© AFP7 via Europa Press (AFP7 via Europa Press)
Jose Luis Mendilibar.
The most active coach in the highest category of Spanish football is still Luis Aragonés, with 756 games. The second is Jabo Irureta with 612. The third, completing the podium, is Miguel Muñoz, with 608. The truth is that Mendilibar is the one with the most games in the band among all those who are active. Some are without a team or are no longer living.
Víctor Fernández accumulates 544, Javier Clemente 511, Joaquín Caparrós 510 and John Toshack 480. When this matter was mentioned to him at a press conference, he responded jocularly. “I am very old. It will be due to the work of all these years. You don’t usually do so many games just by luck,” he assured.
Mendilibar, 61, reached the First Division benches with 44. He started at Athletic making his debut against Real Sociedad in 2005 and his team won by 3 goals to 0. LThen he was at Valladolid and Eibar, in addition to Levante and Osasuna. 96 matches with the Castilians, 94 with the Navarrese, 8 with Levante, 228 with Eibar and 6 with Alavés. Add 128 wins, 123 draws and 191 losses.
The Biscayan coach has not just found the key in Alavés. There are games in which the sensations that he leaves are good but the results do not accompany. This week will be special because it leads to the match against Getafe, a direct rival that yes it has begun to remove the head of the low part of the table.