and every week that keep the club running. Without them football is nothing. Thankfully, Deportivo’s fans still have a club to support every week but here’s hoping they have something to really sing about in the next few years.

From my personal collection, Diego Tristan 2003/04 home shirt