Time to say goodbye

It's been a long and enjoyable ride for me these past years keeping up with the blog. Unfortunately, all good things come to an end and El Bergantin Pirata will no longer be maintained. This is a sad decision for me to take but I have come to realize that I am unable to keep up with the regular updates and information that this blogs needs. When I started this page, I set myself two objectives: first, to strenghten my commitment as a fan to my wonderful club and second, to tell the non-Spanish speaking world about the past and present of the Club Atletico Belgrano. Looking back over these two years, I am satisfied that I have been able to achieve both to some extent.

I didn't want to just vanish so, although this final post comes rather late, I am waiving you all goodbye. I have enjoyed reading comments and interacting with football fans from Argentina and also from Belgium, Italy, Portugal and other places where people don't know much about Argentine football beyond Boca and River. I am also grateful to people that constantly encouraged me to keep with the blog. Those that maintain a blog or a webpage will know about the personal effort involved and I hope they understand this decision. Finally, I would also like to thank people that suggested ways of improving the page.

Belgrano is a great club. Its greatness is not only firmly rooted in its 100 years of history but also in the rock-solid devotion of the fans. The fans have carried out through bad patches in our history and will continue to carry us through whatever circumstances are laid upon us. Hopefully, there will come several decades of glory. El Bergantin Pirata firmly believes that the future is bright. Vamos Belgrano Carajo!!!

We've got coach!

Dalcio Giovanoli became the new Belgrano coach after a long day of negotiations ended with an agreement between both parties. Giovagnoli, whose last coaching spell was at Chacarita Juniors, defines himself as a versatile coach and is said to favour a 3-4-1-2 formation. He declared himself delighted about this opportunity and vowed to rebuild the team with the addition of experienced players. He finally acknowledged that promotion was the only acceptable result in Belgrano.

The appointment of Giovagnoli was received with mixed feelings among Belgrano fans. It was not the high-profile coach many were expecting (in fact, so low a profile that we couldn't find his photo) and his coaching career isn't particularly impressing. Besides, many believe that he may lack the strong grip and personality needed to coach at our club. Although there is the positive feeling that always comes with a new coach, many argue that a bad start of the season may put him under a lot of pressure. We remain mildly optimistic about the new coach and hope he is able to work wonders for Belgrano.

Giunta deal is off

It is really hard to believe but things like these seem to only happen at our club. After announcing to the press that he was the new Belgrano coach, Giunta went back on his word (and a pre-contract) and told the Belgrano chiefs that he wouldn't be able to sign. He mentioned familiar problems as the reason. Yet, nobody seems to understand why didn't he thought of those problems when he was agreeing the deal. Needless to say, the directors at Belgrano were furious.

The whole situation was badly handled since neither Giunta nor the Belgrano board should have announced the news prior to the signing of the contract. We echo the disappointment of both the club and the fans who were eager to have Giunta working with our team. Belgrano are now back to where they started and they better sign a coach soon because we need to plan ahead.

Giunta unveiled as new coach

Giunta appointed as new coach

After accepting the resignation of Mario Gomez, Belgrano didn't waste any time in choosing the new man for the job. Surprisingly, the board decided to break their selection policy from recent years and reached a quick a decision that saw Giunta become the new coach. In appointing Giunta, the board has taken a bit of a gamble. The former Boca midfielder has significant experience coaching small clubs in the lower divisions but has never taken on a challenge this big. He knows that there is only one goal here, and that is to promote. A rustic and perennial motivator as a player, Giunta has shown that he is able to infuse his players with the motivation and desire needed to achieve great goals. We hope that he will be able to bring this to our club.

Speaking to the media yesterday, he stressed his commitment to the Belgrano cause and suggested he may yet need some of the players that were being considered for release by the board. He also hinted at the possibility of new signings and confirmed that they would choose a quiet and isolated place for the preseason.

BREAKING NEWS: Belgrano coach resigns

In a somewhat unexpected turn of events, Mario Gomez offered his resignation as coach of the first team this evening. It is not confirmed whether it has been accepted by the chairman. Although Gomez was never a popular figure with the majority of the fans, he managed to keep the team with a promotion chance until the last minute. If the resignation is accepted, Belgrano will have to to start looking for a new head coach as soon as possible.

There were also rumours that Belgrano's upcoming European tour is likely to be canceled due to this situation. It would be a real shame if this were to happen -not least because many European-based Belgrano fans were eagerly expectant about this possibility-, but it would probably be the right step since the new coach will need to bring in new players and offload some of the current players.

Belgrano - Racing: It's ON!

It's confirmed: Belgrano will play home and away legs against Racing Club for a place in next year's Premier Division. Racing Club had a very poor season and the end result is that they have to validate their spot against a team with a rich history in promotion play-offs, that's us. Belgrano have only lost one out of four ties in the last 15 years.

