Ramón Calderón
Encyclopedia
José Ramón Calderón Ramos (born 26 May 1951 in Palencia
, Spain
) is a lawyer
and an ex-President of Spanish sports club
Real Madrid
.
in 2 July 2006, winning the elections with 8,344 votes whilst Juan Palacios was second with 8,098. After discussions with his football director, Predrag Mijatovic
, Calderon hired Fabio Capello
as club manager, after initially considering Bernd Schuster
, the manager of Getafe
.
Amongst his promises when running for election was the signing of Arjen Robben
from Chelsea, Cesc Fàbregas
from Arsenal and Kaká
from AC Milan. Calderón fended off allegations of making illegal approach from the clubs in question. He was only successful with Robben.
On 19 July 2006 he announced his first two signings, Fabio Cannavaro
and Emerson
; both signed from newly demoted Juventus
for an estimated €20 million.
He later signed Ruud van Nistelrooy
from Manchester United
and Mahamadou Diarra
from Olympique Lyon
as well as delivering on his promise to acquire Arjen Robben
from Chelsea. A year long loan swap deal was also concluded with José Antonio Reyes
from Arsenal
moving to Real Madrid in exchange for Júlio Baptista
. Before the start of the 2008/2009 season, he tried to deliver Cristiano Ronaldo
to the club, however failed in this ambition. Due to his re-election bid he was eager to promise securement of Ronaldo. This had been a common strategy to promise big names during re-election.
On 16 January 2009 he resigned as Real Madrid President following allegations of vote-rigging for the confirmation for the financial budget. He was replaced by Vice President Vicente Boluda
, who took the presidency for a short stint, before Florentino Pérez
's second term.
, who had been out of favour at the Spanish club and had just signed a deal with MLS
team Los Angeles Galaxy
. Calderon was quoted as saying that Beckham would amount to nothing more than "an average cinema actor, working in Hollywood".
He is alleged to often refer to FC Barcelona as the "campesino" (peasants) of Spanish football.
He is infamous for his quotes to the media, he stated before being elected president that Madrid will sign some of the world's elite. The names of the players that would have been of the club's overtures to acquire were Cesc Fàbregas
, Arjen Robben
, Kaká
and Cristiano Ronaldo
.
Real Madrid and Calderon have been criticised by Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson for what he called their immoral actions relating to their desire to sign Cristiano Ronaldo. He also prevented Robinho moving to Chelsea in the summer of 2008 saying he would rather sell to a club not in the Champions league.
Palencia
Palencia is a city south of Tierra de Campos, in north-northwest Spain, the capital of the province of Palencia in the autonomous community of Castile-Leon...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
) is a lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and an ex-President of Spanish sports club
Sports club
A sports club or sport club, sometimes athletics club or sports association is a club for the purpose of playing one or more sports...
Real Madrid
Real Madrid
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
.
Life and career
Calderon was elected President of Real MadridReal Madrid
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
in 2 July 2006, winning the elections with 8,344 votes whilst Juan Palacios was second with 8,098. After discussions with his football director, Predrag Mijatovic
Predrag Mijatovic
Predrag "Peđa" Mijatović is a Montenegrin football player and former sports director of Real Madrid. He is considered one of Yugoslavia's best players of the 1990s. He was acclaimed as the best athlete of Yugoslavia in 1997...
, Calderon hired Fabio Capello
Fabio Capello
Fabio Capello is an Italian football manager and former player. He is the manager of the England national football team.Capello has the distinction of winning the domestic league title with every club he has coached throughout his career...
as club manager, after initially considering Bernd Schuster
Bernd Schuster
Bernhard Schuster is a German football manager and former player, currently unemployed. His nickname is "der Blonde Engel" .-Club career:...
, the manager of Getafe
Getafe CF
Getafe Club de Fútbol is a Spanish La Liga football club based in Getafe, a city in the Madrid metropolitan area, founded in 1946 and refounded in 1983.In the top level since 2004-05, it holds home games at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez....
.
Amongst his promises when running for election was the signing of Arjen Robben
Arjen Robben
Arjen Robben is a Dutch footballer who plays for the German Bundesliga club Bayern Munich. Though often classified as a forward, he usually plays behind the forwards as a winger, and he is also known for his dribbling skills...
from Chelsea, Cesc Fàbregas
Cesc Fàbregas
Francesc "Cesc" Fàbregas i Soler is a Spanish footballer who plays as a central midfielder for La Liga club FC Barcelona.Fàbregas started his career as a trainee with Barcelona but was signed by Premier League side Arsenal in September 2003 at the age of 16...
from Arsenal and Kaká
Kaká
Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite , commonly known as Kaká , is a Brazilian football attacking midfielder who currently plays for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and the Brazilian national team. Kaká started his footballing career at the age of eight, when he began playing for a local club...
from AC Milan. Calderón fended off allegations of making illegal approach from the clubs in question. He was only successful with Robben.
