The former lion, who was without a team, replaces Óscar Vales to lead the team
Aitor Larrazabal has given the yes to the president of Gernika, Koldo Zabala, to manage Gernika next season to replace Óscar Vales. The former lion will train the regional team in the Second RFEF, as EL CORREO has learned, to try to fight for the promotion playoff to the First RFEF in competition with Sestao River and Arenas.
The ex-coordinator of Lezama will get down to work from now on to configure a squad in which right now only two players, the full-backs Jon Larrauri and Jon Agirrezabala, have a valid contract. The rest of the campus is free of ties as of this June 30. The intention is to maintain the block that has curdled a remarkable campaign under the orders of Vales, with whom they were close to accessing the noble zone that would have given access to promotion to the First RFEF. The two on loan from Basconia, the goalkeeper Igor Ispizua and the midfielder Eneko Delgado, who have stood out in the Second RFEF, will return to the Lezama structure to make up the Bilbao Athletic squad. A route of loans from Lezama that will be explored again this preseason as a benefit for both parties and incidentally put a cable to the tight budget that Gernika manages against clubs in its category endowed with greater resources.
Larrazabal will have a double task because in addition to training the first team, he will act as sports director to replace Edu Abad, who is leaving the front line for personal reasons, but will continue to collaborate with the regional entity.
The president of Gernika, Koldo Zabala, had handled the name of Jabi Luaces, former player and coach of the club before his experience at Unionistas, to train the team again, but the agreement between both parties did not occur and the decision was tilted for proposing the position to Aitor Larrazabal. After a few days of reflection, the former Athletic left-back has decided to take on the challenge and return to the bench to continue with his passion of being a coach. The also ex-lion and former coach of SD Leioa, Jon Ander Lambea, would have represented the third option for Gernika.
Larrazabal, 50, has plenty of experience on the bench after passing through the management of clubs in different categories such as Gatika, Lemona, SD Amorebieta, Marbella, Barakaldo, in two stages as coach and Sports Director, and Salamanca, in addition to his work best known as sports director of Athletic.
