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[kaylmurray]

BELOW IS A TRANSLATION OF AN INTERVIEW I CARRIED OUT IN SPANISH WITH  http://madridistareal.com

THE ORIGINAL VERSION OF THE INTERVIEW IS THE POST PREVIOUS TO THIS ONE.

Tell us a little about your new adventure in Miami.

I came to Miami from Spain to work for beINSPORTSUSA 5 years ago. I came to take on a new challenge and to helpwith the growth of LaLiga in the USA. The channel also has the rights to Serie A, Ligue 1 and many other sports.

Madridismo remembers you as one of the well-known faces from the international version of Real Madrid TV. How do you remember this time?

It was one of the best experiences of my life, I lived there for 6 years. Everything changed for me, not only in my professional life, but on a personal level too.

With Real Madrid, I travelled to many places around the world and I experienced some very special things.

My first season was the “Juntos Podemos” **  and my last season was the final season of Mourinho.

I missed the tenth, eleventh and twelfth Champions League wins but I was there for three Liga title wins, a Copa del Rey, Cristiano’s arrival, the return of Florentino Perez and the final year of Beckham, Roberto Carlos and Ronaldo. It wasn’t such a bad era.

**Juntos Podemos “Together We Can’ was basically a promotional campaign from the local media the club and the fans to urge everyone to unite in the final stages of the season to garner the belief that Real Madrid could beat Barcelona (and Sevilla) to the league title. Real Madrid won the title on the final day of the season. Real Madrid finished level on points with Barcelona but had a better head to head record (2-0 at Bernabeu and 3-3 at Camp Nou).

How does a girl from Middlesbrough end up at the Santiago Bernabeu?

I started my career on Boro TV, the official club channel of my hometown team, Middlesbrough.

After that I studied journalism and during my studies, I saw a casting for the international version of RMTV, which back then was a new project. I screen-tested but I didn’t get the job. A year later, another position became available and this time, I did get it!

Were you already a Madrid fan before you worked at RMTV or did you become a Madrid fan during your time in Madrid?

Before working at RMTV, I wasn’t really a Madrid fan but I remember reading the press when Beckham was going to leave Manchester United and back then, no one was sure whether he’d go to Madrid or Barcelona, and I remember thinking, ‘It has to be Madrid,’ and I don’t know why I thought that.

At that time, I had no idea that one day I would be working at RMTV. But it was impossible not to fall in love with the team after a season like that of 06/07.

What was it like for you as a club insider to experience those team triumphs?

Incredible and unforgettable! I have wonderful memories. Memories like running onto the pitch in Pamplona to interview the players after winning Liga number 31, with security guards chasing me! Celebrating in the mixed zone with the players while they sprayed champagne all the journalists with champagne. I returned to Madrid that night (on a bus)  with my friends from “Cinco Estrellas” (one of the well-known Madrid fan clubs).

The journeys back on the team plane after a victory were always a lot of fun too. The memories of the parties with my colleagues in Madrid and Valencia after winning a league or a Copa will also live with me forever.

During the 7 seasons you spent with RMTV, you shared some special times with players an coaches from the first team. Do you have any interesting anecdotes you can tell us?

Many! There were times when some of the Spanish players had to speak in English for promotional campaigns or video messages. It was always fun to teach them to speak English. On the away trips, the players were always telling jokes between themselves and my colleagues at RMTV. I even remember Cristiano putting on the Manchester accent, which made me laugh!

The worst memories were in my first few months in Valdebebas (Real Madrid’s training ground), where Cassano would try and strike the football at me. Back then I didn’t know a lot of Spanish and I didn’t know how to ask him to stop doing it! But guess what? He missed me everytime!

Who is the player or manager you had the best professional/working relationship with?

I’m clear on this one - Ruud Van Nistelrooy. We arrived at the club in the same season, he spoke English and he always had time (he was very kind) for the international version and for our families and friends.

Once Mourinho came in, the Spanish press were at first very belligerent. What do you think this animosity was down to in the pressrooms?

Perhaps it’s because his style as a manager was very different and they weren’t used to a manager like him, especially because the access to the players had been very easy before his arrival. I had never seen journalists with such free access to the players like I had in Spain. But Mou’s mentality to convert the training ground into a “bunker” didn’t go down well.

I know that Mourinho’s era didn’t end well and that there are many people who speak negatively of it, but it’s also worth remembering that he also changed a lot of important things, like the mentality of the team to believe that they were capable of competing with Pep’s Barcelona and he also brought an end to the curse of the Last 16 in the Champions League. *

* For six straight seasons, Madrid did not get past the Last 16 of the tournament.

What’s your opinion of Mourinho of a manager? What was it like to work with him? And with Cristiano Ronaldo?

At first, it was very easy to work with Mourinho, he was very kind with everyone working in and around the club, including those of us from the official channel. In his last season, it was a little different, due to the atmosphere surrounding the club.

I only have good memories of Cristiano. Never in my life had I seen so many people demanding the attention of one single person. But despite this, he was always very kind to us, speaking in English and even on the days when he didn’t have time to speak with us in the mixed zone, he would always say: “I’m sorry! Not today but for sure we can do it next week!”

