As of now, there aren't too many tacticians in European football who have remained at a single club for decades and built a team of their dreams.
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The days of long-serving managers at one club are long gone. As of now, there aren’t too many tacticians in European football who have remained at a single club for decades and built a team of their dreams, with their own philosophy. Because of the massive investment of modern owners teams are now expected to yield quick results and a slow start is often not tolerated. The coaches have to get the ball rolling from day one and no wonder clubs lose patience quickly and managers are sometimes shown the exit doors with few months after taking charge. However, despite all the unfavourable scenarios some managers have managed to remain at the helm of the club for longer than expected. Let us look at some of those longest serving managers in the La Liga right now.
It is incredible to think that in the modern day a manager has been able to stay at one club for more than a decade. Diego Simeone took charge of Atletico Madrid back in December 2011 and since then has transformed them into one of the toughest outfit’s in European football. Prior to Simeone’s arrival, Spanish football was all about Real Madrid and Barcelona, but the 53 year-old has to an extend managed to make it a three horse La Liga-race on quite a number of seasons and even won the race two times, with the latest league-triumph coming in the 2020-21 season. The Argentine tactician has won nine trophies with Colchoneros, including two La Liga tiles and one Copa del Rey. He has also lead his team to two Champions League finals but couldn’t get the better of Real Madrid on both the occasions. Meanwhile, Simeone’s side have won the Europa League two times in the 2011/12 and 2017/18 seasons. In 2016, Simeone received World’s Best Club Coach award for taking his team to the final of the Champions League. He philosophy of having a strong defence and hitting the opposition on the counter’s has proved to be the success mantra for many of the low budget teams. Although the 21st century belongs to Pep Guardiola, Carlo Ancelotti and Jose Mourinho, Simeone has definited earned a spot for himself among the greats, having reached the heights with the limited resources available.
The job done by Jagoba Arrasate at Osasuna cannot be underestimated by any stretch of imagination. The Spaniard took charge of the club in 2018 when they were languishing at the second division. The 45-year-old helped Los Rojillos earn promotion to the top tier of Spanish football in his first season in-charge of the team courtesy of lifting the Segunda Division title. Osasuna gave a good account of themselves on their return to the La Liga, securing a mid-table finish in the 2019-20 season. Los Rojillos secured yet another tenth place finish in the following season. This season, Arrasate’s side are currently sitting at the eighth spot in the La Liga Santander, with 44 points to their name from 31 games, just five points adrift of the top six. Osasuna are definitely in a strong position to challenge for a European spot come the final stretch.
Immanol Alguacil has been with Real Sociedad since 2013 having coached their age group teams. The 51-year-old took charge of the senior team in December 2018 and since then he has done a fabulous job of transforming White-Blue from a mid-table side to European challengers. La Real have finished in the top six in each of their last three La Liga seasons. This time around, Alguacil’s side are currently occupying fourth spot in the Spanish top flight standings, having collected 55 points from 31 games, five clear of fifth-placed Villarreal. With seven games remaining, La Real are in pole position to secure a Champions League spot next season. Meanwhile, Alguacil’s lone title-triumph came in the 2019-20 season when Real Sociedad defeated Athletic Bilbao 2-0 in the Copa del Rey final.
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