|
|
 |
 |
|
JERÓNIMO FIGUEROA CABRERA 'MOMO'
Date of Birth: 15 July 1982
Nationality: Spain
Contract: 2004 - 2009
Transfer: Momo was signed, together with Rubén, in a deal clearing the debt Las Palmas had for signing Schürrer in 2000 for ca. €3,6 million.
Previous Clubs: Las Palmas
Buy-out Clause: ?
Height: 184 cm
Weight: 78 kg
Position: Attacking Midfielder (left/centre/right)
|
|
|
The duo signing of Las Palmas winger MOMO and striker Rubén in the summer of 2004 was much talked about. It was an idea of president Lendoiro to take these two talented players out of Las Palmas’ youth ranks. He probably knew beforehand that coach Irureta never had been too fond of inexperienced players. But as a consequence, neither Irureta nor his successor Caparrós made much use of Momo and now, three years later, he might return to the island.
A PEARL FROM THE ISLAND
Momo grew up in the youth ranks of Las Palmas and during the season 2003/2004, when he was still 21-years old, played a fantastic campaign in their first team. Despite that the team dropped down from Segunda A to Segunda B, Momo was one of their main references and played a total of 40 matches (3 goals). As a traditional winger, capable of beating opposing defenders with his skills and speed, it was quickly assumed that he had a great future lying ahead. His nickname ‘Momo’ he already had acquired in his neighbourhood. Momo said about that: “It's just a short version for my name. People in my neighbourhood started calling me like that when we were playing football on the streets, and later in my team. At the end absolutely everybody, even my family. Nobody calls me Jerónimo anymore”.
Mid-2004, Deportivo themselves had a veteran squad but had just played the Semi Finals of the Champions League against FC Porto and finished third in the Primera División. Irureta used either Fran (35) or Luque (26) at the left winger spot, had Amavisca (33) available on the bench and also Pedro Munitis (29) was capable of playing at that side. But Amavisca left the club that summer, Fran announced his retirement after the next season and Albert Luque was wanted by many big European clubs. So, reinforcements at the left wing were very welcome. Momo was an opportunity when Deportivo were negotiating with Las Palmas for the arrival of striker Rubén Castro. There was also talking about Carmelo (21), a technical player capable of playing as second striker or at the right wing and Spanish international in all youth categories. But this deal was never materialized.
MOVE TO DEPORTIVO AND LOAN DEAL WITH ALBACETE
On 10 June 2004 a deal was officially announced between the two clubs which took both Rubén and Momo (he had a contract until June 2005) away from the island in exchange for the debt the island club had with Deportivo for signing Schürrer in 2000 (€3,6 million). Since then, Las Palmas had suffered huge financial problems and Lendoiro had threatened to break off negotiations for Rubén Castro if Momo wasn’t included. Lendoiro also achieved a cooperation with Las Palmas meaning that the Galicians will have some sort of preferred treatment concerning Las Palmas youth players. Sevilla, Osasuna and Mallorca also had shown an interest in signing Momo and the interest of the island club gave Momo’s agent an argument to negotiate with Deportivo. In the end Momo’s contract was reduced from seven years to five years.
On 8 July 2004 both Rubén and Momo were officially presented at the club. Their signings raised expectations among Depor’s supporters because the year before only two goalkeepers (Songo’o and Munúa) and Pedro Munitis (on a free transfer) had arrived at the club, while Donato and Makaay left. But already before the deal with Rubén and Momo was done, there were negotiations about their future on loan at other clubs. Like Albacete, as both players could have been included in a deal for defender Pablo Ibáñez. This deal fell through, and clubs like Málaga, Numancia, Racing, Osasuna, Levante and Mallorca were added to the list of interested clubs. During the pre-season, both players impressed. Rubén with his goals and Momo with his fine performances. But at the end of August it was finally decided that the trio of Rubén, Momo and Jaime Sánchez would play on loan at Primera club Albacete. Irureta decided to stick to the more experienced players, and not to Momo, something which striker Pandiani didn’t understand. He said: “I simply don’t know why Momo was allowed to leave. There have been rumours about Deportivo spending €12 million on D'Alessandro. But that would be crazy because we have Momo. The difference between both players is minimal, only the experience”.
 Momo would play a reasonable season 2004/2005 at Albacete in the Primera División that year. He started 16 Liga matches, played about 43% of the Liga minutes possible and scored one goal. He could not be lined-up against Deportivo though because a clause in his contract forbade this. But in the end his work, like that of Rubén Castro, was enough to convince new coach Joaquin Caparrós. During the pre-season of 2005 both players (like during the season) made enough impression to be included into Depor’s squad. This decision was made early August despite interest of Tenerife in a loan deal. It cannot be denied that for Momo this had much to do with the fact that Fran indeed had finished his career, Amavisca was gone already, Munitis could also be used as a right winger and Albert Luque kept being related to another club. In fact, Luque was finally sold to Newcastle United at the end of the summer which only increased Momo’s chances to play that year. His younger brother, ‘Pelu’ (18), also became related to Deportivo.
