ALAN PATTULLO
JAVIER Artero, Dundee’s Spanish winger, will today announce his retirement from football at the age of 27, having failed in a brave bid to beat the debilitating disease multiple sclerosis. At a press conference called by the player and due to be held at Dens Park this morning, Artero will explain the reasons why his comeback has been thwarted at so premature a stage.
First diagnosed in July last year after complaining of nausea and dizziness, the popular Artero brings to an end a Dundee career spanning two-and-a-half years. "Out of respect for the player, we will not be commenting on this until the press conference," a club spokesman said yesterday, in the run-up to what will be an emotional Dundee derby at Tannadice this weekend.
It was in the days prior to last term’s corresponding fixture that he first fell ill, and a whole city will weep for a player who is a much-loved citizen.
He received more than 1,500 cards when first diagnosed at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, and sent a letter of his own back to Scottish football from Spain, where he spent time recovering at home with his family.
"It is hard to write a letter like this, a letter to include everyone, saying all the things I must say," he wrote. He tried anyway, and, heartbreakingly, will this morning once again attempt to articulate the pain of having not only a profession but also a love seized by this insidious and unpredictable disease.
He elected to forego his honeymoon to return to training with Dundee in preparation for these high summer European games
Believed to be suffering from a "mild form" of multiple sclerosis, a disease which attacks the nervous system and comes in many disguises and many strains, Artero sought to return to the Dundee first team as soon as possible. Until he did, team-mate Beto Carranza vowed to wear the Spaniard’s No 18 jersey beneath his own during games.
In one of the stories of last season, Artero announced himself available for selection again as early as November. Even his planned comeback against, predictably, Dundee United was aborted due to ill-fortune. With Artero primed to enter the field as a second-half substitute, Fan Zhiyi was sent off, forcing manager Ivano Bonetti to send on a defender instead. The thrill of being involved and back, however briefly, in a dark blue shirt was enough to sustain him for a further week, however.
"I had a very bad couple of months before I started training again, but to be back in the squad trying to play is a wonderful thing for me," he said afterwards, as ever refusing the opportunity to betray any signs of bitterness.
The next week he finally made it onto the park against Hearts as substitute, in a moment to melt away every football fan’s cynicism. In truth, however, it was clear that Artero was not the dashing winger he was before the illness.
Still a force, still a danger, the confidence he displayed when taking on a series of defenders no longer seemed present in the same abundance.
Bonetti could not be accused of being measly with the chances offered Artero. The player appeared 26 times in a Dundee jersey last season, including both legs of an Intertoto Cup tie against Sartid before his illness became apparent. In another measure of the player, he elected to forego his honeymoon to return to training with Dundee in preparation for these high summer European games, having only just married actress fiancée Debora.
The Dundee fans acknowledged such dedication, the JMB Dark Blues supporters’ club naming him their ‘personality of the year’ last term. Better still, they gave the former Real Madrid player - he made one appearance for the first team - and boyhood fan of the club a pair of tickets for May’s Champions League final against Bayer Leverkusen at Hampden.
Little would he know when flying back to Dens Park to receive such precious gifts, but he had already made his last competitive appearance for Dundee. This came in another derby against Dundee United at the tail-end of last season.
One imagines that, for Artero, watching Morten Wieghorst run out onto the Hampden pitch for Denmark against Scotland last week, looking lean and healthy, will have caused delight but also some envy to stir in his heart. Wieghorst, struck down by the potentially deadly Guillain-Barre Syndrome two years ago, has made a full recovery, returning not only to club but also international football.
Artero’s other main point of reference during the past year has been Brian Irvine. The former Aberdeen defender, who also enjoyed a successful spell with Dundee, was diagnosed as suffering from multiple sclerosis seven years ago. Irvine has kept in regular contact with the Spaniard, and was one of the first to visit him at Ninewells last summer. Irvine, understandably, did not wish to talk about his friend yesterday, preferring to wait until Artero had spoken. Irvine returned to football after his own diagnosis, and is now playing for Ross County, although the 37-year-old has recently announced that this season will be his last.
He has at least been allowed the blessing of halting his career on his own terms, something not afforded Artero. The Spaniard should have been reaching the peak of his career, and anyone who recalls his performances during Bonetti’s first year at the club, when he acted as foil to Claudio Caniggia, can say they were honoured.
Certainly the Dundee fans felt a kinship with the player, who actually arrived in Jocky Scott’s time at the club and made an impact with a rampaging performance in a 3-0 derby victory against Dundee United.
He was immediately bestowed with a nickname, the ultimate accolade at a football club. "Harry" they called him, the Scottish version of Javier. He will remain in the hearts of Dundee fans, and in the record books too: signed for £300,000 from Argentine club San Lorenzo, he remains Dundee’s record purchase. Not a penny of it was wasted on the Spanish gentleman of Scottish football.
Thurday, 29th August 2002 Scotsman