Jose Bordalas

Jose Bordalas
Image from: freelargeimages.com

Jose Bordalas Jiminez





Current Club/Country: Getafe.

Previous Clubs/Countries: Alaves, Alcorcon, Alcorcon, Elche, Alcoyano, Hercules, Alicante, Novelda, Alicante, Perez Zeledon, Eldense, Benidorm, Alicante, Alicante B.



Honours: N/A.





Bordalas is someone who is finally getting the rewards for his hard work and dedication, even if it had begun to look like it would never happen. He had been a coach for 20 years already when he won promotion to the Spanish top flight with Alaves, only to be sacked 23 days later without even getting a chance to manage in La Liga for a single game.



Getafe, who Alaves had passed on their way up, were struggling after their relegation and appointed him to save them from a second successive relegation. Bordalas did more than that though, he not only turned them around and saved them from the drop, he immediately took them back up.



He does have involvement within more than just coaching, Bordalas' recruitment is a key part of his plan to get the team playing the way he wants. He looks for players with something to prove, players such as Jorge Molina, who was considering quitting the game to become a teacher, and Jaime Mata, who was about to take a job as a customs officer.



Then Bordalas gives them a chance to prove themselves, leading to players that owe him a debt of gratitude and so will try just that bit harder for him, as well as that little extra they give to prove themselves in last chance saloon. His interest in the Roman Empire is said to have affected the style of play he chooses, it is easy to see how the set up of the legions could have influenced the style of play.



That style of play is a very organised and direct 4-4-2, which is heavy on teamwork and positional discipline, in a similar way to a Roy Hodgson team. There are a number of differences to Hodgson teams though, particularly now the team has faster central defenders.



As the centre-backs brought in have pace, Bordolas has gradually moved the defensive line higher up the pitch and implemented a higher press than before. The press has always been part of his thinking, but with pacey centre-backs it has become more intensive and can condense the opposition into a smaller area of the pitch, making it easier to win the ball back in dangerous areas.



There is certainly no sign of a low block from Bordolas' teams, they play as high up the pitch as possible, using their organisational discipline and high intensity press to pen teams in. To aid the process, the two central midfielders will usually hold in front of the defence to ensure there are no gaps when the press is applied.



On the ball, they are direct and look to play balls into the space behind for Mata and Molina to run onto, with midfielders expected to get forward quickly in support. Though this also Bordalas has evolved over time, with the arrival of Deyverson giving them a player who can put his foot on the ball and look to move the ball around when the quick ball over the top is not on.



Bordalas is answering the kind of questions posed of a manager such as Sean Dyche. He is showing that he can adapt his style as he gets better players and produce better quality of football. Perhaps he could be one of those managers who can move to bigger clubs and make it work by adapting his methods to the club he is managing.





Requested by Becks58