“”I had had the experience of playing with Sporting in the UEFA Cup against Milan, and everything that Sacchi’s Milan did was very attractive for me”. With these words, Marcelino García Toral points out one of his great influences from the beginning of his career as a coach. A path in which he achieved early successes. Marcelino explains this journey towards the elite in another video on the channel ‘The Coaches’ Voice’.
Under the title ‘Trip to First Division’, the Asturian coach recalls how he began taking coaching courses in Alicante, when he was still a footballer (he was a member of Elche CF). After retiring, the climb began: promotion to Segunda B with CD Lealtad (1997/98), arrival at Sporting B and call to save the first team from relegation.
Having studied Arrigo Sacchi’s AC Milan and the example of Rafa Benítez (“a coach who had earned everything by hand”) helped shape Marcelino’s methodology. With dedicated fans, Real Sporting came close to promotion to the First Division in the 2003/04 season. Two years later, the Spaniard would reach the highest category with Recreativo de Huelva. With the team from Huelva he became champion of the Second Division and the following year (2006/07 season) he took them to the best classification in its history in the First Division.
“I was always pretty cautious. Perhaps that prudence also led us to enjoy every moment, without generating excessive expectations”, acknowledges Marcelino in relation to that new and successful experience in the elite of Spanish football. In the 2008/09 campaign a new promotion would come, this time with Real Zaragoza.
At the end of the video, the prestigious coach explains the recipe for success: “The ability, respect, support and affection of all my coaching staff and my trust in them.” The work group formed around his figure maintains intact the passion and enthusiasm for improving on a daily basis.