Alejandro Arribas has demanded “a minimum of respect” for beleaguered Coach Victor Sanchez ahead of Deportivo La Coruna’s match against Getafe on Sunday.
Despite leading Depor to the European places in the first half of the season and signing a new contract just before the turn of the year, Victor has come under increasing scrutiny following the side’s dramatic slump in form since then, but Arribas believes the speculation concerning the trainer is wrong.
“First of all, I ask for a minimum of respect for the Coach,” the defender said at a Press conference.
“He saved the team last season and this season we’re a small step away [from survival].
“If he goes or not, it’s not up to me, you [journalists] or anybody else.
“The club will decide if he’s the right Coach, but if they renewed his contract then it’s because he is.
“We want to be in Europe and the example is Celta Vigo. I think we should be growing season to season.
“We all wanted to achieve our target [of survival] sooner, but there are teams who would pay to be in our situation.
“[On Depor’s second-round slump], teams have come to know how we play, but ultimately the team will finish where they deserve to, and we’re a small step away from survival.
“[The game against Getafe] is very important to us and in meeting our objective for the season.
“We’re very close [to staying up]. I don’t know how many points we need exactly, but three would make it mathematical, so we’ll go for them.
“There’s talk here that the fans are unsure, which causes uneasiness, but I don’t want to think how [the fans] in Getafe are thinking.
“They’re going for it, and so will we, although it’s more of a final for them than us.
“There’s been a change [since Juan Esnaider’s appointment], and they come into the game with a lot of urgency.
“In attack, they have experienced players like Pedro Leon, Pablo Sarabia and Alvaro Vazquez.
“In the middle, they also have experience in [Mehdi] Lacen, plus [Alvaro] Medran is doing well.
“We must be attentive at the back so they don’t cause us any problems.
“[On the reported bust-up between Lucas Perez and Oriol Riera in training on Thursday], it was normal and something that happens in any job.”
