Arturo Elías Ayub has given an interview through the official channels at Real Oviedo, in which he reviewed the current economic state of the club, declared himself “more excited than ever” at the start of this season, and explained some important developments in the capital increase campaign the club is currently undergoing. He also gave his thoughts on the new coach and squad, and talked about the arrival of a new main sponsor. Arturo Elías also reminded us that the objective “is to reach the playoffs and achieve promotion.”
Below is the transcript of the interview with Arturo Elías Ayub; highest representative of Grupo Carso, the majority shareholder in Real Oviedo.
Are you excited about this new season’s Real Oviedo?
· I’m always excited about Real Oviedo, and this season more than ever. I’m very excited and really want to finally achieve our objective now. This season we reach the end of the timeframe for the target stated the first time I visited the city; the crazy aim of going from Segunda B to the First Division, and I hope that we achieve it. I really hope it can work out like that.
What does Juan Antonio Anquela transmit to you?
· He transmits a lot of security and experience to me. It was a difficult decision, and I hope it was the right one. I think that it has been so far. As I spoke to Anquela, here the important thing is results. About points, numbers, and achieving targets. We’ll see what happens. So far, we are very happy and very calm.
It is important to explain the salary limit that the club has had when building the new squad for this season, and that it is directly linked to income from the season ticket campaign, advertising, etc., as well as the share campaigns. Thanks to the effort from Carso it has been possible to increase the initial budget that was planned. Are you satisfied?
· I am satisfied with the team that has been built. We have done brilliantly within the budget and the limits placed upon us. Very good things have been achieved, and important players have been brought in. We have changed almost half the squad this year. We have accomplished some very important things with a limited budget. There are some teams who have twice as big a budget, such as our next opponent. However, we have twice the heart. As such, I think we have built a good team, who are absolutely fit to wear the shirt and who are going to give everything on the field.
One thing that Carso’s management has made clear from the start is the principle of having no debt, as well as debt settlement, with 77% now settled and more than €12m of investment. There is an ongoing share campaign that ends on 6th October. What can you tell us about the new investors that you have brought into the club? What amount do you estimate can be covered?
· This is something very important. I always promised an honest and caring management, which would not lead us back to where we were when the club was at risk of disappearing. That is what we are doing. The club had €15.4m of debt, and the cash flow saw us losing €2m a year, leading to debt growing even more. Today we are down to €3.5m of total debt, and we are managing the club in a way that doesn’t give any profit, but nor do we lose money. We have a healthy club. We have achieved great things in an economic sense, and this share campaign will allow us to finish paying off the total remaining debt and make the club completely healthy. This new increase in capital comes from two types of investors. Firstly, from a
Mexican investor with Asturian heritage, Mr Antonio Cosío, whom I would like to profoundly thank because he does it from his heart; for his roots, for his Oviedo, and because ever since he was a little boy he has been a Real Oviedo fan. Secondly, we have a very interesting group. They are a group of North American investors from the USA, where they have come together to form a group of people from all types of businesses, including some of the most important investors in the USA. We have a new group of shareholders who make me very proud, because they are of the very top level. We have always had shareholders of the top level, but this group provides very important support for the club.
As such, all that remains is the debt to be settled for the club to be completely self-sufficient?
· Between this year and next year, we should have zero debt. I always promised a responsible project; there you have it. We are going to be an economically healthy club, and now need the on-field results. Before, I spoke about the LaLiga limits to build the squad, and we tried to do an almost magical job with what we had, but it’s true that there are very big differences between us and other teams, due to the rules stipulated in LaLiga. The teams coming down from the Primera have at least
double our budget, which makes it very difficult to compete. Therefore, we have to compete by selling more season tickets and raising more money through advertising, and I have another piece of good news on that front. This week we will announce a new sponsor; a global brand which will look very nice on the front of the shirt. We are on the verge of sealing the deal. But season ticket sales are also very important because they add directly to the budget and allow us to have better players, etc.
Therefore, I ask the people to so their bit, by giving us a push with the season tickets. We are behind compared to other seasons, and I hope we achieve a higher target than in the previous seasons.
Very good news, Arturo. What has been the key to achieving it?
· The key to achieving good things is a good working team. I couldn’t be any more satisfied or happy with the Club President. They keep me informed, minute by minute during the matches, nearly every day via Whatsapp, and we speak by telephone. The work being done by the President, the Board of Directors, each one of you, Joaquín del Olmo… everybody playing their part is what is achieving the results. I am very grateful both to the President and to every single person who forms the working team at the club. This is what is giving us these results, and is what will take us to promotion.
Now for the most repeated question during the season. Is promotion the objective for this season?
· The objective since the first year Grupo Carso entered the club has been promotion, whichever league we were in. We managed to go from Segunda B to the Second Division. We finished midtable in our first season in the Second Division; which I don’t think is bad for a newly-promoted team, although I didn’t settle for that. In the second year, we almost got in the playoffs, and we can’t look backwards. Now, we must at least get in the playoffs, and definitely fight for promotion.
Continuing with sporting matters, we are seeing academy products with an important presence in the first team. The squad size has been reduced to allow for a greater academy presence, which has been a priority for Carso since the start. However, it must be given the necessary patience in order to bear its fruits. What importance do you think it will have in the future of this project?
· I was casually playing around yesterday on YouTube and I found the first interview I gave the day I arrived in Oviedo for the first time. I stated the priorities of the project for the club, and the second one that I named was the youth team. It is the longest-term objective because it must be built up over time. However, I am very, very happy because there are five or six lads who have been in the first team, and two or three who are almost always in it. I am very happy that the plan we had five years ago is being fulfilled, as it was one of the objectives we drew up, and once again it is a target that we are meeting.
Are you going to watch Saturday’s derby?
· I don’t know how I’m going to do it, but if need be I will send a drone there to watch it, because I’m not going to miss this match. It’s a very important match, I think these two great fanbases have been waiting for a derby and both sides are very excited to have it. I only ask the fans to enjoy it, to carefully respect it, and hope that we are able to enjoy it for what it really is; a great festival of football. There is a rivalry, but this rivalry belongs on the field. And I hope that Real Oviedo win!
The people want to see you here…
· I really want to be there too. This summer I had to go to other places, but I will definitely be there for the derby at the Tartiere.
That is a lot of very good news, Arturo.
· We are meeting our objectives. The club is in a financially healthy position. The on-field objectives have become bigger and better each year. The academy is giving the results that we wanted. We have a new sponsor and new shareholders, leading to increased capital, and very important investors. I am doing this interview at a good time because, in addition to the great 3-0 win yesterday, we have all of the very good news that I have been able to give you all today.
Many thanks, Arturo.
· Thank you to all of you and best wishes
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