or Super Depor if you will. Perhaps Herculinos or Blanquiazules sounds better. Founded in 1906, 7 or 8 years ago they were THE team to watch in Europe.
They won the Primera Liga for the only time in their history in the 1999/2000 season, going on to be runners up in the following 2 seasons. Players like Molina, Manuel Pablo, Capdevilla, Jorge Andrade, Cesar, Mauro Silva, Sergio, Aldo Duscher, Juan Valeron, Victor, Jose Amavisca, Djalminha, Diego Tristan all starring. A side that attacked with verve both at home and in Europe. They twice beat Manchester United in the Champions League in 2001/2 - 2-1 at the Riazor and 3-2 at Old Trafford. They did the same to Arsenal in the same season winning 2-0 at home and away on their way to the quarter finals. Their 5 seasons in the Champions League saw them win in Munich, Turin and Milan. Something that numerous more lauded clubs have failed before and since.
3rd place finishes in 2002/3 and 2003/4 in the Primera Liga have followed with 4 seasons of comparitve struggle. Finishing 8th in 2004/5 and 2005/6 last season saw the club drop to 13th. This season it looked for large periods as if their Primera Liga future was in doubt but a terrific run has seen them catapult themselves into 7th place and a late run for a UEFA Cup spot.
There's been a number of great players to have worn the blue and white stripes.
Fabricio Collocinni
Bebeto
Cesar Sampaio
Emerson
Donato
Rivaldo
Emil Kostadinov
Jacques Songo'o
Louie Donowa (that's right, him of Barry Fry era Birmingham City fame.)
Noureddine Naybet
Mustapha Hadji
Roy Makaay
Pauleta
Dmitri Radchenko
Miroslav Dukic
Rafael Martin Vasquez
Walter Pandiani
This is the place to share you love for all things Depor. Go.
:D
Valeron
was one of the players, like Riquelme, who had no pace but was a complete joy to watch. Valeron and on and on and on.
also Rafael Martin Vaquez
was the cousin of someone in my class at School. Yep.
He was ace wasn't he?
He's still there. I think he was criminally underrated. I love players who let the ball do the running for them.
I know almost nothing about Deportivo
But I love this thread.
I played as them
all the time on CM01/02 - they were terrible at the back but scored goals for fun. Makaay and Tristan with Victor, Djalminha and Valeron just behind. Halcyon days.
Thats strange.
They always seemed to play 4-5-1 on my CM01/02 and hardly conceded any goals.
I was a little
more gung ho than that. There was so much attacking talent in the squad I couldn't let it just sit on the bench.
4-2-3-1
was your usual formation wasn't it? I do recall you playing a lot of Spanish games as Deportivo at the time.
4-2-3-1
was your usual formation wasn't it? I do recall you playing a lot of Spanish games as Deportivo at the time.
Bah.
double post :(
Yeah, that's right.
Two central midfielders, 3 attacking midfielders all on a free role and the lone striker. Well remembered :)
<3
Walter 'El Rifle' Pandiani, what a legend. Luque was awesome there too, Ronaldo style winger who scored a fair few.
should probably be noted that 'deportivo' just means Sporting (or 'Of Sport' or something), so calling them deportivo is like calling Manchester United 'United'
I saw them beat Villa 1-0 in earely 90s too :(
but they're known as Depor
in the same way Atletico Madrid are known as Atleti
and the way Man U are known as United
I know, I said. A lot of people don't though.
Depor are 7th? How...?
They've been utterly mince for much of this season, winning, when they do win, 1-0
That said, they do have Jose Andres Guardado playing for them, and seeing as he becomes the best left winger in the world on FM2007, they must be good
Albert Luque used to play for Depor didn't he?
Yeah he did
before he turned into a mincing gashster in the North East of England.
I know, it's brilliant
I was seriously worried they'd go down back in Jan/Feb, but my oh my how they've turned it around. I think Europe is beyond them, but you never know...
Is it 4th or 5th it goes down to in Spain? They have got to play Villareal and Athletico Madrid as well though mind, for better or worse (better i think really)
I think it's top 4 in the Champs Lge
then 2 into UEFA plus the Copa del Rey winners and then maybe Intertoto?? Not sure.
So they've got a real chance of europe then
If villa play Depor in the UEFA next year...
I think I'd go to both legs. I really do.
OK then
bit of research has revealed:
4 CL and 3 UEFA spots, so top 4 CL, one from cup into UEFA and 2 from League, plus inter toto for 7th, which depor currently occupy.
Santander and Sevilla play each other in 10 days (5th and 6th).
There are a lot of clubs just behind Depor though.
4 Atletico Madrid 5 55
5 Racing Santander 2 53
6 Sevilla 16 52
7 Deportivo La Coruna 2 49
8 Almeria -1 48
9 Mallorca 11 47
10 Espanyol -4 47
11 Athletic Bilbao 0 46
That would be
one of my favourite ties of all time I think :)
the original one in 93
was my 5th or 6th match ever.
I'd been taken to Villa - Inter the year before too. Magic.
I remember watching
those games on tele. Inter had the Brehme-Matthaus-Klinsmann axis didn't they?
yeah
the atmosphere at that game got me hooked on football. Incredible. Villa played em twice in 3-4 years i think.
i love you.
300 replies for this thread guaranteed.
:D
haha
I think 30+ posts is more realistic.
Djaminha
was an incredibly difficult player to control on Champs.
I remember us tonking them 5-1 at home in the uefa cup as well.
Yeah
he was always throwing his toys out of the pram - I just let him do his stuff, paid him as much as I could and crossed my fingers.
they'd do that though
when they lost to Milan 5-2 (? 4-1?) in the san siro, then won the return leg 4-0...
<3
He wasn't as bad as Anelka though.
I'm sure he had 8 reasons for being unhappy once.
I have never been more excited about a thread
lifelong depor fan (i have old addidas kits from when we used to be good, complete with the milk sponsors). best moment of my life so far was watching Deportivo beat milan 4-0 at the riazor, whilst in galicia. FRAAAAAAAAAN!
Bebeto is the greatest player ever, Molina placing a close second to Donato.
If we keep Colo in defence and guardado and maybe finally buy Falcao and actualy sign wilhelmson we might have a chance for champions league next season.
This thread has made me happy :D
SUPERSUPER
DEPOR!
also
you neglected Suarez, ALBERT LUQUE!, Buyo, and "El Loco" Abreu
Humble apologies
:D
My old local greasy spoon had a Deportivo La Coruna poster
on the wal. 94/95, I think. And for some strange reason they also had an Eibar one from 92/93.