Imanol Alguacil and five years of total success

As long as it lasts! It seemed like yesterday when he stormed the Santiago Bernabéu as if nothing had happened in his first game in charge of the team as a permanent coach after having coached nine games before. But no, five years have passed since then. Imanol Alguacil Barrenetxea (Orio, 1971) now celebrates five uninterrupted years at the helm of Real Sociedad. A five-year period of growth, success, a sense of belonging and, above all, a lot of work. There are 1,826 days of chaos, of txuri urdin passion. This is no small thing. He is, in fact, the second-longest continuously in the club’s history, overflowing Berraondo, Lowe and Artigas. He still has the 2,556 days he spent Ormaetxeabut this is his goal, to be the Ferguson of Royal.

Reward for a job well done

The continuation of Imanol In La Real it is nothing more than the reward for extraordinary work, breaking any known ceiling and raising the ground to a point of remarkable necessity. He is now the fourth coach with the most games, competing week after week Ormaetxea To see who tops the rankings of winning percentage and points per game in the Primera, he directed the most matches in Europe with Real (30), or the one who won the most games away from home (58 ). His incredible results are accompanied by a way of doing things, the famous ‘how’, enviable in any corner of the football world.

The entity had little choice but to give him the keys to the club. It even surpassed the moment when Xabi Alonso appeared as an alternative. They both succeed, but the one who does it at Real is Oriotarra. The trust you have gained Imanol Hard to beat. In Europe’s six major leagues there are only 10 coaches who have been in charge longer than him, and four of them have never quite made it to the demanding elite.

Imanol He directed 255 games, 246 in this second period, with 118 victories and only 61 defeats, which does not even represent 25% of the games, an incredible record and almost unmatched by Real Sociedad. A Cup title, four European qualifiers in a row and endless etc.

A backpack of moments

The journey of Imanol At La Real he leaves countless moments to remember. There are 7 different seasons now, four in total. From the coach’s actions, answers or non-answers in press conferences, the celebration of the Cup title, the occasional ‘Imanolina’ in matches and training sessions, even his assistants, his celebrations in locker room hitting any target that makes a sound or his characteristic ‘loving’ hugs.

Perhaps, inside and outside realistic boundaries, there is one moment left in green: his dedication “in amateur mode” to all the people who watched the Cup final from home, scarf in hand. On the field of play, the recent performances in the Champions League, the cup title itself in the eternal final, or the dismantling of Real Madrid and Barcelona at home (especially with the 3-4 Cup win at the Bernabéu) will compete for a place at the highest.

It seems that the realistic fan doesn’t need to start reviewing and picking moments, because his phase is far from over and it seems that his own decision due to the breakdown could end this brilliant phase that continues. . Five years have passed since his second appointment, five years and almost 9 months since his debut at Ipurua and just by seeing the differences between that Real and the current one you can see the tremendous work that has been done , and the indelible legacy that the Oriotar coach would create. leave when he decides to leave or return to their place of origin: the Zubieta quarry.