theLife rarely forgets to give second chances. And if it is not a debt contracted by fate, then The value of a job well done It ends up bringing a reward that the person receiving it can’t even imagine, either with the appreciation of those who have surrounded you on your professional path, or with a new opportunity that you didn’t even expect, that surprises you, like if it wasn’t with you. “Before signing for Sevilla, two or three weeks ago, he and I spoke, as we always do, once a month, more or less. He told me that training this season had been a huge failure and that he was already focused on the summer and we’ll see what was going on,” this What Marko Dmitrovich reveals about his new coach, Jose Luis Mendelbarwith whom he spent four years at Eibar. “Life and football gave him a chance at Seville”, it states. Zaldvar is back in style. And every coach’s dream will come true: He leads his team at Old Trafford.
One of the great opportunities in his career has come in 62 years oldwhen the big club train usually passes by. Mandelbar wanted to continue the gap and was ready to listen to offers even of a lower class.. He didn’t want to hang chalk and blackboard because he openly opposes new technologies. He has been raised in football all his life, going through different phases of even less glamorous football Reaching the professional level in 2004 with Eibar. He was taken out in the second B to Sports company of Aurrer and Lanzarote. Iborra later became more than just a home for Mendy.
The first disappointment
Because you can’t think of it as Mandelibar’s first appearance in a senior team. He was already at Athletic in 2005-06, to guide that generation he already met in rojiblanco subsidiary. San Mam’s request ended up swallowing a big coach in the philosophy of Bilbao club. “I have very good memories of Mendy, despite the fact that things didn’t go well for us. The bet gave me self-confidence,” says Fernando Llorente.who would later also play for Sevilla, and lifted the Europa League for the fifth time for the Andalusian club in 2016.
and that is Old Trafford wouldn’t be Mendy’s first European experience either. I played the second round of intertoto With Athletic vs Roman Cluj, the rival that brings back memories to Svlista on its way to the sixth European League. Draw in the two matches and defeat on penalties. His career was not entirely regular at Athletic. “I think Old Trafford is a great opportunity for him to show all the experience he has gained over all these years.”Sentence Llorente.
From Eibar to Pamplona
José Luis Mendilibar is always associated with Eibarwith whom he directed six consecutive seasons, Between 2015 and 2021. However, the Basque coach is a man who takes root and stays where he feels comfortable and loved. He also spent four years in Valladolid and another four in Pamplona with Osasuna.. And in those three stages (the first with Eibar, Valladolid and Osasuna) he was one of his closest players Llorente is also another top scorer: Joseba.
“I have three great sporting memories with Mandelbar: Almost a promotion with Eibar, a promotion with Valladolid and always with Osasuna.the now-retired 43-year-old striker recalls, with 49 league goals and four more in the Champions League with Villarreal.
“Old Trafford picture is totally deserving A coach who has covered more than half of Spain on clay”, confirms Joseba Llorente. And it is that Mendelbar has left a good memory at every point of his career, in every player, although it has not always gone as expected, with some downs. “It’s a nice tribute to his career above all. He’s a coach with experience in many good clubs, although perhaps not as big as Sevilla.”. It is very important that they enjoy an experience like this that they gained through work.” Lulu teaches his apprentice in Pamplona and trained in Nervin.
proximity to the player
MIndilipar walks between the disciplines of an old professor (in his own language) and those of a good teacher to whom you can tell your concerns. This closeness which he always showed with the footballer earned him not only the respect of his pupils, but also the affection of all of them. Lulu starts to remember, “Such a situation happened to us with the first coach and that makes us thank the footballers a lot”, In a tale told by everyone who stood by him.
“He is a very demanding coach in training, he wants people to be very involved and constantly press when the opponent is trying to get out with the ball. In one of these, when a player is not under pressure, Mendelbar forces him to give volatas (somersaults).” “T, scallion, give three swings.” I laughed at first until it was my turn,” Lulu, who spent his career between midfielder and centre-back, remembers with a laugh. “When I got up, I couldn’t walk two steps,” he says. “I felt dizzy.”
