ROAD TO SAUDI ARABIA. Since he changed Girona for Sevilla in 2018, things have not gone well for the Soria coach. Each season he has had the opportunity to lead a Primera team, although he has always ended up fired for one reason or another. Ceased from Alava after about twenty games, he did not want to waste time, but accepted a proposal to lead Al-Ain.
In Saudi Arabia, an Islamic monarchy with more than 32 million inhabitants, Arabic and English are spoken mainly. Pablo Machín therefore has work to try to explain this about the mini-matches, the point given by the Federation and the usual speeches of a coach who since leaving Montilivi has been completing his resume with experiences in the First Division that have not ended ‘go well. After the last blow, perhaps unexpected because when Alabès kicked him out on January 12 the team was out of relegation, he has decided to reinvent himself very soon, without waiting or living on income as others would. At the age of 45, he just signed for Al-Ain. A club based in the city of Al-Bahah, about one hundred thousand inhabitants, located in the south of the country. He is not on vacation. The challenge is complicated, even if the level of football in that country is not at all what has been found so far. The demand is high and the pressure is on from day one. Al-Ain is the heart of the Saudi Arabian league and has a seven-point lead. He has only won three games and already has eleven defeats. Five in a row, which led to the dismissal of German Michael Skibbe.
The stopwatch has already started. He has work ahead of Machín, who will make his debut this Thursday at King Saud Sport City. His new team plays against sixth-placed Al-Ettifaq. This time he will not be accompanied by Jordi Balcells from Lloret, who is faithful to his side in his latest adventures. He will share experience with people who know this competition and under his command will be the Venezuelan Juanpi Añor, former player of Malaga and Huesca, and who had sounded like a possible signing of Girona a few months ago.
The Soria already likes challenges. After doing all the work at Numancia, the club of his land, he made a decision that would change his life in March 2014. With almost no career in professional football and still without recognition, he accepted the proposal that came to him. from Montilivi. Girona was practically dead, sentenced. With him she revived, trapping a permanence that seemed impossible. The relationship lasted for four years. It was 189 games, with some backlash, but a stage full of joy. The heroic salvation was followed by two promotions, a historic promotion and a season to frame the premiere in the First Division. Admiration for the city, an official fan club in its name, and external recognition for the job well done.
That point and part opened up a lot of possibilities. Doors that have been opening, but always ended up closing hastily. If he left Girona it was, above all, because of the greedy proposal that came to him from Sevilla. Al Pizjuán held out from the summer until the following February. 50 matches between all competitions. Too much demand and too little patience led to his dismissal. The following season, last season, Espanyol chose him to try to save a team that was adrift. He lasted very little in office: 15 games before being replaced by Abelardo Fernandez. And this past summer he backtracked when he had it all tied up to leave for China. The reason, an offer from Alava. He wanted to train in Primera once again and he got it, but 20 games later he was fired again. He has not wasted his time and now accepts a new challenge. The most exotic of all.
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