Jose Maria del Nido has backed Unai Emery over early pressure at Sevilla, and suggested that ideally, he would also remain himself at the club as President.
With Los Nervionenses three weeks into the season and with two points to their name, there have been early grumblings against the Coach.
However, Emery has today received backing from the club’s President, in citing his work previous at Valencia.
“The facts are behind Unai Emery. Unai has earned the respect of the footballing nation when he was with Valencia,” explained Del Nido to reporters today.
“Valencia, stripping off their best players, with Silva, Mata and Villa, they always finished third, which is proof that he is capable, that in football he has his merits.
“We have brought in 14 players and we will be prudent and wait. I am certain that the results will come.”
Del Nido is also facing uncertainty over his future, with the Supreme Court meeting in the coming days to decide his appeal against a seven-and-a-half-year prison sentence determined for allegedly sending fake bills for legal services totalling €6.73m to Marbella city hall between 1999 and 2003.
On from indicating that a contingency plan at Sevilla is in place should his appeal be unsuccessful and he is forced to step down, Del Nido has reflected that ideally, nothing will change.
“There are personal issues that impact on the capacity of the President of Sevilla. I am going through a delicate personal situation.
“I was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years and in the coming days that will be reviewed by the Supreme Court. But I will say that my personal situation will not affect Sevilla in any case.
“Hypothetically, the club has the necessary mechanisms for my succession from the same board of directors and then through the shareholders’ meeting.”
Rumours have been that his son and current director Jose Maria del Nido Carrasco would be in line to succeed come December’s shareholders’ meeting.
“To me, I would certainly like the successor of Jose Maria del Nido Benavente to be Jose Maria del Nido Benavente, up until retirement.
“And I have the physical strength to continue until I am 120, or 130…but Sevilla is a company that is perfectly set up, my succession will be absolutely normal, without any grief for the club’s future.”
