Angel Torres is one of La Liga’s most controversial club presidents, but this season he has shown his nous. After the catastrophic appointment of Michel in the summer, he has rectified his ways to salvage Getafe. And so far its working.
By replacing Michel with Quique Sanchez Flores, he made an inspired appointment which would see Getafe in contention for Europe if the season had started when the former Atletico and Espanyol coach was appointed.
But it has been this January transfer window where the club have really stood out. Borja Mayoral and Gonzalo Villar have swapped one Coliseum for another by moving from Rome to the south of Madrid, despite interest from La Liga clubs further up the league table. Then Oscar Rodriguez made it a hat-trick of loan additions, having once made his name as a young star at rivals Leganes.
All three players bring energy, intensity, and, most importantly, goals. They are players who add a completely different dimension to Sanchez Flores’ squad, and also come in as summer signing Jakub Jankto returns to full fitness after over three months on the sidelines.
It reflects a series of brave, and yet promising, decisions from Torres and his new coach. Players who know the city of Madrid, given that Mayoral was born just down the road from Getafe and Oscar has played in the capital since the age of 11, and bring immense quality. They join a strong squad which is only getting better and better with each decision.
A look around them only goes to show the risks of getting these calls wrong. When Getafe fired Michel from his role as coach in early October, Levante were hoping to bring in Quique Sanchez Flores to replace Paco Lopez. It has turned out to be a revolving doors moment. Two coaches later, Levante look down and out at the bottom of the table with only one win to their name.
Equally, Cadiz opted to terminate Alvaro Cervera’s employment but could do no better than former Valladolid coach Sergio Gonzalez. A practical, if uninspiring, appointment, whose 0-0 draw with Sporting Gijon on his debut did little to prove the doubters wrong. It says much that while Getafe make additions to replace Jaime Mata, Cadiz appear to be chasing the veteran.
Alaves controversially sacked Javi Calleja too, shortly after dropping below Getafe and into the bottom three, and have made arguably the most convincing appointment outside of the Madrid suburbs in Jose Luis Mendilibar, but he remains without a win in charge in Vitoria.
Getafe were lost post-Jose Bordalas. Torres didn’t know which route to go down, and Michel chose the wrong path. A coach with the conviction of Qique Sanchez Flores was what was needed, and the additions made since show a coherence to their business. Getafe are back on track.
