The Conference League finalist has a new manager for the next three seasons
Rayo Vallecano has officially announced the hiring of Beñat San José as its new head coach, and according to various sources, he will sign a three-season contract with the team after a season at Eibar that left the Basque club very close to securing a playoff spot.
The new coach hails from the Basque Country, just as did the two most successful managers in Rayo Vallecano’s recent history, Andoni Iraola and Íñigo Pérez—a promising sign for Vallecano fans so far.
The hiring comes after the coach who led them to a European final, Íñigo Pérez, left the club at the end of this season to coach Villarreal and try his luck in a competition like the Champions League with players of Spanish national team caliber—as was rumored with Moleiro before the World Cup.
Where does Beñat come from?
Beñat San José had a successful stint at SD Eibar in his most recent role—his longest spell coaching a single club—which would have lasted even longer had Rayo Vallecano not come knocking.
But before that, the Basque coach traveled extensively to various countries, coaching clubs of all kinds. Prior to Eibar, he spent a less-than-successful season with Atlas in Mexico, where he was fired.
He then embarked on a tour of South America, coaching Club Bolívar for one season—during which he won the Bolivian first division—before returning to North America to coach the Mexican club Mazatlán.
Two seasons with KAS Eupen and a brief stint with Al Nasr served as a break from his run coaching South American teams before he took over at Universidad Católica in Chile and returned to Club Bolívar, with whom he won another Bolivian league title, as well as a stint with Antofagasta in Chile.
His professional career began at Real Sociedad B in 2008, where he spent four years before moving on to coach various clubs in Saudi Arabia—none of which he stayed with for more than one season—including Al Ittihad’s U-23 team, their first team, and Al Ettifaq.
Rayo Vallecano has hired a manager with a proven track record in all kinds of situations and at all levels of competition, whom they hope will provide the stability needed to stay in the division and avoid the threat of relegation this season.
Do you think he’ll have a successful stint at Rayo?