When bottom-of-the-table Espanyol decided to sack Mauricio Pochettino at the end of last November after a miserable run of form, the signs were ominous for a club that appeared to be in decline. The Argentine, a fans’ favourite due to a playing career with the club that took in over 250 appearances in two spells, paid the price after the opening 13 rounds of fixtures had yielded just nine points.
A 2-0 home defeat to Getafe was the signal for supporters of the cash-strapped outfit to call for the heads of both Pochettino and sporting director Ramon Planes, with the pair duly obliging by handing in their resignations the following day. However, it took just 48 hours for a new man to be put in place at Cornella El-Prat when former Osasuna, Atletico Madrid, Real Zaragoza and Mexican national team boss Javier Aguirre was appointed.
It would be fair to say the arrival of the 54-year-old was not greeted with euphoria by the Espanyol faithful, yet the transformation on the pitch since then has been nothing short of remarkable. So much so that a European place did not look out of the question until a recent three-match winless run, with away reverses at Rayo and Atletico Madrid and a home draw against Real Valladolid appearing to put paid to those aspirations.
However, the 2-0 victory at Champions League quarter-finalists Malaga before the international break saw Los Periquitos situated 13th in the La Liga and a full 11 points clear of the relegation zone, a position that looked impossible five months ago. It is a state of affairs where two or three more wins from the remaining 10 games should ensure top-flight safety and may persuade Aguirre to continue with the club for at least another year.
In one of his first statements to the Press at his unveiling, Aguirre responded to one journalist by saying his recipe for survival was “head, heart… and what is down below,” and his players have certainly shown plenty of what he was referring to since then. Once the Mexico City-born tactician had taken the reins there was a radical change not only on the pitch but also behind the scenes, with reporters even praising Aguirre for his rousing Press conferences after previously being treated to what some described as Pochettino’s monotonous dialogue.
As a result, the hard work put in by both players and backroom staff alike, alongside the psychological boost the ‘Aguirre effect’ has provided, has seen the 15 League games to date provide a total of seven wins, five draws and three defeats. According to fans, if he had been in charge since the start of the season then Espanyol may well have been challenging for a Champions League spot.
The call for ‘eleven Wakasos’ that La Curva – the club’s most vociferous set of supporters – asked for a few months ago has certainly been heeded, in reference to the Ghanaian winger’s outstanding performances in what was a struggling team. Even striker Samuele Longo, on a season-long loan from Inter and looking to be on his way out in January, recently claimed that he had learned a lot from Aguirre despite spending much of his time on the bench.
Beyond the results it is clear Aguirre has brought something to Espanyol that had been lacking, yet once safety is assured it will be up to the club’s hierarchy to confirm that their vision for the future matches his, something that is already being worked upon. It is a theme that was taken up by defender Victor Sanchez just this week, although he realises it is out of the players’ hands.
“Aguirre has done more than enough to continue,” he told a Press conference. “Perhaps people are being a little impatient but the players are relaxed because we know it’s something we can’t control.
“I think this issue will be discussed when we are mathematically safe. There is a confidence amongst the coaching staff and the players and this has resulted in us seeing the best version of this team.”
Espanyol sporting director Oscar Perarnau also admitted there is a responsibility to keep hold of Aguirre.
“We have an obligation to keep Javier Aguirre,” he told 9 Esportivo. “We have signed Javier and he has been a success. The continuity of this project depends on him staying. Everyone has been very happy with him.”
