Florentino Perez could face presidency threat from ex-players
Florentino Perez celebrates his thirteenth season as Real Madrid president with more negatives than positives on the sports side of things and more positives than negatives economically. His second spell at the club - the first was from 2000 to 2006 and this one began in June 2009 - gives the fans a lot of doubt, for their lurches between projects and loss of image for a club which considers itself exemplary, and values that have been lost over the years. A Madrid president every day more shielded in his economic success, suffering on the sports side without the support of professionals to guide the club's destiny.
The latter symptoms do not favor the president, who has heard chants of "Florentino resign!" at the Santiago Bernabeu in the last two home games. Chants that indicate that something is changing and a new front may be preparing to run for presidency in the elections in 2017.
The saber rattling started when various sectors of Real Madrid unsuccessfully tried to change a rule that means only multimillionaires may run for president. A law change propelled by Florentino Perez in 2012 limits access to the presidency just to the very rich, but according to 'Soy Madridista' a candidacy composed of former players could be brewing, including Manolo Sanchis and Fernando Hierro as figure-heads, that would project a structure similar to the one that Bayern Munich enjoys. Members on one side and a company led by former players to be responsible for the business management.
The platform could see Raul Gonzalez Blanco added, whose intention is to continue living in New York for family reasons and return to Spain in 2017, for the presidential elections. Florentino is no stranger to the idea of this movement, which is headed by two former players and could be strengthened with the addition of Raul. The three left Madrid while Florentino was in charge. With Hierro it finished badly, relations are cold with Sanchis and Raul only recognised Perez after leaving for the Bundesliga. Something similar to Casillas, whose exit was not proportional for all he did for the club.
