Manolo Sánchez makes history: Málaga's youngest coach

Manolo Sánchez (11-19-1991) has become the youngest coach to lead Málaga (both Club Deportivo Málaga and Málaga Club de Fútbol) at least one game, in the First and Second Division. When he took the obligatory alternative last Saturday 21 against Leganés at La Rosaleda, he was 29 years and two days old. This promising coach was on the bench during the two games that Sergio Pellicer served a sanction due to his expulsion in Ponferrada and despite the provisional nature of the situation he has more than complied. He did very well against Leganés despite the defeat, 1-2 at La Rosaleda and was present in the important victory against Girona (0-1 at Montilivi).

With the invaluable help that BDF Fútbol's data always offer, we have been able to compare the magnitude of what Sergio Pellicer's assistant has achieved. In relation to Club Deportivo Málaga, which disappeared in 1992, Manolo Sánchez is also the youngest coach. Younger than Eduardo Rubio who was in the 1958-59 season with 32 years and that the great Sebastián Humberto Viberti, club legend as a player, who was 33 years old in 1977-78. José María Zárraga (later technical secretary) was also 33 years old in 1963-64. His 29 years also exceed the 32 that Ismael Díaz Galán had when he promoted Málaga to the silver division in 1997-98 although the Asturian coach did not make his debut after this success because two days later he was replaced by Joaquín Peiró.

It should be noted that in the 1993-94 season the current Málaga Club de Fútbol was Athletic Malagueño. Transitional season after the disappearance of Club Deportivo Málaga and before its re-founding on June 27, 1994. A transitional stage that lasted two seasons. In that campaign, in Second B that ended with relegation to Third, Javier Ortiz ‘Kempes’ with 25 years, he was one of the six coaches of that course. He ran a match. We could include him as the youngest “of all the Málagas.” Kempes is a renowned quarry coach.

We cannot forget the case of Lucas Alcaraz, who at the age of 28 made his debut in the national category, Third Division, as Adra coach in the first match of the new Málaga Club de Fútbol in 1994-95. The result was 1-1.

Lillo, the 'coach'

It is not frequent to train a team in First or Second with less than 30 years. Not even a match. And not many are lucky. Giving slogans to footballers in many cases of older age requires mettle, left hand, personality and people skills. Juan Manuel Lillo has been one of the most average young 'coach'. At the age of 28 he ascended to Salamanca and repeated the following year taking the charro team to First. Or Víctor Fernández who caught Zaragoza with 30.

If Manolo Sánchez had led the team in First, he would be the ninth in the youth ranking. It would overcome a myth José Samitier, who was 29 years and 34 days old when he had to lead no less than Barcelona. It is a classification led by Ramón Zabalo, who at the age of 23 served as a player-coach for the Barça team for two games in 1933-34. Xabier Azkargorta, to give you another example, was 29 years old and 357 days old when he debuted in the Primera with Espanyol.

The 25 youngest in Second

The ranking of the Second Division is led by the Hungarian Lipo Hertzka who with 24 years and 90 days trained Sevilla in the 1928-29 season (Three years later he would be league champion with Real Madrid). This is an example of precociousness because at the age of 20 he was the coach of Real Sociedad. They are followed by Santiago Schitt, in Badalona in 1940-41, with 25 years. And also with 25 years Nitus Santos who in the 86-87 season was two games with Figueres, the same as Manuel Cano in Getafe in 2000 or Joaquín Garre in Abarán, a Murcian team that reached Second in 1963. Manolo Sánchez would occupy position 25 ahead of Fernando Fariña, who was with Deportivo in the 1933-34 season for seven games. As an interesting fact, we have found that Antonio Segura from Malaga managed Xerez Fútbol Club in the 1940-41 season at 28 years and 94 days. He did not get to train Malaga.

“Coaching Málaga is a unique experience being so young” he commented last Monday at the press conference prior to the match against Girona. Now he has to continue working as always with the coaching staff led by Sergio Pellicer and learning new things. It has a great future.