The Basque Gaditano

How Gaizka Garitano a Basque Head Coach has caught the imagination in the South Western corner of Spain

Gaditano is the word used to describe a native of Cadiz a word that dates back to the Roman times and it only feels right that a coach named Garitano is the man putting the fiesta back into the lives of the fans of Cadiz CF.

The people of Cadiz are known for their fun, jokey nature but most of all their passion. There is no half measures or just going to watch the game when you go to the Nuevo Mirandilla, to be a Cadizta is to live the 90 minutes, you can feel like you’re at a game in South America rather than the South coast of Spain.

It feels a curious and odd mix that the fever the Cadiz fans are in right now following their nine game unbeaten run is being driven by a quiet, unassuming Basque manager who when he has downtime likes to head to the isolation of the Basque mountains.

Cadiz felt like they had the right man and a man who made sense with the city when Paco Lopez an entertaining manager who wears his heart on his sleeve came in this summer to take over the recently relegated side.

Having produced a swashbuckling team of entertainers in Levante and got Granada to promotion from Segunda just two seasons ago as Champions much was expected from his reign.

What also seemed a positive at the time was the core of the side were kept together with Conan Ledesma the only big name departure but almost instantly things went wrong.

Cadiz kicked off the season full of excitement at home to Real Zaragoza but that excitement soon turned to horror as they were dismantled 0-4 at home. Jose Caro who had been the best keeper in Segunda in recent years at Burgos became the main victim of that defeat but the side looked to be lacking legs and were completely overran in what has turned out to be a bottom half side.

While just one match it summed up the Paco Lopez reign, his side trying to play good football but not having the energy or the pace to hurt opponents.

Under Lopez the side won just four of his 18 league games and when he was dismissed a side who had expected to be chasing promotion were fighting to stay in Segunda.

Enter Gaizka Garitano, the Basque Head Coach is no revolutionary figure, he's calm, quiet and assured in himself. A proud Basque he once left a press conference after being asked not to speak in Euskera.

Mark Kerinsky in his amazing book the Basque history of the world characterised the Basque people as inward looking, preservering their culture and language while also being pioneers who strike out for new horizons.

So it was that Gaizka Garitano left the comforts of Gipuzkoa and headed on down to a place that is truly like nowhere else. Whenever you visit Cadiz and if you haven't you really must you can feel the history through the narrow streets and you can feel transported to Latin America. Copa 90 did an amazing documentary about the fanbase and the city which really brings to life just how unique Cadiz is.

All of this makes it sound like Gaizka Garitano would be a terrible fit but he is the perfect man for Cadiz. While in their history the Andalucian side have been known for entertaining football, their best moments in recent decades have come under Alvaro Cervera the ultimate pragmatist. His famous quote "La lucha no se negocia" in English the fight is non negotiable became a motto for the club as they battled first to La Liga and then to safety in the top flight. Garitano has brought that steel and fight back to the club.

The passion that borders on fanaticism for Cadiz is also something Gaizka Garitano has experience of. He grew up in the shadow of Lezama the training ground of Athletic Club and took over as Head Coach in a bad time for the club. Athletic Club are a religion similar to Cadiz and any restaurant, shop or bar in Bilbao will have memorabilia on the walls, behind the bar and probably even on the beer pumps and crisp packets. His experience there and with his family all being fans has stood him in good stead to deal with the passion of the fans.

Anytime the club post anything related to the coach on Social media the replies are inundated with fans declaring their love for Gaizka Garitano and the job he is doing.

Where Garitano has really excelled has been in his changes to the squad. He has brought legs into the midfield in the shape of B team midfielder Moussa Diakite. The midfield under Paco Lopez was often overstretched and unable to match the energy of opposing teams leaving the defence exposed. Diakite coming in has freed up key midfielder Alex who has returned to the levels he has set over his long spell with the club. Again he has used his experience at Athletic Club and shored the side up mid-season.

Andalucia is a conveyor belt of talent and Garitano is tapping into the academy and B team to start bringing through players. Jose Antonio de la Rosa has recently stepped up to the first team and is already catching the eye of other clubs. With him and Mario Climent down the left and Javi Ontiveros on the right Cadiz have a lot more threat to sides than they did under Paco Lopez. With just some subtle changes he has suddenly got a younger group of players to supplement the core of the team some of whom have been with the club since their days in the third tier.

Defensively they've been more solid and the signing of young defender Mario Climent for €100,000 signaled a new direction in terms of profile of players and he's been a revelation. Climent has three goals and three assists since signing and has added dynamism into the defence.

That’s not to say that Garitano has turned them into a defensive outfit, in recent weeks they’ve hit Eldense for four, Mirandes for three, Cartagena for five and Racing Santander for three.

While things are looking great in the short term with nine goals, what’s more encouraging is the younger crop of players who have been added to the squad. This nine game unbeaten run has brought them into the top half and just eight points off an unlikely play-off spot.

Whether Garitano can deliver promotion this season or not the galvanising affect he has had on the fanbase and the team has shown just what a shrewd coach he is and the fever and passion is back in the Nuevo Mirandilla.