Miguel Linares is just as surprised and happy as any Linares Deportivo fans. They didn’t plan to have to prepare this game in a promotion phase, which teams like Sabadell, Algeciras, or Balearic Islands have not been able reach. For the second year in succession, a team that is very modest in the bronze category was.
The league’s last day was not yet completed. The sports director said, “It was crazy. We had to win and wait. The variables were very complex for us. But they happened, and today we’re here preparing for a semifinal for promotion.”
Miguel was faced with difficult decisions in a regular league where the first poor results had weighed down the team. He had to decide whether Sandroni should be dismissed so that Gonzalez could come back or if he wanted to change 7 of the players. The second round of Linares was a success and the team has been promoted.
You must distinguish two parts of the season. Although the change was not sudden, the job was well-done and paid off several days later. We were in relegation long enough, but the final third of the team was truly exceptional. We made correct decisions together, coaches, staff, and directors. This promotion has been a great experience for all of us.
For the high quality of the football played, you can’t ask for anything more from this squad. They will now play Deportivo in La Coruna. This tie would allow them to reach the final because they have been better classified.
We are going to La Coruna for fun, no pressure Depor has to have that, but we will be there with the enthusiasm to win because we have nothing to loose. Miguel Linares believes that we will win a ‘Riazorazo,’ because we will go out to win and know that the team will compete as it has all season.
Linares defeated Sevilla Atletico at The Jesus Navas Stadium, playing for permanence. This was without the need to see a yellow card. Hugo Diaz and Etxaniz were well prepared and wouldn’t have missed the match in Galicia.
Miguel said that they had been working on the game all week and there were seven players available. He added that it was a great pleasure to have them all playing this Saturday. It’s clear now, so it doesn’t matter if they see yellow versus Depor. They’d still be in the final, if they got through.”
Because Deportivo de la Coruna could only reserve one hundred per cent of the seats and sell them, it is assumed that Saturday’s game will be played at the Riazor at 9:00 pm. Linares asked the RFEF to only sell 500 tickets. The club pays in advance for the tickets and they will not be sold if fewer Linares attend than expected.
The only problem is that tickets must be ordered before Monday 8pm and paid in advance. We know they can sell out quickly if fans decide to attend in large numbers. We’ll do anything to get more tickets in that situation. Depor boasts 20,000 subscribers so Riazor will be full. We are waiting to hear from the RFEF if tickets will be available at the box office. Miguel stated that if they arrive Tuesday they will be available at the official store by Wednesday.”
We are still waiting to learn how many coaches the Jaen Province Council collaborates with. The supporters clubs have started to set up their trips. Although we don’t know whether we will travel by bus or plane, we are exploring combinations that could leave the day before or on the same day as a game. Normal training will take place.
Linares and Depor are not in touch at the moment because they “are focused on organizing everything”, added Miguel Linares.
Francisco Reyes, president of Diputacion de Jaen was in Linares yesterday to perform a party act. He met with Linares’ executive as general secretary of the PSOE Jaen.
He stated that he was in contact with the board regarding the achievement of the mining club. We will finance buses to allow Linares fans to travel to Galicia to participate in the “play off” for promotion to the Second Division>>.
He also wanted to discuss the controversy surrounding the money from Diputacion being used for reforming the Real Jaen fields, even though he voted against the allocation of resources to Linarejos reform in the plenary session some months back.
Linares is discussing it, and it is unfair. The resources that the Diputacion has invested in the field La Victoria are the same as those of Jaen, in terms of providing service for the fire station to all the municipalities that they serve in that area. Reyes stated that Jaen’s mayor has made the decision to dedicate these resources to the improvement of the football field.
He also stated that Linares’ city council receives 700,000 euros to help firefighters and provide services to their local municipalities. The Diputacion is not afraid to do the same in Linares and Jaen, as well as using them for Linarejos improvement. We are not giving him any more money.”
