Broxi1872 183 Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 They were together when both emerged as professional footballers and on Saturday Fernando Torres and Rangers summer signing Juan Manuel Ortiz will meet again.The adaptable Spaniard was Ally McCoist's first purchase as Rangers manager, joining from Almeria who had been relegated from La Liga. The player has featured in all four of the Scottish champions competitive fixtures ahead of their meeting with Chelsea. But it all started at Atletico Madrid.'He is two years older than me and we played together in the Under 18s when I was 16 and he was 18,' recall Torres.'It was a very good year because in Spain the youth league is a district league and in the Madrid district, Real Madrid always won the league. This was the first year in 18 years that Atletico beat Real Madrid and won the league.'We were together in that team and I remember Juanma had a very bad knee injury and he missed half the season. We started to play together in the second half of the season and we won the title. After that we played a tournament of all the Spanish district winners and we lost the final 1-0 against Osasuna, but it was an amazing year and after that I was promoted to the first team and he played for the first team as well.'It was natural that such a good Atletico youth team provided a handful of players who made it to the senior side. Torres was a fixture for six years whereas Ortiz made a just handful of appearances. After loans to other clubs he joined Almeria in 2007.'We were in the same school, we were in the class together, and we were going to training from school so we spent a lot of time together,' Torres adds on their youth team days.'When he played for Atletico in the Under 18s he played as a right-back, and a left-back as well, so he is this kind of player that can play in a lot of positions, even left wing and right wing as well. He can use both feet so he can be a very good squad player.'He is now at a great club in a great league and I am sure he will enjoy it.'Torres has his own recollections of Ibrox, having played an August pre-season game away against Rangers three years ago, Liverpool winning 4-0.'It was one of the last games before the start of the season and I came back from winning the European Championship with Spain,' he says.'I played only the first half as it was my first game after coming back from holidays and I scored one goal. At Liverpool at that time, at half-time if you were coming out of the game you had to train, you had to run around the pitch.'I remember running with Pepe Reina and all the stadium was standing up and clapping us because we had won the European Championship, and it was very impressive. It is not very often out of your country when you win something that you have this reception.' http://www.chelseafc.com/page/LatestNews/0,,10268~2411482,00.html Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watson94 9 Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 'I remember running with Pepe Reina and all the stadium was standing up and clapping us because we had won the European Championship, and it was very impressive. It is not very often out of your country when you win something that you have this reception.'Love it when players talk about Ibrox Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allanger 625 Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 Would love to see Ortiz played in his natural position to get an idea how good he is Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon 1,758 Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 Class act, hopefully he can do well with Chelsea this season. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordo7 147 Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 'I remember running with Pepe Reina and all the stadium was standing up and clapping us because we had won the European Championship, and it was very impressive. It is not very often out of your country when you win something that you have this reception.'Love it when players talk about Ibrox This Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broxi 11,721 Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 good read Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watson94 9 Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 Would love to see Ortiz played in his natural position to get an idea how good he isHe looks quite impressive when he cuts in on his right foot Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan22 0 Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 I would like to see Ortiz at right back rather on the left where he looks out of position. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
delamonty 992 Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 Thanks for posting mate. Nice to see he remembers Ibrox fondly. Class support we have Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie1807 146 Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 Did Fernando Torres say the SPL is a great league?! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Manticore* 1,893 Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 Did Fernando Torres say the SPL is a great league?! Ach he's only played in the EPL and La Liga, what would he know? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck_Fickens 425 Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 Did Fernando Torres say the SPL is a great league?! You implying it's naw? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
beatler24 2 Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 class act. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rangers_1993 68 Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 torres at ibrox tommorow this aint a rumour Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
50ShadesofBlue 667 Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 Lip service. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ManchestGer 347 Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 Torres is class, hope he does well at Chelsea this season Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferdasyn 431 Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 Torres is Juanma favourite players Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clemdog 39,389 Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 Torres is Juanma favourite players :lol: Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
iain88 70 Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 Love it when players speak fondly of Ibrox. Remember Senna speaking about how he was sort of glad when we scored against him a few years ago as he felt the fans "deserved it"? Awesome Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deanow 72 Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 Great club aye Torres your right but ffs great league ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
simplythebest 11,453 Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 Pity he's missing out on the chance to come to Ibrox in a competitive game. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Misteral 2,932 Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 After Wednesday it should be a no- brainer for Ally to start Ortiz at RB today. If he doesn't I'll weep a little. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Jela 20,687 Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 That'll be Torres and Fabregas signing for Rangers soon. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wearethepeople1 3,897 Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 Never mind talking about IbroxOrtiz should be asking Torres how to play football Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueDaughter 172 Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 I would like to see Ortiz at right back rather on the left where he looks out of position.Same - he looks awkward on the left - at least play the guy on his natural side Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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