THE CAPTAIN'S GOODBYE
THE CAPTAIN'S GOODBYE
Thursday 19th May, 2005
Francisco Javier Gonzalez Perez 'Fran' has been an important part of
Deportivo for the last fifteen years. 434 games in the Primera, 32,264
minutes played and 44 goals scored are his impressive numbers in the Spanish
first division. But the importance of Fran's participation with the club goes
beyond that. The leadership that he projects and his Galician origin have
left a mark on the fans. It's the end of the Deportivo captain's career here
and the beginning of his legacy.
He is Deportivo's longest-serving player, having spent over 15 seasons with
the Galician squad. He joined Depor when they were in the second division in
1988, playing on the inside left, but he gradually shifted to the left wing.
However, this slightly built midfielder is no peripheral figure. As well as
being the club captain, Fran is also a gifted performer with quick feet and
an eye for a killer pass.
Fran lifted the Spanish Cup in 1994/95 - Deportivo's first trophy - and
repeated the feat seven years later. In between those years, he appeared 21
times for the club during its maiden championship campaign of 1999/00. The
No. 10 proved his worth once again in 2002/03, playing 28 Primera Division
games and another ten in the UEFA Champions League.
O neno's participation in the starting lineup was unquestionable in his early
seasons with Deportivo. He only missed three matches in his first four years
in the Primera, but he subsequently lost his place due to the signings of
other players like Luque. In the last three seasons he has only started 15
games, but his classy skills were what coach Javier Irureta looked for when
he needed a solution from the bench.
Fran’s participation in Europe is also historic. He's the only active player
remaining from Deportivo's debut in European competition during the UEFA Cup
in 1993/94. He scored two Champions League goals, one against Leeds in the
2000/01 quarterfinal and the other in the impressive 4-0 comeback against AC
Milan in last season's quarterfinal - Deportivo's last goal in Europe to this
day.
But his history also has negative moments like the failed transfer to Real
Madrid CF in 1991 or the conflict with president Lendoiro at the beginning of
the present season, a confrontation that still has repercussions today.
Fran's participation with the national team of Spain is also limited, as he
only played 16 times for his country. He scored twice, with his last
appearance coming in a UEFA EURO 2000 group match against Yugoslavia. No
matter what, his influence at Deportivo isn't debatable. It's the end of his
career, but it's also the beginning of his legacy.
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