Club Atlético Osasuna has reached an agreement with Patxi Puñal to become the new technical director of Tajonar. The man who has played the most games with the red elastic joins the sports project of the entity to contribute to the development of his grassroots football, of which he is one of the great exponents. His work will be linked to those areas that are purely footballing such as Methodology and Talent Management. In addition, he will have a direct connection with the director of Tajonar, Ángel Alcalde, who will continue to lead the organization, departments and projects of grassroots football; as well as with the sports management, directed by Braulio Vázquez, and the technical secretariat, whose manager is José Antonio Prieto ‘Cata’.
Patxi Puñal Martínez (September 6, 1975; Huarte, Navarra) is one of the great legends of the centennial history of Club Atlético Osasuna. It has been seven years since he ended his career as a footballer, leaving almost unattainable numbers: 25 years in the entity and 513 official matches in his boots. After a period away from football as a professional activity, he has accepted Osasuna's offer to be part of its sports structure and thus strengthen his work with the youth academy.
Puñal: “We must be an elite quarry and we aspire to be”
In his first statements as Tajonar's new technical director, Puñal expressed his enthusiasm for returning to the club of his life. “I am going back to my house. I come with all the enthusiasm in the world to start this new project in which I think I can enjoy and be very valid. I think the important club has been given a twist. At the time I left, it was the worst moment, there was a very turbulent period. From that moment until now it is incredible how Osasuna has managed to recover. I think I have come at a time when the club is doing very well in all aspects ”.
“One of the things that has surprised me the most is the structure and organization that Tajonar has, all the professionals it has and the tools to work with the boys, not even a shadow of a short time ago. After 2014, he went back a bit and gave shape to the Tajonar process with a project that has lasted from 2017 to 2021. Now we return to give it a twist. The foundations are already in place and now we must grow. Without a doubt, we must be an elite quarry and we aspire to be. With the foundations that are forged, I believe that my contribution can give it a quality boost, since I am going to have an area of influence that has excited me. I am very clear about what I would like from the teams in our quarry, for them to be recognizable. I think we are going to be one of the reference clubs without a doubt, ”said Puñal.