Getafe players all swimming in same direction

By Mark Elkington

MADRID (Reuters) - A focus on the team rather than individuals is the key to modest Getafe's recent success, according to club captain David Belenguer.

Since winning promotion to the Primera Liga for the first time in 2004 Getafe have defied the odds to maintain their top-flight status, reached the King's Cup final for the first time last season and repeated the feat this year to set up Wednesday's showdown with Valencia.

Michael Laudrup's men almost knocked out Bayern Munich in the UEFA Cup quarter-finals on Thursday, leading the four-times European champions 3-1 in extra-time before two late strikes from Luca Toni put the German giants through on the away goals rule.

"Within this club there is an awareness the team is more important than anything else," Belenguer told Reuters in an interview. "We need people who work hard to improve their level but all with the common objective of achieving what is best for the team.

"We have established at a national and international level that if people come here they find a place where the group comes first and everyone swims in the same direction."

Under the shrewd guidance of president Angel Torres, Getafe have established a season-by-season momentum that allows them to survive the exit of top coaches and several leading players.

Former coach Quique Sanchez Flores joined Valencia in 2005 before Bernd Schuster also left to take charge of Real Madrid in 2007.

Laudrup is being linked with a number of top European clubs while last year's top scorer Daniel Guiza is now plying his trade at Real Mallorca.

INFLUENTIAL FIGURE

The 35-year-old Belenguer has been an influential figure over the last five seasons, his experience and down-to-earth approach a boon for a team that boasts many youngsters snapped up from the youth teams of Primera Liga rivals.

Born near Barcelona, he was spotted by Real Madrid scouts when he was 18 and played in their 'C' team where he worked with coaches like Vicente del Bosque and Rafa Benitez.

Injury disrupted the centre back's progress and he pursued his career through a string of minor clubs, finally making his top-flight debut at 26.

A move to Real Betis in 2000 put him in the big time but after three seasons he decided to take a drop in salary and status to join unfashionable second division side Getafe.

"We don't go out to take great strides," Belenguer said. "Instead we take things step by step. We have improved in footballing terms and in terms of our competitiveness.

"Self-confidence you gain little by little, day by day, through hard work, ticking off minor successes along the way. This is what gives you strength."

Getafe lost last year's King's Cup final 1-0 to Champions League-bound Sevilla, earning a debut outing in the UEFA Cup where they beat Tottenham Hotspur, Anderlecht, AEK Athens and Benfica before their narrow defeat by Bayern.

Although the Coliseo Alfonso Perez was packed for the Bayern game, the locals have not always been so forthcoming with their support.

The club have struggled to fill their 17,000 capacity this season despite two excellent cup runs.

"Getafe is in the shadow of other institutions in Madrid such as Real and Atletico," said Belenguer. "But doing things like this creates a bigger social base, gets us closer to the people and means youngsters maybe will choose us over the other clubs in the future.

"This is an important step forward for us."

Although it may be tough to attract the support of fans, Thursday's display impressed Bayern coach Ottmar Hitzfeld.

"We will be supporting Getafe in the King's Cup final," he said.

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