Not just under pressure when he makes players do their famous flips. Fernando Llorente points out, a.k.a Edu Expsito, who was under his orders in the last stage in Eibar: “When we shoot on goal, and they don’t move between the three sticks, we have to do some wheels, which are wheels. He did a lot with him (laughs). It got me into a few fights when they didn’t go between the three sticks and forced me to do some more swings than the others,” he recalls.
Not only did he force them to do the volata, but he even demanded that one of them break away. “What I remember most are the training days, when he was able to drive you crazy. He criticized you, gave you a thousand fights, but later off the court he became a piece of bread,” says Dmitrovich.It is clear. The now Sevilla goalkeeper and Edu Exito (Espanyol) accompanied Mendilibar in that penultimate stage of his career – then Alaves arrived ahead of Sevilla, where he was certainly happier.
Iborra days
Visiting Primera’s Ipura stadium has become a toothache for any opponent. Seville, who eliminated United at Old Trafford in the 2018 Champions League and reached the final of the King’s Cup, previously fell to Eibar (5-1).). Mendelbar made the most of his team’s advantages, the size of the stadium and everything he could do to make Eibar the envy of mediocre clubs in the First Division.
“I will not only be left with a memory, but the whole stage, which was a very good two years. We had the last one going down, and it was more complicated, but I have to say I learned a lot with it,” explains Edu Expósito. “He is a close and demanding coach, who tries to squeeze you as much as possible. I had a very good experience on a personal level, he helped me a lot in my development as a person,” he adds.
“I had a special relationship with him, he’s like a father. After I left Eibar, I spoke with players from there and we always talked about the great atmosphere we have on working days in training,” he said. Always excited Dmitrovich When referring to Mandi. “We always said we wanted to cross paths with Mandelbar again and enjoy this atmosphere,” she added. He is once again lucky to be with him.
How do you stop Messi?
The most thankless tasks always come down to the workers. Marking Messi – or at least getting in the way – must have been one of those impossible tasks that many Serie A players have had to deal with. Among them was Marcos, many years left for Valladolid, who had to suffer from Messi … and Mendelibar. “I flagged Messi in Jose Zorrilla, very close to the bench. And Mendy yelled at me: ‘You, chives, do you want to stop the troll?'” I replied: “Salt and stop it, let’s see what you think,” begins the story, which escalates as soon as the Argentine plays, waiting for what is said very close to him. To which Mindy tells him, between whispers: “That’s right, too.” We laugh.” Messi didn’t score in that match. Marcus got his goal and Mendelbar showed good humor from the touchline.
Arrival at Old Trafford
Sevilla crossed the path of Mandelibar at a time when no one expected him, not even the coach himself. Munchi has always declared that he loves his style, although she usually goes to the market in search of gentler men. Given the desperate situation of the Andalusian team in the league, Mandilbar landed in Nervin on a two-and-a-half-month contract. Twelve league matches (which he has already consumed the first two) and the European qualifiers he can beat. Upon arrival he already knew A big challenge to face Manchester Unitedwho left Barcelona and Betis on the road.
“The only thing that comes to mind is that it is a reward for many years of work. Mandy is an honest person, also simple and very close. And as a coach he is very forceful in his sessions And of course he is very passionate about his work.” explains Marcos, who was a winger at Valladolidwho has great anecdotes with Mendelbar, like the one about Messi.
In Seville, a place as difficult as few others are, it is not alone. Three of the guys I trained in Eibar dream of becoming idols in the Andalusian capital. Jordan has already achieved great success as a Sevilla player. Brian Gill, who left the Nervionense youth academy for the Premier League, owes much of his current fame to Mendy. And Dimitrovic begins to think that he could be the goalkeeper of Sevilla. “The chance that I deserved for so long has come,” the Serbian goalkeeper exclaims.
“It’s not too late. When we spoke, I told him that I had moved on from not knowing if I was going to coach next year, either the first or the second, and that now I would officiate at Old Trafford. he laughed. nothing. It’s football and things in life. Dimitrovich concluded his speech by saying, “I am very happy with everything that is happening.”
Mandilbar has been leading elite teams for nearly 20 years. I usually fight through the mud of the first division, but I’m enjoying the same thing as I was in the regional classes. He had an opportunity that became more than a dream. in a theatre. not to forget.
