WE PREFER TO DIE LIKE WE ARE INSTEAD OF WINNING TROPHIES WITHOUT OUR MORAL RULES

An interview with Athletic Bilbao fan, journalist and campaigner Rayco Sánchez

1. Please explain who you are and your background.

My name is Rayco Sanchez, I am a football writer and social educator from Bilbao (Basque Country).

I have been playing Rap music in Euskera (Basque language) for more than 10 years with the Norte Apache band. 

Currently I collaborate with different newspapers and TV stations. In 2021 I published my second book about "Inside Basque football" in which I interviewed Basque players in La Liga. Opio Errebeldea is also a social education project I created in which football is the tool used to help integrate young offenders, migrants and refugees within the community. Please find out more information here: www.opioerrebeldea.com 

2. How long have you supported Athletic? 

Being an Athletic fan is part of the heritage of my family. My grandfather, who was born in Zamora (Spain) used to tell me "You must support your local team, and Athletic represent Bilbao and all the Basque Country."


3. Athletic is owned by 'los socios' - can you explain how this ownership model works? 

The Club is not a sports limited company, so it is the property of the ‘socios’, who have the right to decide the present and future of the club, like voting to choose the president (neither the president nor the directors of club receive a salary) and the decisions about the club, the policy, the investments, or proposing topics they want to speak about in the annual assembly.


4. Periodically, it is mentioned that Athletic should abandon their 'Basques only' policy and become a company like any other and sell the club to the highest bidder. What is your opinion? 

For those who don't know, the philosophy of Athletic Club consists of playing exclusively with Basque players, born or those who have trained at a youth academy in the Basque Country.

We won the Spanish Cup this last season, and we showed to the whole football world what it is like to be an Athletic fan, celebrating the title with close to 1 million people receiving the  players in ‘La Gabarra’ (a traditional tugboat used in the past to move raw materials up and down the river which flows through Bilbao). Since 2009 we have played in 6 finals - 5 Spanish Cup and 1 Europa League  and we have never been relegated in 125 years. 

We are successful with our different way to live football, so why are we going to change that which makes us proud and special? I think there is presently no debate in Bilbao to change our  philosophy.


5. Following the UEFA Cup ties between Athletic and Newcastle in 1993/94 a great affinity has developed between both sets of fans. What do you think this affinity is based on? 

The heritage of football is based on transmitting values ​​and experiences to the future generations, and one of those unforgettable moments were the Uefa Cup ties between Athletic and Newcastle United.

If you ask any 30+ year old Athletic fan about Newcastle, they will draw a smile on their face. It was probably one of the last amazing meetings between different sets of club fans Bilbo (the Basque language version of Bilbao).

The pictures of how the both sets of fans mixed in Bilbao, singing, drinking and overall enjoying the new friendship is still in our collective memory. At the final whistle, Athletic fans invaded the pitch to go to Newcastle fans to give them an ovation in front of the away stand. This summed up the experience. It was one of the most emotional moments at the old ‘Cathedral’ (the way we refer to our stadium, San Mames).

In the days after the match, I remember being envious when I saw different guys wearing Newcastle shirts that they exchanged at that game.

In my opinion we should organise a fan reunion between Athletic and Newcastle every year!


6. What do you think about the Spanish SupaCopa being played in Saudi Arabia?

I think that is another example of how football is being sold out and simply could be the beginning of the end for football as we know and love it. How can a tournament be played so far away from where the clubs are based? Far from the fans? It's a crime against football and it’s called capitalism.

Gerard Piqué, the ex-FC Barcelona player negotiated the multi-million € deal with the Saudi regime vía Whatsapp and the Spanish Football Federation director, Rubiales with substantial ‘commissions’ for both of them. Rubiales is now on trial for the infamous public forced kiss on Jeni Hermoso, (the victorious Spanish football captain) and other possible felonies. This is the unfortunate image of how insane Spanish football is. 

More seriously, if we know the football authorities are supporting the Sports-washing of a country which doesn't respect the human rights of women, this surely must be an urgent call for all fans to wake up and reclaim the game.


7. You recently visited Newcastle and Sunderland. What is your impression of the two fan bases? 

Both sets of fans took me to the stadium and embraced me throughout the city. I felt overwhelmed with the warm welcome. I was very impressed, about how they keep close to their colours and how the two cities live around the clubs and vice versa. It's difficult to find nowadays these kinds of places which maintain their own personality intact in the face of globalisation and massive tourism.

I have to say that Newcastle United and Sunderland have a lot of similarities with Athletic Club. The strip, the northern soul, the strong fanbase, the pride of the cities and cultures, the language and the roots…


8. What is your opinion on nation state ownership of our football clubs? Would Athletic fans accept a multi-million takeover bid from a Middle Eastern state like Qatar or Israel for your club?

The clubs and the fan bases are toys in the hands of these kinds of ownerships. They think they could modify and change anything, even the history of the clubs, like they do in the NBA,  by changing the location of the franchises.

I can’t imagine this situation in Athletic, we have strong convictions, and we prefer to die like we are instead of winning trophies without our moral rules. Besides, nowadays we have a young fanbase who are actively working for the community and  are open minded with values of freedom and I hope we will keep fighting for our model of ownership. 

An example of bad management is the recent case of FC Girondins de Bordeaux, which has a close relationship with Athletic fans. This centenary, the respected and historic French club, has recently lost its status as a professional entity, because of a miserable directorship. How can we measure damage of this to the supporters, the city and the future of sport in Bordeaux? 

*Rise up fans! Fight for the club and your rights, help others and make a united front against this kidnapping of our football heritage!


9. After your visit to the North East, what is your message to Newcastle and Sunderland fans?

I’m an Everton fan, but I’ll follow the Magpies and the Black Cats next season with two hopes. On the one hand I hope for the recovery of a healthy and respectful ownership and qualification for Europe for Newcastle United and on the other hand promotion to the Premier League for Sunderland. 

If any Geordies or Mackems are looking to travel to Bilbao, contact me and I will return the favour of the great hospitality I received in both cities from both sets of fans!

Rayco Sánchez - @OpioErrebeldea

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