Four of our stars are off with the U-21s or Nats, so a make-shift reserve squad will face Conquense on the 21st and Valladolid on the 23rd. Then just one more friendly on September 3rd vs Aluvion (during the FIFA qualifiers). So the season is nearly here. Awesome!

Before I report/translate a great interview with Amorebieta and Iraola on their first call up to the Nats, I want to update everyone on some transfer rumors, news, and take a look at our first few fixtures in La Liga.

WHAT’S NEWS?

* Caparros is still looking for a left back. Isn’t it getting a bit late now? Apparently Caparros tried Casas and Koikili but nothing doing. He even tried Gurpegi to no avail. Rumor has it that Xabi Castillo from Real Sociedad is still a possibility. If then what? Del Horno? Youngster Agueros? Looks like Athletic is trying to mend relations with our rival and neighbor, La Real, which is good news indeed. Maybe we can get Castillo for a reasonable price or perhaps on loan? We shall see if there is some last minute business to be made at Athletic.

* Getafe needs a backup goalkeeper, now that Ustari was injured at the Olympics. Usta will be out for 7-8 months. Ouch! Geta is looking at Armando and LaFuente. I say give them LaFuente, if the price is right or on loan. We need to keep Armando as he is a solid backup and can easily step into the number one spot should Gorka get injured or lose his touch.

* Our first few fixtures in La Liga: Almeria at home, Malaga away, Valladolid at home, Recreativo Huelva away, Getafe at home. BINGO! It looks very doable. Can we do it? Can we take all 15 points? It is definitely a possibility. I am feeling pretty good here. Waddayathink?

* A few words about Fernando Amorebieta and his decision to play with Spain. Amore was born in Venezuela, both his parents are Basque. He was raised in the Basque region and entered the Athletic youth system at a very young age. Amorebieta is a very imposing CB who last season was probably one of the best in La Liga. He has a great reading of the game and can suffocate any striker he encounters. Though what is most impressive about him, is his ability on the ball and the way he plays the ball out of defense, building Athletic’s attacks. Rafa Benitez has wanted him for ages, as well as other premiership clubs. But thank goodness our players are extremely loyal and should they be sold, are extremely expensive! Defense is an area that needs fortification in La Furia Roja, as both Puyol and Marchena are getting older. So Amore and Iraola are just perfect. I am extremely happy that Amore chose Spain, as the flights to Venezuela are extremely tiring and take their toll. In addition, he will play with the best and at the highest level. I wish him and Iraola the best of luck.

Now the interview from El Correo Digital, translated by yours truly…

INTERVIEW – FERNANDO AMOREBIETA AND ANDONI IRAOLA ON THEIR FIRST CALL UP TO THE SPANISH NATIONAL TEAM

DID YOU EVER THINK YOU WOULD BE CALLED UP?

Iraola: The truth is no. Each time the National team played, there was talks of a possible call up in the last three years. But now it finally happened and that is what counts.

Amorebieta: There was always talks, but this team is the European champions. It is very difficult to become a part of this team. I thought they were going to call me up when Venezuela asked me to join their national team. The Mister (Caparros) told me to be patient and the Spain call up would come.

DESCRIBE YOUR TEAMMATE

Iraola: Amorebieta is a central defender with great physical qualities, with his speed, height and power. Last season he had great concentration and was key to our defense.

Amorebieta: I’m flattered!

Iraola: Don’t tell me that you’ve never heard this before, jejeje.

Amorebieta: Whatever! (chuckles) Iraola is technically very gifted. He is a very good defensive back and can play anywhere on the wings.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO CONTRIBUTE?

Iraola: We go to a team that is champion of Europe, who play at a very high level. We must try to contribute and to reach that level, but it won’t be easy. It is necessary to do what we do in Athletic, that is what we will bring to the field. I do not set my objective to reach World Cup 2010. My objective is give and play at my very best. The rest will come with time.

Amorebieta: We go to Copenhagen at least with the hope to make a debut, of being able to demonstrate that the players of the Athletic belong there.

