A tearful Jagoba Arrasate has announced that his time at Osasuna is coming to an end once this season does, less than a season after reaching the Copa del Rey. Arrasate is the second-longest standing manager in La Liga after Diego Simeone, and took over an Osasuna side that was struggling in Segunda, taking them into Europe.
Arrasate took over the club in Segunda in 2018, and after achieving promotion as Segunda winners in 2019, took Los Rojillo to 11th, 10th, 11th, and 7th place finishes, with the side currently 12th. This season they also played a play-off round against Club Brugge in the Conference League, their first European tie since the 2006-07 season.
President Luis Sabalza said if he had one word for Arrasate, it was ‘thank you’, while Braulio Vazquez also thanked him for his time. Sabalza also described himself as ‘destroyed’ by the exit, and said that they had been keen for him to continue, but Arrasate had taken the decision himself.
Arrasate backed this up, taking ownership of the decision. He said ‘had to be honest with himself’, and ‘had to be honest with the club too’, and admitted that he wasn’t ‘convinced’ that he should continue.
“I have made the decision not to renew, it is a complicated decision as you can imagine, I am at peace with myself, I am not completely convinced, if I don’t get the best out of me it is difficult. I thank everyone. Thanks for everything. These are difficult hours. There are no culprits, there is nothing more to say.”
He also called it the ‘most beautiful period of his life’, and remarked that “I won’t find another club like this, I won’t find another support like this. I’m delighted to be here, but I also have to be honest, and I think it’s the time, and it’s best not to draw things out.”
“Ultimately, when one door closes, another opens, I have to be egotistical too, and so does the club.” He did later go on to say that he was not leaving to pursue another opportunity.
It will be a mammoth job for Osasuna to replace Arrasate at El Sadar, where he has overseen 248 games. His legacy will live long in the memory in Navarra, and he will go down as one of the best coaches in their history.
