Move over Ronaldinho, there's a new game in town: league
Alex Brown in London
August 30, 2007
BARCELONA officials are preparing for a hectic few days. For one, they're dealing with Chelsea's aggressive bid to poach their marquee player, Ronaldinho, before the transfer deadline closes on Friday. And for another, they're co-ordinating the arrival of Stacey Jones, Jason Croker, Clint Greenshields, Adam Mogg and company before their presentation to the Nou Camp crowd before Sunday's La Liga match against Athletic Bilbao.
As astonishing as it may seem, rugby league - and, more specifically, the Catalans Dragons' progression to the Challenge Cup final last weekend - has been a major talking point in Barcelona in recent days, and Barca officials have taken notice. The capital of the Catalonia region, Barcelona has previously received little in the way of rugby league exposure, but the successes of the Dragons, based in the southern French city of Perpignan, appear to have captured the imagination of the Spaniards, not least because the final against St Helens was televised live around Barcelona.
Following a week of media interviews and meetings between the clubs' management teams, Barcelona football officials have agreed with the Catalans Dragons for the players and Mick Potter's coaching staff to attend Sunday's match at Nou Camp and be presented before the crowd which, if at capacity, will number about 99,000.
"I have only driven past that stadium before, and it is absolutely incredible," Potter said of the invitation. "We're only 30 minutes from the Spanish border, and a comfortable drive to Barcelona, so there are very strong ties in the region. It is absolutely enormous, and, if all this is to go through, it would be something that the players and I will never, ever forget."
If all goes to plan, the parading of the Dragons players on Sunday at the largest stadium in Europe will be the first step in establishing a foothold for rugby league in Barcelona.
Barca football officials, according to a report in
The Guardian newspaper in London, are considering applying for a Super League licence, with an eye to fielding their own rugby league team in the future.
If that does not go ahead, the Dragons are seeking permission to stage at least one match next season in the Spanish city, hopeful of capitalising on their success and novelty value among the local population.
"If the Barcelona were to apply for a licence, it would be much like the clubs in England that field a league and a union side," Potter said. "But that's a long way off. Right now, I am just happy that the work of the players and the coaching staff is being acknowledged. The media interest has been five times that of what we normally receive in France and Spain, and we've had TV crews following us all around the place.
"It has been a real fight for credibility and profile with a team that has been undermanned and under-resourced for the most part. So it's very satisfying for all of us that this is happening. Imagine if the game took off in Barcelona - it would be incredible."
http://www.smh.com.au/news/football/move-over-ronaldinho-theres-a-new-game-in-town-league/2007/08/29/1188067189820.html