WHAT DOES THIS BODE FOR THE CLUB?

Iraola: The call ups are positive for the club. It shows that the team plays at a high level and with quality and that more players will be called up to the national team.

Amorebieta: What I want to emphasize is that we are two players who came from the cantera of the club. The cantera has made us into players who can excel at a high level. In addition, it’s not just Andoni and I, but Javi Martinez and Susaeta, who have been called up with the sub’ 21. It is important that our club is part of the National teams.

Iraola: And I am the oldest one called up from Athletic at 26 years of age. This shows the potential for youth and the future. Our team plays as a collective unit and yet, we are still noticed by the National team. This bodes well for Athletic. Not just for the Internationals but for Athletic’s future. This pre-season we have played with 15 and 16 year old cantera players. They have competed with us at a very good level. That means that we trust or believe in our youth system and methods, because it produces results and quality players.

WHO ARE YOU LOOKING FOWARD TO PLAYING ALONGSIDE?

Iraola: In the National team, I have a great relationship with Xabi Alonso. I played alongside Xabi many years, when I was young in Antiguoko. I also played many times in the sub’ 21 team with Villa, Navarro, Reyna, etc. The fact that Fernan and I go together, will also help us.

Amorebieta: In European sub’ 19, I played with several teammates, Sergio Ramos, Silva, Albiol, etc.

THE COMPETITION

Amorebieta: There is a lot of competiton at the highest level. Puyol, Albiol, Juanito, Marchena, who will not be there. In the Eurocopa they played very well together. The fact of being the only left-footed player may help me, but it might not.

Iraola: In theory, Sergio Ramos is my competition. But he does not have a backup. What we need to do is to give the same level that we do with Athletic. We need to do it at an individual level as well as at a collective level. In that way, we can play just as well as anyone else.

WILL THIS BE THE GREATEST JOY OF YOUR CAREER?

Iraola: For me, it would be it to win something with the Athletic. In any case, this one is one of the great moments. This honor, we owe to Athletic, where they have formed us from the youth system to the first team.

Amorebieta: For me, the greatest joy was to make my debut with the Athletic that led me here.

Sweet eh? I am so proud of these loyal, eager guys who I hope get an opportunity to strut their stuff in Denmark. To show the world, what Athletic brings to the beautiful game and La Liga, from the juvenil to the first team. Gora Athletic!

And dear old Yeste, hot head numero uno, received his second yellow against Cadiz yesterday and will miss the third place game against Villarreal or Sevilla. That makes 5 sending offs in pre-season. Is that a world record or something? If you can’t beat Eibar B and Cadiz… then something is just not right.

There’s only ten days until the start of the season and of course four MORE friendlies to play. I would just like to know what is going on? I guess it doesn’t matter if we lose the rest of our pre-season games, as long as we win our leagues games. So let’s just hold our breath and wait.

The Latest Scoop-

Gaizka Toquero has been loaned to Eibar this season. This will give the striker much needed play time, as he is not ready for the big leagues just yet.

Alaves would like to take either Iñigo or Ion Velez on loan as they need a striker desperately. I say give them Iñigo. He is much more rough around the edges and needs minutes to break into the first team one day.

U-21 call ups: Athletic midfield magicians, Javi Martinez and Markel Susaeta have been called up, once again, to play in a very important European qualifier against Russia in Moscow on August 19th. Best of luck to Javimar and Susa.

U-19 call ups: Athletic’s young striker, Isma Lopez has been called up to play in a friendly tournament in Ireland this month (8/18 – 8/21), representing Spain. Other nations participating – Ireland, Ukraine and Portugal.

Spanish National Squad call ups: At last, our gruesome twosome in defense, Fernando Amorebieta and Andoni Iraola, have been called up by Del Bosque. It’s been three long years since a Bilbao player has been called up (Orbaiz in 2005). The new Mister and La Furia will participate in a friendly on August 20th, where they will face Denmark. Del Bosque was in Morroco to see Athletic play in the pre-season tournament and was impressed with our two defensive stars. It’s about time!