2005/2006: A YEAR ON DEPOR'S BENCH
Caparrós brought Momo in two Liga matches at the start of the season 2005/2006: at Mallorca (1-0 win and replacing Iván Carril) and at Valencia (2-2 draw replacing Valerón). Then bad luck struck as he suffered an important knee injury after the match at Valencia. Momo was diagnosed to be sidelined for about six weeks. In the end it took twelve weeks before Momo returned to the Primera División. That period had been extended because Deportivo were doing well without him with Iván Carril and Pedro Munitis at the left wing. As a consequence, at the end of 2005 he only had 80 minutes of Liga experience behind his name in three substitute appearances. Again rumours came up about clubs wanting Momo on loan, like Las Palmas and Málaga. The situation became more critical for Momo when early January striker Arizmendi was signed and one player had to make way. The choice fell on Momo, as described by Caparrós: "Momo is a young kid that has a lot of years in his contract. Right now we are interested in his progress and for that reason we want to see him competing. He will be sent on a loan spell, but of course he will return at the end of the season”. The list of interested clubs was extended with Gimnastic, Tenerife, Elche, Real Murcia, Levante and Castellón. Until the saying ‘one's pain another's gain’ could be applied: defender Pablo Amo was loaned out to Valladolid. This is how Momo stayed at Deportivo.
Without much improvement though. His fourth Liga entry as a substitute occurred on 2 April 2006 during a 2-0 home win against Racing de Santander. But Momo still appreciated it: “For a player like me, who isn't participating much in the matches, those ten minutes are worth a lot. It felt good. And it's always important to help the squad. You have to take advantage of those minutes and make a good impression. You have to try and demonstrate what you can do”. Only at the final Liga match of the season Momo reappeared, this time as a starter in the away match at Alavés. The 1-0 loss in that match meant that the Galicians even were without Intertoto football after a promising start of the season.
After just 154 minutes in the shirt of Deportivo, in two seasons since his signing in 2004, Momo had realized that the club nor coach Caparrós counted on him: “Everybody had their chance, but I didn’t get to show my capabilities. I arrived the first year with hope and people treated me really well, but they weren't able to see me play a complete game, so they couldn’t judge me. I haven’t lost hope though, and my ambitions are still intact. I want to recover my confidence”. But at the same time Momo was realistic: “My contract at Deportivo means a lot to me. It's just that it hasn't been what I was expecting. In fact, I would love to complete the three years stipulated in my contract. But if the club isn't happy with me, they just have to tell me and it won't be a problem”.
 Another loan out it would be. For the attacking spots in the centre and left side of midfield, Deportivo already had Arizmendi, Iago and Valerón available and signed Riki, Cristián, Estoyanoff, Verdú and Luis Filipe. Momo was named as possible part of a transfer taking Málaga defender Alexis to Deportivo, but that proposal was rejected. Clubs like Gimnástic, Castellón, Tenerife, Vecindario, Levante, Mallorca, Málaga, Las Palmas and Murcia then showed an interest. Momo’s preference was a return to Las Palmas, but Deportivo president Lendoiro rejected this because he wanted Momo at the highest level in Spain. Early August a deal was struck with Racing de Santander, which saw goalkeeper Aouate going to La Coruña, Deportivo acquiring rights of midfielder Antonio Tomás, Munitis going to Santander on a permanent basis and Momo and Rubén on loan. It caused a small incident though, when coach Caparrós assumed he would have a normal squad to work with when the season started, but several of the rejected players (like Momo and Rubén) still appeared at the first training session.
NO PLAYING TIME AT RACING DE SANTANDER
But neither during the season 2006/2007 did Momo enjoy enough minutes to make a breakthrough at the highest level. He played just 106 minutes in the first four months of the season. When Racing played in Riazor, and like the year before Momo and Rubén were denied to play, Momo was asked by a reporter if he felt sorry for leaving Depor since he wasn't playing in the Cantabrian team either. His answer was: "No. I had to leave Deportivo, because there was a chance to play there last season and I didn't do it. So the best thing was to leave, although I am not happy either with my current situation in Racing”. Momo started just one match that season: at home against Real Sociedad (1-0) on 14 January 2007. Those weeks Deportivo were condemned by a Spanish court to pay another €600.000 to Las Palmas for the transfer of Momo and Rubén, after a legal dispute with the island club. On the pitch, Momo reached a total of six more substitute entries making it 258 minutes in total. Combined with the 154 minutes of the year before, Momo had played about 4,5 times 90 minutes in two full seasons at Deportivo and Racing de Santander. For the season 2007/2008 a player like Guardado is already signed and Iván Carril returns from his loan spell at Palencia. Although Momo started Depor’s season on 16 July at Vilalba, it’s very unlikely that he’ll be part of the squad for next year.
What could Momo lack to survive in the Primera División? First of all, physical strength. Despite his length, Momo doesn’t appear to be strong enough. This is also one of the causes why he lacks sufficient defensive capacities. Overall, his three seasons at the highest level at clubs like Albacete, Deportivo and Racing de Santander weren’t convincing. At Racing and Deportivo he started just one Liga match each. And not even at Albacete, who would finish bottom in the season 2004/2005, did he start more than half of the Liga matches possible. Playing at a small Primera club or in the Segunda División seems his destination for next year, but certainly not at Deportivo. He ‘survived’ one pre-season at the club, but not two others, and this time will be loaned out again or even sold. Las Palmas has, again, been mentioned as his destination. But’s it’s questionable if they can afford Momo’s salary.
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
