The 1992-93 season proved to be a huge setback for Los Amarillos, with their relegation to the Segunda División after seven years in the top flight of Spanish football, and there were a number of factors that led to the side dropping down a division.
But the most important, perhaps, was that Cádiz CF, by changing its legal form and becoming a Public Limited Sports Company (known in Spain as a Sociedad Anónima Deportiva), was forced to make major spending cuts on first-team players. The biggest impact of this was felt in goal, with the contracts of the club’s two top goalkeepers - the Hungarian international Josef Szendrei, and the Mallorcan goalkeeper José Ramón Bermell - coming to an end. Both were offered a deal to continue at Cádiz by President Irigoyen, but earning far less, and Bermell departed to sign for Real Zaragoza. The replacements that came in were the Argentine Tubo Fernández and the Croatian Zoran Varvodic.
At the end of July 1993, the then technical secretary, Hugo Vaca, was working to find the necessary players to build a squad to challenge for promotion from the second division. The goalkeeper was one of the positions that had Vaca most concerned, and he wanted to reach an agreement with Varvodic to terminate his contract. Given the situation, the transfer rumour mill was rife with stories linking the great Mallorcan stopper, Bermell, with a return to the club.
On the morning of Friday 20 August, the rumours grew even stronger. Bermell and Vaca had a meeting and were seen together at the Estadio Carranza, making it even clearer that the club had an interest in bringing back the man who had proven during his previous time in Cádiz to be a fine professional and a top-notch goalkeeper. The major stumbling block was in reaching a financial agreement, with Bermell having requested nine million pesetas (approximately €54,000).
The goalkeeper was excited about the idea of returning: “Naturally, I would like to play for Cádiz CF again. I am 31 years old and I still have a few seasons left in me in the game. I'd settle for three more seasons, but it's not something I'm obsessed about either. If I have to retire now, I’m not going to overreact. What I am clear about is that if the Cádiz thing doesn’t materialise, it’s not the case that I would accept any offer that is out there for me. Fortunately, my future is pretty much sorted, because I’ve got the option of working in a law firm that a relative of mine has in Palma de Mallorca, where I’m doing some things.”
On Wednesday 1 September, Bermell, who was still in Cádiz awaiting a response to his demands, bumped into Manolo Peña, the striker that Cádiz had signed from Real Zaragoza just a few days earlier, at the Husa Puertatierra hotel. Despite media reports that Cádiz CF SAD was interested in a potential
loan deal for the CA Osasuna goalkeeper, Unanua, their coach Zabalza decided the stopper was in his plans, and again talk of the return for Bermell grew louder. Finally, however, on Friday 3 September, Varvodic's replacement would prove to be someone else, the Basque goalkeeper Yosu, who would sign for one season with an option of another.
The dream of many Cadistas of once again seeing the great goalkeeper Bermell between the sticks faded away. The financial situation took precedence and his absence was keenly felt as evidenced by the goalkeeping performances, which unfortunately led to yet another relegation, this time far more serious, down to the third tier, and the Segunda División B.
HISTORICAL NOTES_ by Francisco Rodríguez, Cádiz CF historian