You presented the Ballon D’Or twice. Was that a lot of pressure?

A lot of pressure, but a huge honour too, one of the biggest honours of my professional life. However, it’s better for Cristiano that I’m not the one presenting the Ballon D’Or because on the two occasions that I did, Messi won! In my defense, I will say that I was the presenter on the ‘Green Carpet’ for the FIFA THE BEST awards last year and Cristiano won, so I’m not the jinx anymore!

I was asked before the second-leg semi about Bayern as a rival.

It won’t be easy, but the Champions League for Madrid is like spinach to Popeye….it makes them stronger!

Do you think Madrid have the chance to win their third consecutive Champions League this season? What percentage? Knock yourself out!

Of course I think there’s a chance but I don’t want to tempt fate. I’ve seen so many strange and unexpected things this season that you never know. Anything can happen!

Recently, Real Madrid have started to find their stride. There are players like Marco Asensio, Lucas Vazquez and Mateo Kovacic, who began as fringe players/subs and are now taking important steps forward in recent months. What quality would you highlight for each one of them?

I’m a big fan of the three…and who said that Real Madrid did not have a Plan B?!

MARCO - A golden left-foot

His confidence is not for nothing. It’s because he knows better than anyone else just what he is capable of.

LUCAS -  Very, very dependable.

The fact that he asked to take the penalty in the shootout in the second final against Atleti and also that he was the first to take it - and scored,  tells you everything.

MATEO - His through-balls. For me, he’s very underrated.

Has the fact that you’re a female sports journalist specializing in football presented any kind of handicap for you. Throughout your career, have you had to prove yourself more than a male in your profession might have to?

Sometimes, but a lot less these days. Spain gave me more opportunities as a female in football than my own country did. I am eternally grateful for that.

Finally! Do you miss living in Madrid?

Very much so! And even more so recently because over here everybody’s obsessed with “Money Heist” (a Spanish show, based in Madrid, on Netflix) and when I see Madrid and hear the accent, it makes me really want to return! I’ve always felt at home in Madrid. I’ve been back a few times in the last few years and I am going to keep on doing so.

Thanks for your time, Kay.

Thank you to all of you.

[kaylmurray]

Watch the latest The Locker Room (in full) here. 

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Our podcast is back for another season. You can listen by clicking on the link posted here. All reviews on iTunes are most welcome. Thanks for your time!

[kaylmurray]

  I’m proud to be part of MFC Foundation’s campaign for International Women’s Day, #BoroMakesMe, which aims to send a positive message to the young women growing up in Teesside right now, following on from charity Plan International UK last year publishing a report stating that Middlesbrough was one of the worst places in the UK for young girls to grow up.

For the full video of all those involved in this important campaign, check out MFCF’s Facebook Page. Link here: https://www.facebook.com/mfcfoundation/

WE had 15 seconds or so to get our message across, but as usual I had a lot more to say! That’s why I’ve used this post to add a few more words on what is an important message.

BORO MAKES ME JUST LIKE ALL OF YOU GIRLS GROWING UP IN MY BELOVED HOMETOWN RIGHT NOW. MADE OF STEEL, RESILIENT, DETERMINED, STRONG, PROUD OF WHERE I’M FROM AND AWARE THAT THERE’S NOTHING I CAN’T ACHIEVE IF I SET MY MIND TO IT.

IT HAS GIVEN ME AN IDENTITY AND A SENSE OF WHO I AM - A WOMAN WHO KNOWS THAT THINGS IN LIFE DON’T ALWAYS COME EASY AND THAT THINGS AREN’T ALWAYS ROSY.

BUT I’VE FOUND THAT THE OBSTACLES I’VE ENCOUNTERED ALONG THE WAY WERE NOT SO DIFFERENT FROM THOSE ENCOUNTERED BY THE WOMEN I HAVE MET FROM OTHER TOWNS AND OTHER CITIES AND OTHER COUNTRIES AND EVEN OTHER CONTINENTS.

I’M SO PROUD TO BE FROM MIDDLESBROUGH. I KNOW THERE’S NO SITUATION OR HARDSHIP THAT I CAN’T GET THROUGH.  THAT’S A BIT OF BORO RESILIENCE, YOU SEE!

IF MEDIA REPORTS PAINT A PICTURE WE DON’T LIKE , WHETHER THERE ARE TRUTH IN THOSE REPORTS OR NOT - WE CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. WE CAN HELP, WE CAN RESPOND AND WE CAN OVERCOME THEM. FROM HERE, FROM THERE, FROM WHEREVER WE ARE. BECAUSE SOMEHOW BORO GETS EVERYWHERE!

THERE’S NOTHING WE CAN’T ACHIEVE IF WE SET OUR MINDS TO IT. SO, BE PROUD OF WHERE YOU’RE FROM. IT IS WHO YOU ARE AND IT WILL HELP DETERMINE WHO YOU WILL BECOME.

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY TO ALL THE BORO LASSES OUT THERE.