Hopes and wishes for this incredible city

Hopes and wishes for this incredible city

After 17 columns, I feel it’s time to take a break from my blog. I am grateful to the team at El Español for asking me to contribute to their opinions section. I have enjoyed it and am grateful for all your positive feedback over the last six months or so.

In my final column I would like to talk about the hopes I have for Málaga and its people. I am not going to be political, as being a guiri in this city this would be fatal.

I have to start with Málaga CF. Today is another pivotal day in this endless season and despite three wins in the last four games, we are still favourites to get relegated at the end of this season. The incredible support the team has been getting from the supporters over the last few months has helped the team and lifted the spirit amongst Malaguistas. We might have to win all remaining games of the season and if in the end it isn’t enough, the devastation amongst the support will be huge and the consequences immeasurable. 

I hope that one day this club will be owned and managed by people who care about the football club and the community and who understand the importance of the football club in a city and are not just involved to raise their personal profile. I strongly believe, that one day Málaga CF will be the most popular football club in this city, if it can link the proud identity of the people of the city with the club’s purpose and philosophy. 

I hope that Málaga will develop into a city that benefits all citizens. Sensible town planning, further investment to improve infrastructure and facilities. There are a lot of issues to tackle. 

I hope and this comes from the heart as a foreigner living in your city, that Málaga will not become a place, where generalization and prejudice damages the relationship between locals and visitors. The vast majority of people who visit the city are very well behaved, respectful and leave your city having fallen in love with Málaga. There are many issues to address and to regulate going forward, but putting the blame on the people visiting this city is counterproductive and not addressing the core of the problem.

And finally, be proud of your city. Embrace and enjoy the good things, there are so many, but also point out the things that are not right and can be improved. You are incredible people in a very special city.