On 19 July 2006 he announced his first two signings, Fabio Cannavaro
Fabio Cannavaro
Fabio Cannavaro, Ufficiale OMRI is a former Italian footballer considered one of the greatest defenders of all time and was given the name "Muro di Berlino" which means The Berlin wall by Italian supporters. He spent the majority of his career in Italy...
and Emerson
Emerson Ferreira da Rosa
Émerson Ferreira da Rosa , simply known as Emerson, is a retired Brazilian footballer who played as a midfielder. He had 73 caps for Brazil from 1997 to 2006.-Grêmio:...
; both signed from newly demoted Juventus
Juventus F.C.
Juventus Football Club S.p.A. , commonly referred to as Juventus and colloquially as Juve , are a professional Italian association football club based in Turin, Piedmont...
for an estimated €20 million.
He later signed Ruud van Nistelrooy
Ruud van Nistelrooy
Rutgerus Johannes Martinus "Ruud" van Nistelrooy, , is a Dutch footballer who plays as a striker for Málaga CF in Spain's La Liga. He is the second-highest goalscorer in Champions League history with 60 goals...
from Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
and Mahamadou Diarra
Mahamadou Diarra
Mahamadou Diarra is a Malian footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Mali national team. He is captain of the national team.-Early career:Diarra started his career with Greek side OFI Crete...
from Olympique Lyon
Olympique Lyonnais
Olympique Lyonnais is a French association football club based in Lyon. They play in France's highest football division, Ligue 1. The club was formed as Lyon Olympique Universitaire in 1899, according to many supporters and sport historians, but was nationally established as a club in 1950. The...
as well as delivering on his promise to acquire Arjen Robben
Arjen Robben
Arjen Robben is a Dutch footballer who plays for the German Bundesliga club Bayern Munich. Though often classified as a forward, he usually plays behind the forwards as a winger, and he is also known for his dribbling skills...
from Chelsea. A year long loan swap deal was also concluded with José Antonio Reyes
José Antonio Reyes
José Antonio Reyes Calderón is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Atlético Madrid.Mainly a left winger but also a forward, he made his professional debuts for hometown's Sevilla at only 16, signing with England's Arsenal aged 20.After a relatively successful career abroad, Reyes...
from Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
moving to Real Madrid in exchange for Júlio Baptista
Júlio Baptista
Júlio César Baptista is a Brazilian footballer who currently plays as an attacking midfielder or forward for Málaga CF of the Spanish La Liga...
. Before the start of the 2008/2009 season, he tried to deliver Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, OIH, , commonly known as Cristiano Ronaldo, is a Portuguese footballer who plays as a winger or striker for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and is the captain of the Portuguese national team...
to the club, however failed in this ambition. Due to his re-election bid he was eager to promise securement of Ronaldo. This had been a common strategy to promise big names during re-election.
On 16 January 2009 he resigned as Real Madrid President following allegations of vote-rigging for the confirmation for the financial budget. He was replaced by Vice President Vicente Boluda
Vicente Boluda
Vicente Boluda Fos is the president of Aguas de Valencia and former president of Spanish sports club Real Madrid.-Life and career:...
, who took the presidency for a short stint, before Florentino Pérez
Florentino Pérez
Florentino Pérez Rodríguez is a Spanish businessman, civil engineer, former politician, and current president of Real Madrid Club de Fútbol, as well as ACS...
's second term.
Controversy
In January 2007, it was reported that Calderón had made defamatory comments about Real midfielder David BeckhamDavid Beckham
David Robert Joseph Beckham, OBE is an English footballer who plays midfield for Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer, having previously played for Manchester United, Preston North End, Real Madrid, and A.C...
, who had been out of favour at the Spanish club and had just signed a deal with MLS
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
team Los Angeles Galaxy
Los Angeles Galaxy
The Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional soccer team, based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California, which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, and the league's second...
. Calderon was quoted as saying that Beckham would amount to nothing more than "an average cinema actor, working in Hollywood".
He is alleged to often refer to FC Barcelona as the "campesino" (peasants) of Spanish football.
He is infamous for his quotes to the media, he stated before being elected president that Madrid will sign some of the world's elite. The names of the players that would have been of the club's overtures to acquire were Cesc Fàbregas
Cesc Fàbregas
Francesc "Cesc" Fàbregas i Soler is a Spanish footballer who plays as a central midfielder for La Liga club FC Barcelona.Fàbregas started his career as a trainee with Barcelona but was signed by Premier League side Arsenal in September 2003 at the age of 16...
, Arjen Robben
Arjen Robben
Arjen Robben is a Dutch footballer who plays for the German Bundesliga club Bayern Munich. Though often classified as a forward, he usually plays behind the forwards as a winger, and he is also known for his dribbling skills...
, Kaká
Kaká
Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite , commonly known as Kaká , is a Brazilian football attacking midfielder who currently plays for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and the Brazilian national team. Kaká started his footballing career at the age of eight, when he began playing for a local club...
and Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, OIH, , commonly known as Cristiano Ronaldo, is a Portuguese footballer who plays as a winger or striker for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and is the captain of the Portuguese national team...
.
Real Madrid and Calderon have been criticised by Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson for what he called their immoral actions relating to their desire to sign Cristiano Ronaldo. He also prevented Robinho moving to Chelsea in the summer of 2008 saying he would rather sell to a club not in the Champions league.