It has been 100 years since he set foot in Bilbao. But try pronouncing the name Fred Pentland to any Athletic Bilbao supporter. Yet everyone will come forward to talk about him in love.
Even before ‘El Bombin’, the English coach has appeared in Spanish football. Island peddlers have been seen in Bilbao before him. But Pentland has left its first impression in Bilbao's history. Even Spanish football is grateful to him for their football evolution.
Pentland was the two-time coach at Bilbao. Bilbao won the Copa del Rey in 1923. Atletico then coached Madrid twice, sometimes to Real Oviedo. But back in Bilbao in 1929, he showed the best success. Won La Liga and Copa del Rey doubles in 1930 and 1931. From 1930 to 1933, he won the Copa del Rey for four consecutive years. Pentland also coached Bilbao in the 12-1 defeat to Barcelona, the biggest defeat in their history.
Not only did it bring success; In Spanish football, playing small passes, attacking football, the mentality of possessing the ball, was followed by other big clubs. Pentland football is still the mainstay of Spanish football. "Fred Pentland is a man who has lost time," said Aussie Arat, director of the Athletics Museum.
Born in Wolverhampton, Pentland has had the most success in his career at Blackburn and Middlebrough. The winger has also played five matches for England. In 1914 he took charge of the German Olympic football team. During the First World War, Berlin hosted a football tournament among prisoners of war. After the war, France took charge of the 1920 Olympics.
His appearance in Spanish football after the Olympics. The racing started in Santander. But a year later, Bilbao, fascinated by his work, dragged him away. "Athletic made a very good offer for him," Arate told the BBC. They wanted to invest in a better coach. It was still a very amateur genre, so we were looking for a famous coach. He has brought discipline to practice and laid the foundation for a professional, sophisticated game. '
Pentland was famous for its picky nature. There is a story, in his first practice he taught the players to tie the shoelaces properly. However, every player liked such a tough man, ‘When he came to Bilbao after experiencing different types of people in the war, he had that humanitarian aspect in him. His personality was quite intriguing. Very optimistic people and intelligent. Within a few months, he started writing in sports magazines about how teams should play. '
At that time football was one-way. Everyone's goal was to run the ball and take a shot into the opponent's defense. Pentland encouraged his players to do something a little different. Players were asked to play with passes. Gaitska Atsa, president of Mr Pentland Club, an association of pro-Athletic Bilbao groups in London, said of the legendary philosophy: Mr. Pentland, on the other hand, increased the number of people in the middle, and was more concerned with possession than short-term success. I don't know if it can be matched with the ticktack that Barcelona showed 10 to 20 years ago. '
Explaining why Bilbao is so successful, Atsar explains, "He's got to be with the people here, because we also like to enjoy the time. We love to eat, we love to drink and I think that's where he found his life. '
Pentland have bid farewell to Bilbao after winning four Copa del Rey matches in a row. Behind this, of course, is the responsibility of the Spanish Civil War. His team won La Liga in 1934 and 1936. That’s why when you hear his name on the street, everyone is talking about someone who wears a bowler hat and has a cigar in his mouth. He still holds this legendary position. '
612.600 SRY