Real Oviedo Director of Football Miguel Pérez Cuesta 'Michu' appeared before the media this lunchtime, just as he had said he would at the start of the window, to give a press conference analysing the transfer window.
Michu began by evaluating the state of the squad, explaining that "last season we finished the transfer window with 19 players, whereas this year we have 22. We have three extra resources compared to last year." With
respect to player registrations and the salary limit, the Director of Football highlighted that "the limit is similar to that of last year and that's thanks to our majority shareholder, who enables us to have greater economic resources to build the squad. I think that Real Oviedo will have around the tenth or eleventh biggest budget (in the division). We are grateful to Arturo (Elías) for helping us, and we are in that position due to his help. Player registrations were not initially given the go-ahead by LaLiga due to a document being denied where it had been approved in previous seasons, and that's why we had a problem in the first match. According to the rules, players who had had a contract with us last year were registered. LaLiga doesn't let you take Joselu off the list while he's injured for example, and although we managed to deal with it in a positive way in other seasons, this year that wasn't the case. I understand there was a greater economic restriction here than in other clubs. The salary limit has been used up, at around €6.9m."
In addition, Michu took the opportunity to explain something many people may be unaware of with respect to the transfer market and the possibility of signing certain players who were previously on big wages. "Imagine you want to sign a player and agree a deal with him of an annual salary of €200,000, but he earned €2m last season. Even if you pay the player the agreed amount, 50% of his previous wage is the amount used when calculating the impact on the buying club's salary limit." For this exact reason, Michu confirmed that in the case of Dani Torres, "I think he's a very good footballer, but as I said, it's very hard for Primera División players with big contracts to join us. We can't pay a transfer fee of €2m like Rayo Vallecano or other teams can. It's difficult to compete financially, but the team will do so on the pitch against anybody, even if it is on an uneven playing field. There were no concrete offers for any of our players. The club has a creditor's agreement which says that if there is a sale which would directly affect the salary limit, it won't receive that quantity of money, but rather a much smaller one."
The spine of the team remains the same as that of last season, but Michu commented that "I think it's a mistake to believe that terminating a player's contract means that they didn't give the performances expected of them last season. Our objective is to get the best performance out of everyone we have available. No player who was an undisputed starter last year has left. The only player who wasn't able to stay on who was a regular last year is Javi Hernández, who has stayed with Real Madrid. Carlos Martínez and Juan Forlín have both left, as has Ramon Folch on a free. Javi Muñoz's loan came to an end, Alanís also left, while the only player to whom we had to pay a fee in order to end his contract was Toché."
Although he didn't wish to analyse the matches so far, Michu insisted that "our only objective is to win in Miranda. If we look beyond that then we will be making a mistake. One point is very little. I don't care what we've deserved, because the reality is what we have, and we have to try to resolve it. We have to look only at the next match."
He added that Real Oviedo is "always going to be open to strengthening and improving the squad, but I know that some of the operations done by other clubs and which you've asked me about have cost over a million euros. The players we have are ours. Our values are about having homegrown players, who play 35 matches and generate transfer fees which boost the salary limit. With this you can then then compete (financially) with the relegated teams and those who were relegated in previous seasons, as well as those who have made sales and purchases. Our objective is the next match. Whenever we start looking at the table, and whether we are going to Ponferradina or have two matches at home, we will be making a mistake. I believe that with the 22 players we have, plus the under-23 players in the B team, Real Oviedo can compete with anybody."
Finally, asked about the atmosphere of some disappointment among the fans, the Director of Football stated that "the club and I trust the players we have completely. They are ours. They are going to represent Real Oviedo and they are going to wear our shirt. I see them work and I feel very calm. The atmosphere being like that gets me down too. I understand that we have got one point from nine so far. I don't know if some people
expected us to bring in Messi or Cristiano on the final day... These are the players we have. I take all of the responsibility. If I could ask for one thing, it would be that the players are allowed to stay calm. I see them train and I see them go in to work even on their rest days. There were seven players there training (yesterday)... It's something to be proud of. I would like them to be allowed to play. Football is about footballers, and all the rest of us are here because there has to be a Director of Football, a Managing Director... It hurts me to see comments about Alfonso (Herrero). I see him train like a champion. I believe in both goalkeepers completely. If the fans have to have an issue with anyone, I hope they have it with me."
Finally, asked again about the season's objective, Michu concluded by insisting that it is to "train as well as possible tomorrow, Friday and Saturday, and then win to get up to four points. The demand at this club will always be to be in Primera, and if we do it, then it will be to stay up with eight games to go. Always improvement. When the data comes out we will see our budget compared to the others. We know that the demands at this club will always be the maximum possible."