Racing Club are one of traditional big-five from Buenos Aires and they are going through one of the worst patches in their history. In addition to the threat of relegation, the management is disjointed and fans are calling out for a return to elections and member participation. They are, however, a difficult team to play against. They have good players and their home support has carried the team many times.

Everything is ready then for the first match which will see Belgrano host Racing Club at the Olimpico de Cordoba next Wednesday at 21.10 local time.

Promotion hopes

We're going to promote, f**k yeah

Belgrano players celebrate the victory (Photo source: La Voz)


Okay, let's not get ahead of ourselves!!!. First, we gotta know who we'll play against. It's either Racing, Colon or Olimpo. The rival will be decided next Sunday when the last round of the Clausura is played. The first leg will be played in Cordoba and Belgrano will have to travel for the second leg. It's also worth pointing out that the Premier Division team has the advantage: given equal results in both legs, they will avoid relegation and deny Belgrano promotion.

But we are hopeful. Belgrano have played several promotion matches in the past with great success and we know what it takes to win at this stage. Form and history do not matter. It's to come out there and give our all. We hope the players will be able to do it and we may be celebrating the return to top-flight football by the end of this month.

Belgrano and Anderlecht agree friendly date

It's official. According to Belgian media reports, Anderlecht and Belgrano will meet in a friendly match on the 16 July 2008. This will be the first time these two teams have faced each other. The match is part of the arrangements involved in the Suarez transfer deal and is one of three matches to be played by Belgrano in their European tour.

Belgrano will spend 15 days in Europe as part of their pre-season preparations and are likely to be based in Belgium (location still to be confirmed). No one has confirmed yet whether Suarez will play for Belgrano --wouldn't it be sweet if gives us one final stellar performance against Anderlecht?- or not. In other words, whether we have a chance of putting in a decent performance or be in for a really tough time.

Updates back on Friday

I have been unable to post in the last week but I will be back to updating the page this Friday. Let's keep it up and aguante Belgrano!

Belgrano confirm European tour

Belgrano sources have confirmed that the squad will travel to Europe for a two-week pre-season training. The tune up will take place from the 5 to 20 July and it has been revealed that Belgrano will play three friendlies against top European opposition. Two matches against Porto FC and Anderlecht RSC are thought to be part of the arrangements involved in the respective transfers of Bolatti and Suarez and there will be a third match against an unnamed Dutch team.

This is a significant event in the institutional life of our club as it will be an opportunity for the players and management to rub shoulders with the uber-professionalised structures of European football. Furthermore, it will contribute to develop Belgrano's image abroad. And finally, it would be a unique chance for Belgrano supporters scattered around the world (and there are many, I can tell you!) to gather in Portugal, Belgium or Holland to support this great club.

Suarez deal officially finished

The judge informed that on Wednesday RSC Anderlecht made a total payment of 1.2m euros which will be later distributed between the different parts involved in the transaction. The net amount to be received by Belgrano is just over 600K and only half of that will go towards clearing the consolidated debt.

It was also revealed that Suarez is expected to join his new teammates on the 24th June having agreed on a 5-year contract with the traditional Belgian club. But Suarez could delay his arrival to RSC Anderlecht if Belgrano have to play promotion matches. He has often said that promotion means a lot to him and would be a fitting finale to his career in Belgrano

The big day

Belgrano face Talleres in the local derby and it will be a special day for both teams. Belgrano, fighting for the title and promotion to Primera, will be targeting a win to foster their chances to leapfrog Godoy Cruz in the table. Talleres, fighting for relegation and promotion to the third division of Argentine football, will be hoping Belgrano do not turn on the style and give them the killing blow. For a Belgrano win will leave Talleres in a desperate position. Is there any greater incentive for winning this derby than the prospect of sending these scumbags straight into hell? I don't think so. It's because of this that our players must be focused on getting the win today. This is a must win match. We already know we are the biggest club in Cordoba. We now have to remind them of that.

Come on Belgrano! Come on Suarez, Bustos, Olave and all you guys out there. Let's teach them a lesson they'll never forget.

We win, no matter what.

It's all but done: Suarez is going to Belgium

The Suarez transfer saga will be finally over today with the closing of the bidding window. "There is no chance for Matias to go elsewhere. He is going to Belgium" said his agent Cristian Colazzo when asked yesterday. He also added that the player and RSC Anderlecht have agreed on the contract and that Suarez is expected to join his new club by the 24th of June. Colazzo also noted that no other club held talks with Suarez over a potential contract and played down the interest from other clubs. It was also revealed that Suarez had explicitly asked to stay to help Belgrano secure promotion and join Anderlecht only after promotion legs, should them be needed, are over.

Suarez will join RSC Anderlecht (Photo source: LMCBA)

As the judge turned down the petition to extend the bidding window, the deadline stands at 1 pm today (Argentinian time). According to judicial procedures, the official announcement will be made the day after the close of the bidding period. In light of these recent developments, it is improbable that any party would go back on their words so the deal will surely go ahead. The 1.2m euros transfer will give a financial boost to Belgrano and allow Matias to develop his inmense talent in a top European club. We wish Matias all the best at his new club and will be eternally grateful for his passion and commitment.

