Juan Manuel Rodríguez is the new manager of UD Las Palmas. The club has turned to the 68-year-old coach to douse the sporting fire after sacking Rubén de la Barrera following nine matches without a win.
The decision came after the 3-1 defeat to Mallorca on 11 October, a result that left the team 15th in the Segunda División with just 11 points from a possible 27. Rodríguez, who has previously managed the first team in three separate spells, becomes the oldest coach in the division. His official presentation is scheduled for today at 15:00 at Barranco Seco.
A familiar return
This will be Juan Manuel Rodríguez's fourth stint in charge of the yellow dugout. He managed 16 games in the 2003-04 season, returned in 2007-08 replacing Juanito, and came back in 2010-11 after the departure of Paco Jémez. In total, he has managed 125 top-flight matches for the club. His last official match with the first team was a 3-2 win over Sabadell on 2 June 2012. Since then, he had served as director of Las Palmas Atlético.
Rodríguez takes over a team in the relegation places, with a season record of 13 goals scored and 16 conceded. He is the fifth manager in the last three years, following Luis Carrión, Diego Martínez, Luis García and De la Barrera himself, whose contract ran until June 2027. The club and the Galician coach parted ways on 12 October.
The first challenge
The new manager's debut will be this Saturday 17 October against Castellón at the Estadio de Gran Canaria. The opponent, currently sitting third, presents a tough first test.
His first training session with the first team is scheduled for tomorrow at 17:00 at the Ciudad Deportiva. The immediate objective is clear: to correct the course of a team whose last league win dates back to 12 September, a 0-1 victory at Cádiz. The squad, on a recent run of one win, one draw and three defeats, needs an urgent change in momentum. To follow the team's progress, visit the updated standings.
First reported at Marca
