Overpaid beach boys or would-be conquerers of Spain and Europe?

The last 18 months are what has been clichéd as a ‘rollercoaster’ period for the once stable and unspectacular club of Malaga.

A takeover in the summer of 2010 saw the sleepy perennial relegation candidates given a bucketful of Middle-Eastern cash, with expectation levels naturally rising as a result.

However, the 2010/11 campaign was nothing for the English emigrants who make up a fair portion of the crowd to write home about. They maintained their status as relegation candidates, spending the first half of the season entrenched in the drop zone, as pressure mounted upon manager Manuel Pellegrini.

They found big name signings hard to come by that summer, as relegation candidates struggle to attract players of real quality, regardless of how much money they are prepared to throw at them.

A January splurge on veterans, all be it talented players, saw them preserve their Primera Liga status, as they ended up finishing in a healthy 11^th place in the table. Julio Baptista proved a dynamic force up front to compliment the lively Salomon Rondon, whilst Martin Demichelis brought a bit of leadership at the back.

They were never signings for the long haul, but even if those six months prove to be the only real contribution these players make to the club, then they will have been worth the expense it took to compliment their bulky salaries, brought in from European heavyweights Roma and Bayern Munich.

Now, after a season of setting themselves up for a brighter future, there were high hopes for Malaga. The whole country sat up and took notice of the Andalusian side, as they brought the chequebook off the beach and into the boardroom, to build a side worthy of challenging for a position higher up the table.

However, there are always issues when a club with no history of success comes across a pot of gold, and it’s hard to distinguish between those players genuinely intrigued by the challenge of making history, and those along for a comfortable pay check.

Having done the business in their first six months with the club, the likes of Baptista and Demichelis have shown why they were surplus to requirements at their previous big clubs. Baptista has reverted to type, picking up a regular string of injuries meaning he has spent as much time in the treatment room, than on the pitch itself.

Demichelis, having brought stability and leadership in the first few months of his spell at La Rosaleda, has become an incompetent all of a sudden, looking completely off the pace of the game and seemingly lacking any real interest in changing that, having already sealed that permanent deal, which can see him frequent the beaches and nightclubs that Malaga offers and still earn a hefty wage.

Some summer signings could have that accusation thrown at them as well. Ruud Van Nistelrooy is clearly not the player he once was, as injuries have taken the toll on his game. One goal in the opening 13 games of his Malaga career are not stats that compare with his time in Holland, Manchester United or at Real Madrid, and it would suggest he was targeted on name alone after a difficult spell in Germany with Hamburg.

Joris Mathijsen has struggled to adapt to the Spanish game, whilst the same could be said of Jeremy Toulalan, of whom Malaga broke their transfer record for the first time for this summer.

Joaquin has maintained the same form that has been the norm since leaving Real Betis in 2006. It’s clear to everyone that he has the talent, but continually flatters to deceive, which Valencia can at least console themselves that it wasn’t anything personal.

On the other hand, it would be remiss of me to dismiss Malaga’s season so far as a disappointment, as Los Boquerones (The Anchovies) sit in fifth position, one that the club could only have dreamed of only two years ago.

This achievement is belittled slightly by the fact that they sit below penniless Levante, whilst Osasuna sit in seventh despite not spending an awful lot either. But it is still a vast improvement on recent seasons, yet they missed an opportunity early in the season to sit top of the table for the first time in their 63 year history.

Whilst I have been critical of some summer signings, some have impressed. Santi Cazorla has been instrumental in all good things that have happened this season, although this should be expected of a player that cost in excess of €20million. His clever footwork, eye for a pass and free-kick taking ability are second to none and is arguably worth every penny shelled out for his services.

Elsewhere on the pitch, Nacho Monreal has been steady at left-back since his less-heralded move from Osasuna, whilst Isco has been a surprise success after leaving Valencia after just a handful of appearances.

It’s just hard to know where to stand with Malaga, whether to applaud the emergence of a new contender for the Champions League places after years of struggles, or to criticise the fact that they are not doing better after spending more money than Real Madrid and Barcelona this summer.

One thing is for sure, La Primera is on alert of their presence now. It remains to be seen how far they can go this season, but they will continue to be a fascinating story in Spain to keep an eye on. Because they’re coming to Europe soon and they will make you take notice if you haven’t already.