The coach, who achieved the historic promotion to Segunda División B in the 2000/01 season, was presented this Thursday as the new manager of the red-and-yellow team. Preseason will kick off on July 27 at the Ciudad Deportiva Lanzarote.
UD Lanzarote has once again placed its trust in one of its legends. Juan Antonio Machín, the coach who led the team to the historic promotion to the old Segunda División B in the 2000/01 season, returns to the red-and-yellow bench 25 years later. The official presentation took place on Thursday afternoon at the facilities of Informática Lanzarote, with the presence of the club's Board of Directors.
The general director of UD Lanzarote, César Saavedra, was responsible for welcoming the coach. Saavedra highlighted that Machín is “the ideal coach to lead UD Lanzarote, due to his knowledge, values, integrity, and charisma.” He also noted that the new coach has shown “great enthusiasm for leading the group of players that has been assembled” over the past few weeks.
For his part, Machín did not hide his emotion when recalling his previous time at the club. “For a local coach, directing UD Lanzarote is a double motivation and at the same time a responsibility for what is expected of me,” he stated. The coach expressed that he is “prepared for everything that lies ahead of us.”
The new coach became emotional when evoking that 2000/2001 season, in which the team achieved a promotion that marked a turning point in the club's history. “We need to form a family like the one we created back then,” he pointed out, convinced that this spirit can help “take the team to where it deserves to be, which is in a higher category.”
Regarding the squad, Machín explained that a balanced mix has been sought: “Experienced players alongside those who have a lot of hunger.” He also assured that “we have reinforced the defence well, which was lacking in numbers last season.” The coach also urged the homegrown players and those who continue in the team to “step up,” believing that the squad is “very interesting.”
Machín hinted that the upcoming season will be “very demanding” and sent a message to the fans: “I only ask that the fans go home happy every Sunday because the team has given everything on the pitch.”
Fans won’t have to wait long to see the team in action. UD Lanzarote's preseason will begin next Monday, July 27, at 18:00 at the Ciudad Deportiva Lanzarote. Throughout August, the team will participate in several preparatory tournaments before the start of the season in Tercera Federación.
Machín's return represents a boost for the club and its fans, who see him as the man capable of returning the team to higher categories. The board is fully confident in his project and his ability to lead the group in this new stage.
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