Mendilibar renews for another season with SD Eibar
The coach from Zaldibar will try to repeat last season’s achievements
Jose Luis Mendilibar has today renewed his contract as coach of SD Eibar for another season.
Present at the press conference in addition to Mendilibar himself, were the Club President, Amaia Gorostiza; the vice-president for Sport, José María Arrizabalaga; and the Sporting Director, Fran Garagarza.
Mendilibar will continue with the same coaching staff: Iñaki Bea (assistant coach), Toni Ruiz (fitness coach), Iosu Anucita (goalkeeping coach) and Andoni Azkargorta (analyst).
During the announcement Mendilibar said that he was “very happy” to be continuing for another season at Eibar “with the unqualified wish that everything goes well” and the belief that “a lot of work is needed to meet the goals that have been set”.
“Slowly but surely, we are thinking about completing the squad between now and during the pre-season to be absolutely ready in August and, if possible, to start the league by winning games. If it can be similar to last season, we will be okay”.
“It is always better to have a nucleus of a group and complete it than have to start almost from scratch like last season. I hope that the ones that stay will be the nucleus and help the players coming in”.
With regard to the increase in the revenues from TV broadcasting rights, Mendilibar stressed that “having more money doesn’t mean you’re going to create a better squad”. “We have to be convinced with who we bring in and take it from there. We are Eibar, a club in the Primera (First Division) and we want to consolidate our position in the league”.
For his part, Fran Garagarza underlined that “we have a difficult and demanding year ahead but with the collaboration of José Luis we are hopeful of achieving the objective”. On possible signings, he said that “we are considering various names for each position and now we are working on the preferred options. If they don’t work for whatever reason, we will have to go to plan B or C”.
Amaia Gorostiza expressed the “enthusiasm” of the Board in knowing “that José Luis is continuing with us for at least another season; a season we will begin filled with hope, energy and desire for the victories that will allow us to stay up and consolidate our place at the top level”.
“As you know, José Luis is a down-to-earth person who has fully understood the philosophy of our Club. The Board of Directors, the Sporting Management and José Luis himself have always known that we would continue together for another season. There has never been any doubt about that”.
The President made reference to two sporting successes achieved this weekend by teams from Eibar, who she made a point of congratulating: the classification for the respective finals of the Basque Cup by the women’s first team and the men’s youth team, Eibar Urko.