After several weeks of speculation, West Bromwich Albion’s search for a new head coach came to an end on Thursday when they appointed Spanish coach Pepe Mel as Steve Clarke’s successor.
The 50-year-old had held talks with West Brom in December but was initially ruled out of the running after it became clear he wanted to bring his own backroom staff. However, he will now work alongside assistant head coach Keith Downing – who had taken temporary charge of team affairs following Clarke’s sacking – and goalkeeping coach Dean Kiely.
Mel has been out of work since being sacked by Real Betis in December, but the West Brom hierarchy have clearly been impressed by Mel’s achievements to date.
Despite not being widely known among English football supporters, he has built up a solid CV in his homeland since beginning his managerial career in 2000.
Early years
A fresh faced young Pepe in his playing days
As a player, Mel was a striker who mainly featured for clubs in the Spanish second and third tiers, having graduated through the ranks at Real Madrid but never playing for Los Blancos.
Mel started coaching one year after ending his playing career, with his first club being amateurs CD Coslada in the Community of Madrid. He spent one year with Real Murcia in the Segunda Division before replacing Valencia-bound Rafael Benítez at the helm of CD Tenerife in 2001. This was his first spell as a coach in La Liga, but unfortunately for Mel and Tenerife it ended in relegation.
After brief spells with Getafe and Alaves in the Segunda Division between 2003 and 2004, he joined Polideportivo Ejido but was sacked early in the 2005-06 season.
Vallecano and Betis success
Mel’s fortunes began to improve with his next job at Rayo Vallecano, whom he joined in 2006 with the club languishing in Spain’s third tier. In his second season with the club he steered them to promotion back to Liga Adelante, but he could not push them on to the next level of reaching La Liga. He was sacked in 2010 following a run of poor results, but he soon resurfaced as boss of Real Betis.
It was with Betis whom Mel enjoyed the most profitable spell of his playing career. He joined them in 1989 and top-scored with 22 goals as the club won promotion to the top flight in his first season. He hit 14 goals the following term in La Liga but the Andalusians would end the season relegated.
Mel left the club in 1993, having scored 50 goals in 112 appearances.
He rejoined them as manager in the summer of 2010 and delivered early success, guiding the club to the second division title and a return to La Liga. They cruised to promotion with the best goalscoring record in the division, and they also made national headlines by beating Barcelona 3-1 in a Copa del Rey tie, although they were still knocked out on aggregate. The club’s return to the top flight was successful as they finished 13th, before following that up with a seventh-placed finish last season, which included some memorable victories over high-flying Real Madrid, Real Sociedad, Valencia and Malaga.
However, financial troubles, the sale of key players and a growing injury list led to a string of poor results that left Betis near the bottom of the table, and Mel lost his job.
West Brom fans can be encouraged by the fact that when the circumstances are right, Mel can deliver success, and overachieving in the case of Betis. This season’s results, though, have shown an inconsistency that has run throughout his managerial career. He has struggled to achieve success consistently, which could be a concern for the Baggies if things don’t quite go as planned.
Playing style
Despite the inconsistency in results, Mel has been praised for playing an attractive, attacking brand of football. Mel was a popular figure with Betis fans – and admired by neutrals in Spain – for his personality, his style of play and the success he delivered while working on a small budget.
His style of football has been compared to that Southampton boss Mauricio Pochettino, who gets his team pressing high up the pitch and playing the ball out from the back.
Mel is also used to working on a shoestring budget, achieving success with Betis while under tight financial constraints. He will find himself in similar circumstances at West Brom, where he will be expected to deliver Premier League safety then look to push the club on during the duration of his 18-month contract.
He is said to have held a long-term desire to work in the Premier League, and he has been taking English lessons for several months in preparation for his move to these shores.
He has now been offered the opportunity to show what he can do in England and if he can turn West Brom’s fortunes around quickly, this will be seen as a shrewd appointment.
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