By: Jordan Raanan, My Sportsbook Soccer Editor
Philadelphia, PA (My Sportsbook) - The blueprints for success have been placed on the table, waiting to be viewed by anyone willing and able to stop, appraise the situation and decipher the available information.
The missive seems simple: Assemble a team dependent on team unity, a strong defense and an able-minded coach if you want to win titles.
FC Porto used those agents to emerge victorious in this past year's Champions League competition. Greece then followed suit with an improbable triumph at Euro 2004 using a similar stock of talent, tactical genius and team concept.
Spanish giants Real Madrid appeared to get the directive when it started the offseason by hiring Jose Antonio Camacho as its new coach. Camacho has a long track record of success -- both as a player and coach. He won nine league titles, three Kings' Cups and two UEFA Cups in 15 seasons as a player for Real.
His coaching career has been equally successful thus far, helping both Rayo Vallecano and Espanyol gain entrance into the Spanish first division and guiding Spain's national team into Euro 2000 and the 2002 World Cup finals. Spain never did reach its empyreal goal of capturing a major championship, but Camacho did guide them into the quarterfinals of both events, proving once again that he is a capable leader.
So with a strong coach in place, Real turned its attention towards strengthening its defense. Enter Argentine defender Walter Samuel, a seemingly solid acquisition to kick off the offseason. Samuel should prove to be a top- of-the-line fullback who fits well into the Real Madrid mold.
The 'galactico' concept of adding a major world-class player every year seemed destined to end. Luis Figo, Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo, and David Beckham, the run appeared ready to end there after four years.
Not so fast declared re-elected Real Madrid chief Florentino Perez earlier this week.
"The business works by winning trophies and by signing a 'galactico' each season. I am going to continue the policy of bringing one in every year," Perez told Spanish sports daily AS. "The result of the election obliges me to do this more than ever. We have to construct a competitive team."
That leaves the question of who the next treasured pickup will be. Roma's Francesco Totti, Everton wonderboy Wayne Rooney, Valencia youngster Kaka, AC Milan's Pablo Aimar or Arsenal skipper Patrick Vieira? Take your pick. Nothing would be surprising given the ransacking done by Real over the past few years.
You would think the hint offered by Porto and Greece is as transparent as Spain coming up short in a major international competition. But Perez is that stubborn young boy who refuses to learn from his mistakes, continually repeating the same misstep over and over and over again.
He thinks he can continue to buy success by making big-name purchases, but, while money is surely a massive benefactor, Perez can not just procure random pieces and slop them together. Too many of the same shapes don't fit together to complete a puzzle. Regardless, Perez is confident he can use finances to put together a winner.
"There are no players that are not for sale. The only problem is money."
Money might, in a warped way, be Perez's biggest problem, distorting his ability to properly assess reality. Because you can't put a round peg into a square hole. No matter how hard you try.
