un club, una pasión

I'm sorry if this is a stupid question (or a bad one to ask in what's obviously a emotionally draining time), but I didn't become a proper RM fan until after the 2010 WC, so I don't have a lot of experience with players of Iker's status leaving the team... I know a lot of legends (esp. canteranos) have had shady/shameful exits on the part of the administration, but how does Iker's leave compare to some of the past exits (Raul, Hierro, etc)?

It’s not a stupid question at all anon, and I answer anything I can so dw about that! But in terms of how Iker’s leave compares to others, it’s a little hard to say bc they have all left under different circumstances and their treatment has been a bit different too. 

Hierro’s departure probs most resembles Iker’s (to an extent). But unlike with Iker, Hierro was at the end of his contract and was promised another two seasons (along with Del Bosque getting one). After the disastrous La Liga celebrations (and the infamous dinner @Txistu) Perez rescinded the extension of his contract and fired Del Bosque as well (for not “controlling” the players). Also although the club had axed Hierro, Perez wasn’t quite as crafty imo as he is now in undermining his own players and especially captains. 

With Iker it’s not just that he’s leaving, if only it was just that it would be less shameful. It’s the fact that the club stood by silently while one of their own was mistreated and trashed by the press, by a coach, by the president and a certain subset of fans for years. That for me is the unforgivable part. I’m not sad Iker is leaving, I’m sad because of why he is leaving. This is not a goalkeeper at the end of his illustrious career bowing out, but one of our own being pushed out by a man whose ideas of RM have caused so much harm and damage to a club I adore. Perez publicly says he wants Iker to stay, and then uses the press to manipulate him into moving and making it seem like he’s the good guy. You can miss with that bullshit, and the rumored “farewell event” Marca are reporting is happening this Friday. The time for the club to honor Iker was over the past three years. This “farewell”  is just insulting. 

At the same time I’m not going to ask Iker to stay and work in a toxic environment for “loyalty” sake. Iker has proven his love and support for the club and anyone who doesn’t see that doesn’t understand RM. Bc none of us we’re raised in the values of RM that Iker was, he was literally brought up from childhood with legends like Del Bosque who taught him what this club means. This is why Iker’s departure is so much worse, it’s everything that I hate Perez has made this club about and allowed.