What, why and what to expect: Jorge Sampaoli out at Sevilla, José Luis Mendilibar in
Sevilla have appointed their third manager of the season, after sacking Jorge Sampaoli on Tuesday. In comes José Luis Mendilibar to see if he can be the one to inspire something like the mean performance that this Sevilla squad should have within them. If a week is a long time in football, and a year is an age, then this time 15 months ago, when Sevilla were second and many a flowery analysis of Sporting Director Monchi was fluttering about, feels like an eternity away.
In their statement thanking Sampaoli for his work, the reasons given were his failure to move Sevilla away from the lower reaches of the table, and the image of the team. It was not a decision taken lightly, given it cost Los Nervionenses €8m, according to Carlos Hidalgo - not bad for less than six months work. Even if he can provide a Tolstoy of mitigating factors, the spiky Argentine cannot argue with either of those assessments.
Sevilla were a point above the drop when he took over, and now they are only one more to the good, as they lie in 14th place. While they made marginal improvements, recovering their home form to win five of six at home in La Liga since the World Cup, they have just a solitary point away to Rayo Vallecano in the same period.
Oftten these statements are devoid of anything that can possibly be construed as notable, but perhaps the ‘image’ of the team did play a role too. Sampaoli was blamed for that point against Rayo not being three, tinkering when it wasn’t necessary at half-time. Frequently Sampaoli has used three at the back despite not having many fit central defensive options, more recently dropping Fernando Reges into that defence to the dismay of many. Equally the use of a false nine (Erik Lamela), rather than either of the two very real and robust forwards he does have has perplexed plenty in Seville too.
The players themselves are arguably even harsher than the press. There was plenty of talk that Sampaoli would at least be able to tame the now notorious Argentine clique at the club. While Marcos Acuña has been one of their best players, and Lucas Ocampos has been inspired since returning from Ajax in January, the former was seen grabbing and disposing of Sampaoli’s tactical instructions on the pitch in a public show of disdain for his boss.
Following a 6-1 defeat to Atlético Madrid the following week, Acuña observed that perhaps the players were not understanding Sampaoli’s concepts. On Sunday, after a damning 2-0 defeat to Getafe, Yassine Bounou tried to nuance his words by reminding the press that it was up to the players to sort it out, but prior to that let slip that maybe the squad were confused by what was being asked of them.
That should, in theory, not be a problem under Mendilibar. Ex-Valencia boss José Bordalás was also linked with the position, but was deemed too expensive, and may well have asked for a longer contract than just until the end of the season. Formerly of Eibar and Alavés, working in Mendilibar’s favour is the fact that he is not Sampaoli. While he could not keep Los Babazorros up last season after being drafted in to rescue a ship with too many holes, Mendilibar is recognised as having done an excellent job with Eibar, keeping them in La Liga for six seasons.
'We’re the easiest team to scout in LaLiga, we never change’, Mendilibar once said of his Eibar. Coming from a complex, pedantic manager like Sampaoli, whose system seemingly could not be grasped by the Sevilla squad, Mendilibar should cause no such issues. His sides play almost exclusively 4-4-2, with direct, aggressive football. They will press hard and high often, seeking crosses from wide. He has rarely been able to hide his own preference for a large, domineering centre-forward himself. It’s crucial to understanding his football to know that he came through the Athletic Club system as both a player and a manager.
Those traits should benefit a number of players. Bryan Gil first broke out under Mendilibar, and can expect to be a fixture from here on out. While there was an argument that Sevilla’s defensive woes were being compensated for with three central defenders, most at the club will thank Mendilibar for the inevitable return to a back four. Those defenders will be playing balls down the side of the opposition defence for Youssef En-Nesyri or Rafa Mir to run onto, at least one of which can expect to be restored to the side.
Mendilibar has coached three of this Sevilla squad at Eibar before, in Marko Dmitrovic, Joan Jordán and Gil. All three made their names in Spain with him, and all three can vouch for his methods - something which should help him win the hearts and minds of his players.
It’s also not to be lost that Mendilibar, who has spent recent months as a columnist for Relevo, did not do well last time he was coaching a club of a similar size - Athletic. He will have to manage the clearly opinionated dressing room carefully, and with Cádiz, Celta Vigo, Valencia and a double-header against Manchester United to begin with, his methods will have to demonstrate that they can bring results immediately.
The brief is simple in definition, but strenuous in practice. He must restore discipline within the squad, set standards, and win over the heavyweights with his plans. Failing that, he must keep Sevilla up by hook, crook and any means necessary. Failure to do that is not worth contemplating - suerte, Mendi.