Villarreal have re-signed manager Marcelino Garcia Toral until 2019. With the club flying high in La Liga and the coach’s contract coming to an end at the end of the season, this has come as yet another piece of good news for Yellow Submarine supporters.
Marcelino began his Villarreal tenure in January of 2013 in a tumultuous time for the club. Sitting seventh in the Segunda, the former Spanish youth international had it all to do at his new home.
Replacing Julio Velasquez, who had never fully convinced in the top job, saw Marcelino become the third Villarreal manager in six months. The first of the three, Manolo Preciado, became one of football’s tragedies less than 24 hours after his appointment in the top job. The long time Sporting Gijon manager, who had been sacked from the Asturian club following relegation, was instilled as manager at El Madrigal only to be found dead in a hotel room later that day after suffering a heart attack.
Out of the ashes rose the phoenix that is Marcelino who took his team back to the promised land of La Primera at the first time of asking. Villarreal finished second in the table, after champions Elche, and bounced straight back up to La Liga after only one season in the second tier.
Many questions were asked of Marcelino’s abilities to coach a top tier team. His previous three managerial positions in the top flight had seen his departure with Real Zaragoza, Racing Santander and Sevilla all sacking the Asturian-born manager.
His first season in charge of Villarreal in La Liga could not have gone better. Finishing the year in sixth place, the Yellow Submarine were one of the league’s surprise packets on their way to clinching Europa League qualification.
The highlight of his first campaign back in the top flight was the 4-1 home victory over local rivals Valencia which announced the team’s re-arrival in La Primera. Notable results would follow throughout the season as draws with both Madrid sides and Sevilla showed Marcelino’s Villarreal as a force to be reckoned with.
His second season in charge saw his abilities in the transfer market pay off as much as his coaching prowess. The signing of Lucianno Vietto from Racing Club in Argentina proved massive dividends as the 20-year-old would top score for the club with 12 league goals. His signing for €6 million would be paid back more than threefold later as the young Argentine would move to Atletico Madrid the following year for €20 million.
Arguably the signing of the season though was Denis Cheryshev on loan from Real Madrid. The young Russian winger would prove to be one of the main attacking outlets for El Submarino Amarillo as they charged toward the top of the table.
The 2014-15 season would be one of stability for the Castellon club under Marcelino as they would again finish sixth in La Liga and clinch a Europa League spot. The end of their season would be blighted by injuries as the team would suffer three losses and five draws in their final ten matches but their cup competition performances could be seen as nothing but a success.
Marcelino guided his men to a semi-final in the Copa Del Rey and the round of 16 in the Europa League. In both competitions, defeats to the eventual winners would see Villarreal’s demise as Barcelona and Sevilla respectively would prove to be too much.
Going into the final year of his contract, Marcelino started the 2015-16 season with a bang, replacing all of his forward line with new faces while bringing in both promising new youngsters and one old hand.
The move payed off for the team as Marcelino guided Villarreal to the top of the league for the first time in the club’s history. Now looking to take the team forward on three fronts, the time could not have been better for the once two-time Miguel Munoz trophy winner to re-sign with the club he calls home.
Now sitting in fifth in the league, and second in its Europa League group, Marcelino’s team is looking the best it has under the 50-year-old. A team which executes his favoured 4-4-2 with lighting quick counter-attacks and solidarity in defence look to be one of the toughest prospects in all of the top flight.
From taking the suburban club from mid-table in the second division all the way to the top of La Liga, Marcelino’s Villarreal coaching career has been one of immense quality. The official presentation of his new contract will be made on Monday but all devout Yellow Submarine fans will hope to see the continuation of a team very much in the mould of the man.
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