Athletic Club (Bilbao) Thread

Question about Athletic's signing policy-do they sign players born in Basque country who are not ethnically Basque (born in Bilbao, for example, but of non-Basque descent) or is it only ethnic Basques?

 

Fernando Llorente has signed a new contract with Athletic Bilbao until 2016

 

Think you have to have Basque descent i.e. if not you then your mother or grandfather has to be Basque.

They are not technically racist but obviously because of the very small number of black people in Spain and even less in the specific Basque region, it is very difficult for a black player to play for them, so because of that it seems to the outside like they are a bit of a racist club but I do not think they are at all.

 

Good question. I always wonder why some names sound very Basque like Susaeta, Iraizoz, Aduriz, Ursaiz and so on, and, for example, Fernando Llorente Torres sounds very Spanish. Maybe some of them adjust their names to sound more Spanish like Irish and Scottish names are different in English and Irish/Scottish Gaelic?

 

I dont know, would people be saying the same thing if there was a club that only played white players?

 

Good to see llorente sign a new deal

 

Big day for Athletic!

Mon the Basques!

 

Been poor for this month in la liga.

Very tough game to tonight, I don't think athletic will win but hopefully they grab an away goal.

 

AAAH forgot about this is it on telly?

edit never mind just saw uefa cup thread MON ATHLETIC!

 

channel 5

 

Huntelaar can't stop scoring just now so I think they will concede and possibly lose on the night. They are more than capable of getting an away goal though.

 

they currently have a very talented fullback of mixed angolan-basque descent who has made some appearances for them, hes only 17 right now I believe but I can't remember his name, so they do allow black players aslong as they are in some way basque.

 

Good game so far. Could be a few goals in this one. Hopefully Athletic come out on top

 

Basque county has the national team, but they aren't allowed to participate in FIFA and UEFA qualifications, WC and EURO, so I don't blame them because of their sign policy. I think Athletic is like a national team for them.

Aupa Athletic!

 

Hope they win tonight.

 

1-0 Llorente

 

May be wrong about the result tonight then.:icon_mrgreen:

 

1-0 Athletic

 

GOOOOOOOL! I'll take it :bbpd:

 

Wow 1-1 already