Las Palmas may only have been promoted last year, but they are one of the La Liga sides that comes closest to them in terms of their desired style. In large part due to the fact that they have scholar from their own La Masia school at the wheel.
Francisco Javier Garcia Pimienta has overseen a promotion at Las Palmas, and an excellent start to this campaign. At the halfway mark, they are in the top half of the table, and if they can avoid conceding five times, will have the second-best defence in La Liga still. Prior to taking on the Las Palmas role, Garcia Pimienta spent 28 years coaching at Barcelona, and got as far as the Barca Atletic job. When Ronald Koeman was sacked, he was one of the candidates to replace the Dutchman.
In spite of doing what many regarded as an excellent job, Barcelona President Joan Laporta decided to replace him with Sergi Barjuan. Laporta reasoned that ‘they did not think the Barca Atletic side was intergrated with the academy, which is a strange criticism of his sides. As Marca recall, Garcia Pimienta did not buy it.
“These words show me that he had no excuses, he just wanted to put his people in, which was the reason they gave me. Telling me that I was not following the line of grassroots football… it’s the complete opposite. In 2018 when I go up to Barca B is when we return to our roots.”
“In previous years, top squads had been formed without options for players to reach the first team. All the games that I have coached Barca, in B, youth, cadets… we have played with the 4-3-3, faithful to the style. I believed in the people at La Masia, and the proof is in all the players who have debuted in the first team. Almost everyone he had was a first team profile. They told me that thanks for everything, for the behaviour and for these years, but that they wanted to put their people in.”
Barjuan was appointed the following season, and was promptly moved to an institutional role after a single season at Barcea Atletic.
Speaking ahead of Las Palmas’ clash with Barcelona, Garcia Pimienta said he had not spoken to Laporta since.
“I have not had contact with him (Laporta) again, but I want to thank him, because I am at Las Palmas because of that decision. Six months after leaving Barcelona I signed for this club, which is the ideal place for me.”
