A quick query on the renewal of a certain Mexican’s contract.

By: Joan | November 17th, 2009

An old Mexican man, worn from years of work and the testing weight of life, once told me as I stood in (for the night) the oddly contemplative McDonalds, waiting for possibly the most time-consuming six pack of McNuggets I’d ever ordered: “The broken man comes back strong and desperate, the gently caressed comes back when he feel it’s safe to do so”

Now what could that possibly have in it that’s relevant to Rafael Marquez?

Nothing. I made it up. I just needed a way to segue into the issue of his contract renewal without being overly harsh. I dig Marquez, for a couple of reasons: he’s one of the better long-range passers in the game, he’s tough, he has a breathtaking head of hair (deceptively important), he reminds me of Adrian Grenier (also more important than you might believe), and he’s been one of the long-serving members of the club to good effort and ability. In short, the man did his job and did it well, one or two seasons notwithstanding.

Recently, there’s been a fair bit of murmur surrounding his contract renewal and how it is, according to Marquez, a matter of ‘finding a time’ to sign it. Given his track record as a winner of nine trophies since his arrival from Monaco in 2003 – suggesting, albeit immaturely, that you could argue Barcelona’s recent success could be entirely attributed to the Entourage star look-a-like. I personally suggest you try arguing this point on message boards around the internet, but please be so courteous as to link me when you do. I’m always looking for a hearty laugh.

Should Barcelona be renewing his contract? Let’s see:

• Other central defenders at the club: the mountain that is Puyol; the slightly better looking mountain that is Piqué; the Riddler, wearing a suit adorned with question marks, Chygrynskiy; the ever-maligned Milito; and in reserve, Fontás and Muniesa – two men we all have high hopes for. Come the end of this season, Marquez might also find himself battling with Henríque for a spot in the starting eleven. That’s not even (until now, pedants) highlighting the on-loan Cacéres, who none of us believe will return.
• Though stalwart in his appearances last season, Marquez has been prone to more than the occasional error, even in good form. His gaff of Super Clasico proportions last season might have been deathly had Valdés not done his “I’m underrated, watch this!” dance and shattered Drenthe’s confidence. The season before that he was unbelievably poor, though largely attributed to personal issues, and this season he has been less than stellar but injured much of the time. So maybe I’m being a cruel bastard. If so, forgive me: years of listening to Morrissey tell me that life is miserable has paid its toll on my fragile gate.
• He’ll be 31 at season’s end. His injuries will carry on snickering maliciously from behind his knee-caps, and Barcelona will sigh every time they go into another heavy-weight fixture with Guardiola slinking into the dressing room, looking at Touré and saying, “So, how about it?”

I mean, ~~GeeWiz~~! There’s definitely a case against a contract renewal. On the other gloved, rhinestone coated hand, there is this:

• Marquez, as I’ve said for years, “Brings the fucking game.” He’s tough. He’s an art form of nails coated in nitroglycerin who fights rabid pitbulls every morning just to snare enough meat for breakfast. When opponents begin to get grade-school bullyish on Barcelona, Marquez is never far from a crunching “Send him off, ref!” tackle to set the record straight, “This is Barcelona, and we don’t take your shit.”
• He is quality, and has been for six years. I can’t properly describe the sordid pleasure I derive from his on point cross-field passes, flicking his famously slicked hair as he does it, before back-stepping into the center of defense again, nonchalant-as-you-please.
• Versatile. He can play as a defensive midfielder, and can play it well. See his time as a makeshift libero for Mexico at the last World Cup. Stunning play all around.

(Woo-hoo! Tasty compilation for the undecided, coupled with gravelly rock star screaming and thrashing guitars to sway your opinion – as any good compilation ignoring the blurst of times should)