Is new head coach Pablo Machin the right choice for Sevilla?
Published:
Former Girona boss has taken the reins
It’s a new era at Sevilla following the appointment of Pablo Machin as Head Coach yesterday.
Last season was a hit-and-miss campaign. Impressive Champions League and Copa del Rey runs were paired with a seventh-placed La Liga finish – their joint-worst since 2013.
The Coral News Team take a look at whether Sevilla have found the right fit.
Previous record
At 43-years-old, Machin is still an up-and-coming manager. But it’s his track record at Girona which is believed to have most impressed Los Rojiblancos’ board.
Having taken over at Girona in March 2014, he delivered promotion to La Liga for the first time in the club’s 89-year history in 2016-17. And that feat was followed up by an incredible top-half finish which included a 2-1 defeat of Real Madrid.
However, he benefited from the club’s loan agreement with Manchester City – which brought in a raft of quality players beyond Girona’s usual resources.
While there’s no doubt he was a resounding success at Estadi Montilivi, he did inherit some fortunate circumstances. As for his other managerial stint, that was a solid but unremarkable two-year spell in the second tier with Numancia.
Stability
One thing Machin has shown to Girona is loyalty. Despite the club’s upward trajectory, he remained at the helm for more than four years.
To put that in context, it’s at least a year longer than any Sevilla boss has managed since Juande Ramos left in 2005.
Last season alone, Los Rojiblancos went through two permanent bosses and a caretaker one. It isn’t a sustainable approach, and few players want to join a club where the man who wants them to have a starring role could exit in the blink of an eye.
Provided the board put faith in Machin, they could well get significant long-term rewards from it.
Europe
The one big question mark surrounding the 43-year-old is European Football. Continental competition has been a huge part of Sevilla’s recent history. They’ve won the UEFA Cup/Europa League five times since 2006.
Last season’s seventh-placed finish saw the Andalusian outfit scrape a spot in the UEL Qualifying Rounds for the coming campaign.
With those all-or-nothing knockout ties first, Machin must adapt quickly to Europe – something he has no playing or managerial experience of.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing
