Real Sociedad are perhaps enjoying their best period of football since the 1980s, with Imanol Alguacil driving them forward. A former player for the first team at the start of his career, Alguacil has returned the good times to La Real as a coach, with his side battling for the top four and top of their Champions League group after three games.
Jose Luis Lorenzo of Relevo has spoken to some of the people that have known him along the way, and they do back up the idea that Alguacil perhaps doesn’t come across as a natural candidate to be a top-level coach, with his generous and unassuming attitude.
Mitxelo Olaizola, former kitman at La Real for multiple decades, explained that Alguacil didn’t stand out as the tactical brain he has become.
“He wasn’t the classic locker room leader, but he had a lot of character. Coaching material? You can see it with others right away, but that wasn’t his case. That said, in terms of character, no-one can beat him.”
And that character has endured through Real Sociedad’s success in recent years, finishing 5th, 6th, 5th and 4th, as well as winning the Copa del Rey.
“He’s the same old Imanol. I don’t see any changes in him. He’s still the same as when he was a player and coach of Sanse. He hasn’t changed at all.”
Others corroborate that idea.
“Imanol has not changed. He is still very serious at work, but at the same time very close,” said Mikel Lasa, who was assistant to Alguacil during the infancy of his coaching career.
“It [Alguacil’s success] didn’t surprise me that much. His work is impeccable, not a single ‘but’ can be said. [He does it all] Without complaining about anything, with what he has, with what they bring him, always with impeccable behavior towards the players and towards the club.”
Part of the reason that Alguacil remains successful is that he has never gotten ahead of himself. While he remains ambitious, his working relationship with Sporting Director Robert Fernandez and President Joakin Aperribay has always been constructive rather than conflictive.
Former player Alain Oyarzun also explains his best qualities from the other side of relationship.
“He has always been someone sincere, for good and bad, he has always been up front. When he had to tell you the good things, he told you without problems and the bad things, too. Many times we players miss that, that the coaches are clear with a player, for the good and the bad. Because when a footballer doesn’t know the reason why he doesn’t play or why he doesn’t fit into the plans, he always needs to know why. Imanol told you.”
“He only thought about football, he dedicated many hours to it. I recently read Ander Martin, who is on loan at Burgos. What Imanol had best was the solutions he gave you in games. Even in youth academy he studied his rival very well, you went out with things clear. Then they could turn out better or worse, but the idea of the game made it very easy for you.”
It is also detailed just how hard Alguacil works. Regularly he will arrive at the training ground for 08:00am or earlier, and spend 12-13 hours there.
Alguacil remains well-loved by his current squad, and rarely has there been a case under his leadership where he struggled to get the best out of them, and fallings out are almost unheard of.