Belgrano unveil expansion plans

Belgrano have finally unveiled the plans for stadium expansion. The works will start in 30 days and will last for around 9-12 months. Although it is intended to be an all-around makeover, the main structural modification is the modification of one of the side stands. The expansion will increase the capacity by 7600 by adding a new upper layer to the existing terraces. The process will mainly consists of two stages. In the first stage, new state-of-the-art VIP facilities will be built on top of the lower stands. Later, a large upper stand will be appended to the existing taking the capacity of that sector to around 9000 and the overall capacity to 30000.

The design has already been presented to the judge and planning permission has been obtained. Our stadium will finally get a much-needed expansion and revamp. With the new capacity and other safety measures that are also planned, the stadium will be in perfect condition to host First Division matches next year, that is, in case Belgrano win promotion to the top-flight.

Suarez transfer: Anderlecht in front

Facsimile sent by Anderlecht (Source photo: LMCBA)

The scan above is a copy of the fax sent by RSC Anderlecht to Cordoba Celeste S.A., the administrators of Belgrano de Cordoba. It is dated on the 12th of February and confirms the offer of 1.2m euros for the transfer of Matias Suarez. It is understood that in the absence of offers from other clubs, the judge will authorize the transfer within the next 20 days. According to standard procedures, the judge issued an edict prompting interested clubs to submit formal offers for the player.

There are rumours that Santos Laguna from Mexico would be lodging a formal offer during next week. The judicial procedure states that in order for the offer to be considered, clubs have to make a cash deposit equal to 10% of the proposed offer.

Anderlecht bid 1.2m euros for Suarez

The Suarez saga seem to be nearing conclusion after Anderlecht RSC finally lodged a formal 1.2m euros bid for Matias Suarez. The Belgrano management confirmed that they have received the offer and it was passed onto the judge that will now be advised by the members of the trust on the next steps. It is understood that they will suggest a similar procedure as with the transfer of Bolatti. For this reason, in the next few days, the judge will issue an open call for bids. In the event of a matching offer, Anderlecht RSC will be given priority. It is also rumoured that Anderlecht RSC would be willing to increase their offer if other interested bidders come into play. Although there is no confirmation of what the window period will be, it is likely to extend for one or two weeks. This auction procedure is standard and enforceable in the case of clubs that have gone into management.

The good news for Belgrano is that the offer is finally on the table. Also, despite all the earlier speculation, we believe it is a good offer although still short of the 2m euro price tag that was once suggested. All bets are open then.

Belgrano celebrates 103 anniversary

Belgrano celebrate today 103 years of existence as the biggest football club outside Buenos Aires. Ever since its foundation back in 1905, Belgrano have been associated with its people and the loyal support of its large fan base. Cordoba is Belgrano and Belgrano is Cordoba. We join the celebrations, which include several official and fan-driven activities, and wish the club a long and prosperous future. The collage above is taken from a commemorative postcard designed by Cultura-Arte-Belgrano, a group of devouted fans that are doing a fantastic job disseminating Belgrano's history and culture. Happy Birthday Belgrano!

Short cuts...

- Suarez and Bustos are one yellow card short of reaching 10 and 5 respectively. If they get booked next match, they will both have to sit for one match.

- Rumours of a stadium expansion have been fueled by the intriguing comments to the press of chairman Armando Perez. He said that many people will have a big surprise when he announces...what exactly?

- Is the price tag of Suarez going down? Well, that seems to be the case if one is to believe the speculation surrounding the arrival of RSC Anderlecht's negotiators in Argentina. Apparently, 1.2m euros have now become 1.2m dollars. Talk about devaluation.

- With San Martin de Tucuman victory, Belgrano are now 9 points adrift of the first position. While they are still very much promotion contenders, the title hopes seem to be waning fast.

- Mario Gomez is still recovering from illness and may have to wait for one or two more days to get back to training the lads.Rolando Bertolini, the assistant coach, will be in charge during his absence.

Aiming for second

Belgrano are presented today with an excellent chance of reclaiming the second spot in the table when they host fellow title-contenders Union de Santa Fe. Providing Godoy Cruz fail to beat Atletico Rafaela on Sunday, a win by any margin will see Belgrano climb above the free-falling Quilmes, who suffered an humiliating 4-0 defeat at home. We hope the Belgrano squad will take this extra motivation to the pitch and put a strong showing against their opposition. We predicted a 4-1 home win and we stick by it. Today is the day we get back to promotion places.

Suarez transfer update

According to local newspapers, one important Argentine club and a a powerful Italian investor would be on the brink of lodging formal offers for Matias Suarez. These rumors come in the midst of the speculation surrounding the transfer of Belgrano's top player. The Belgrano management have also said that they are expecting RSC Anderlecht to present a formal offer to the authorizing judge anytime this week.