CD Tenerife Visit the Virgen de Candelaria

Football results in Tenerife are not merely left to fancy footwork, nor even luck. Much higher powers are invoked, because the CD Tenerife team have a tradition of visiting the Patrona of the Canary Islands, the Virgen de Candelaria, as part of their pre-season preparations.

The team made their annual expedition to Candelaria on Tuesday. They were received by Father Mendoza and, after making a floral offering, a few words were had in private with the captains and they signed the Book of Honour.

CD Tenerife president, Miguel Concepción, said "We've asked the Virgin to help us and bring us luck, although the rest we have to do ourselves." (Though, with so many seasons in the Segunda Division (Second Division) now, one might begin to wonder if the Virgin has become a Las Palmas supporter!)

The latest of the team's flurry of new signings for this season, most of whom are on loan, is Wolves Flop Thomasz Frankowski. Glenn Hoddle had high hopes for the £1.4M Polish International last season, but the "Goal Machine" failed to score. Let's hope the weather agrees with him here in Tenerife!

Tenerife play their first match of the season, today or maybe tomorrow (Marca says 27th, El Dia says tonight at 21:00 - they don't say if that is Spanish or Canarian time), away at Almería. Gran Canaria born player, Pablo Sicilia, on loan from Atlético Madrid, says that "the team has worked well and is prepared".

To keep up to date with CD Tenerife news, in English, visit the English Speaking supporters club, Armada Sur, in south Tenerife's website.