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Patxi Salinas closes an agreement in principle to lead Portugalete

Patxi Salinas, in a match with Bilbao Athletic. / ATHLETIC CLUB

Third RFEF

He has a contract with Athletic until June 30, so he cannot stamp the final signature until July 1

Patxi Salinas will be the next Portugalete coach. The former Athletic coach has closed this Thursday a principle agreement with the club to lead the jarrilleros next year, an agreement that will only be binding from July 1, since he has a contract with Athletic until the end of this month. “They have shown a lot of interest and affection from the beginning and that goes to mass for me,” the coach told this newspaper. This newspaper advanced several weeks ago an interest that has now been confirmed.

Everything has changed at the start of Eduardo Rivacoba’s third term as head of Portugalete. Staying on the edge of promotion to Second RFEF last year was a setback and the jarrillera board has decided to make a clean slate for the years to come. Iñaki Zurimendi is no longer in charge of the sports management, but has passed into the hands of Fernando Amorebieta. The first thing the former Athletic defender and international with Venezuela got to work on was looking for a new coach. His priority was clear from the first moment: Patxi Salinas.

The club’s intention was to have the vacancy on the bench closed at the beginning of this month. However, the scenario changed if Patxi Salinas was chosen. This had to wait for the possible interest of one of the three candidacies for the Ibaigane chair after straightening the course of Bilbao Athletic and achieving salvation, when at the beginning of the course it seemed little less than a chimera. At the moment, none of the three opts for the continuity of the San Adrián coach. “I am leaving because the board has not taken any steps to renew me nor has any of the three candidates for the presidency contacted me,” he himself revealed in his farewell to Lezama.

Knowing that he had to leave the red and white factory, two Galician teams and Portugalete himself showed great interest in taking over his services. This has ended up opting for the Portuguese team because it allows him to be close to his family and, obviously, because the ambitious sports project catches his attention. Although, above all, what has made him lean towards the jarrilleros has been the interest they have constantly shown him. «I would have loved to continue at Athletic and I think I have done more than enough merit for it, but I had to find another stage. That ‘Portu’ has shown that interest, that is worth more than other types of situations », he highlights.

Eyes on the ascent

If everything goes according to plan, Patxi Salinas will leave Lezama after three years. Two and a half years at Basconia and a brilliant role at Bilbao Athletic, making play-off numbers and keeping the puppies in the First RFEF. On the other hand, he does not seem to have served to convince the candidates. He now closes an agreement in principle for a club that plays two steps below. However, he insists that “I don’t look at the category that it is, I have already trained in the First RFEF and Second B, I appreciate that they have been so interested in me.” In addition, he also emphasizes how suggestive it is to try to achieve promotion. «It is a very attractive project because the objective is to ascend. It is an important challenge, but I like this type of challenge », he ditches.

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