WHEN a rival club director recently suggested to Atletico Madrid boss, Jesus Gil, that the people of Marbella must have been mad to have elected him mayor, all he got by way of response was a straight right to the face. What is more, the incident was acted out in front of incredulous cameramen.
Senor Jesus Gil y Gil is no stranger to controversy. In nine seasons in charge of Atletico Madrid, he has become a by word for intemperate outbursts, not to mention managerial sackings. Since 1987 he has averaged two managers per season, firing no fewer than 18 of them.
All of that, however, may now be forgiven. Last Saturday night, Atletico won their first Spanish league title since 1977 to end a 12 year Real Madrid/Barcelona stranglehold - and to round off an impressive Cup and League double.
Despite an inevitable attack of end of season weariness and title winning jitters, Atletico finally wrapped it up on the last day when, needing only a draw, they beat Albacete 2-0 to end the season on 87 points, four clear of second placed Valencia.
There are those who say this has not been a great Spanish season and that, frankly, Atletico are merely the best of a poor lot.
That could well be. Certainly, next season will be one of all change in Spain with the two traditional super powers, Real Madrid and Barcelona, presenting radically changed squads coached by new appointees: Italian Fabio Capello at Real and former England coach Bobby Robson at Barcelona.
Curiously, both the new coaches arrive in Spain from clubs with which they have just won a league title, Capello with AC Milan and Robson with Porto.
The next Spanish season will be strange, too, because for only the second time in their history Real Madrid will not be playing in European _competition, following their final table placing of sixth, behind UEFA Cup qualifiers, Valencia (2nd), Espanol (4th) and Tenerife (5th).
It is true, of course, that Real Madrid and Barcelona had their troubles this season. Real sacked Argentine coach Jorge Valdano just months after he had led the side to last season's title, replacing him with the experienced Arsenio Iglesias who restored a certain stability to team performance but could not generate enough fireworks either to avoid a Champions Cup elimination at the hands of Juventus or to earn that UEFA Cup place.
Capello will have his work cut out at Real, which this summer offloads Chilean Ivan Zamorano and Dane Michael Laudrup, as well as Soler, Sanchis, Michel and Luis Enrique. Mind you, Brazilian Roberto Carlos (Inter Milan), Dutchman Clarence Seedorf (Sampdoria) and 28 goal, £7 million Serb Predag Mijatovic (Valencia) are all likely replacements.
Barcelona, too, had their troubles. Dutch legend Johan Cruyff ended eight remarkably successful seasons in Catalonia (four league titles, 1991-94, and a first ever Champions Cup in 1992) with a disappointing third place. Barcelona failed at home and abroad, losing both their prestige UEFA Cup semifinal tie with Bayern Munich and also their season long battle with Atletico.
Furthermore, Barcelona were not only twice beaten 3-1 by Atletico in the league but they also lost to them in the Spanish Cup final. As Cruyff and Barcelona president Jose Nunez exchanged mutual insults last week, fans were left with the consolation of European Cup Winners' Cup participation next season (Atletico will be playing in the Champions League).
While Atletico celebrated their success on Saturday, the club's Serb coach Radomar Antic appeared to refute suggestions that this was a once off, flash in the pan win: "This is not a midsummer night's dream".
For Antic, this triumph represents a definitive and personal vindication. To win with Atletico Madrid in a year when city rivals Real Madrid fail to qualify for Europe was all the more satisfying for a man who is still sore about the manner in which Real booted him out.
Five seasons ago Real were on a 16 match unbeaten run, leading the league by six points when then club president, Ramon Mendoza, sacked him, paving the way for an end of season collapse which saw Real lose the title to Barcelona on the last day.
Antic's major contribution to this title success began when he presented Senor Gil with a surprising player shopping list that included goalkeeper Francisco Molina and defender Santi, both from Albacete, as well as the little known Serb, Milinko Pantic, then playing with modest Greek side Panionios but well known to Antic who had coached him at Partisan Belgrade. All three proved huge successes, with Pantic in particular ending up as arguably the outstanding player of the season.
Antic, however, can man manage as well as pick players, as witness the revival of striker Kiko, recalled to the Spanish squad for Euro 96 after a two year absence. Midfielder Jose Luis Caminero and goalkeeper Molina, by the way, are the two other Atletico players in the Spanish squad for England.
They might be the best of a bad lot, but Atletico may well prove a big surprise in next season's Champions League. In the meantime, watch out for such as Caminero, Kiko and Penev at Euro 96.
