Elche CF has long carried a vibrant thread of Argentine coaches through its centennial story. The club’s bench has repeatedly welcomed men from Argentina, each bringing a distinct chapter to the green-and-green saga. Their tenures have varied in success, but the shared thread is a bold willingness to test new leadership on striking, difficult stages of the club’s journey.
Some Argentine spellbinders made a decisive mark by steering Elche toward promotions, notably Felipe Mesones and Roque Olsen. Their periods in charge brought triumphs and opportunities to rise to the First Division, marking bright spots in a history of experimentation. Others, such as Jorge Almirón and Gustavo Silva, endured more challenging spells, where outcomes favored persistence over immediate triumph.
Alfredo Di Stéfano, one of the game’s greatest legends, became the first Argentine icon to sit on Elche’s bench. The Real Madrid great entered management after a storied playing career and spent a single season with Elche during the 1967-1968 campaign, leaving a lasting imprint despite the brevity of his stay.
Daucik takes over from Di Stéfano
Following Di Stéfano, Roque Olsen assumed the leadership in a series of campaigns across different spells. He arrived for the 1971-1972 season after Elche had been relegated to the Second Division, with a strong aim to restore promotion in his first year. While the season’s final day tested the team against Oviedo at Altabix, a promotion would unfold in later years.
In the 1972-1973 season, Olsen achieved promotion with the team three days before the season’s end. The following term made the return permanent, though it did not extend into a long-term renewal. Olsen would return again for the 1977-1978 campaign. The 1983-1984 season saw Diego Quiles replacing Cayetano Re, and Quiles returned once more for the 1985-1986 campaign. Olsen remains the second most-posted coach in Elche history, clocking in 206 games across his multiple stints.
Olsen wins the game against Koldo in 1977
Another Argentine who led the Franjiverde was Nestor “Pipe” Rossi. His two-season tenure, spanning 1974-1975 and 1975-1976, left a strong impression and produced one of the club’s high-scoring periods with a roster that included several Argentine players such as Ruben Cano and Gomez Voglino.
The day Rossi lost
Elche then became the fourth South American to coach the club. Felipe Mesones set the all-time benchmark for appearances (213 games) and wins (95). His era stretched across five seasons in five different stints. He debuted in 1976-1977, returned in 1981-1982, and again made an impact in 1987-1988, highlighted by a memorable goal Robi scored at the Los Cármenes stadium in Granada. Mesones also steered the club in the Second B during 1995-1996 and later in 2000-2001, during a presidency led by Francisco Borgia. His early success faded as times changed, but his chapter remains pivotal in Elche’s Argentine lineage.
Felipe Mesones, in memory
In the 1980-1981 season, Jose Hector Rial stood at the helm for only a few months as coach. A similar short-lived spell occurred with Gustavo Silva in 1990-1991, which ended with relegation to the Second B.
Jorge D’Alessandro, another cherished figure among Argentine coaches, stepped in after Mesones, guiding Elche during the 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 seasons. He kept the team competitive in a very demanding Second Division season, managing to preserve status despite significant obstacles.
Oscar Ruggeri joined Elche in the 2003-2004 campaign. As a World Cup-winning captain, his presence carried prestige, yet the season proved unable to reverse the club’s fortunes, and he was dismissed after a little over five months. César Ferrando then took charge to navigate a delicate Second Division path.
Jose Luis Acciari, serving as interim while coaching the subsidiary, later assumed the first-team duties in a match against Mallorca in Segunda B following Vicente Mir’s dismissal. Josico and Acciari steadied the course, and the team finished that campaign in second place.
Before Beccacece, the most recent Argentine to lead Elche was Jorge Almirón. During the 2020-2021 season, after a notable promotion drama with Girona, Christian Bragarnik opted to replace Pacheta with a coach from his own representation. Yet that experiment did not yield the expected results, and Almirón’s tenure ended after 16 winless matches. Bragarnik sought stability again by appointing another Argentine, and Beccacece, who, despite lacking Spanish experience, faced the task of guiding the team towards dignity in the current season and toward promotion in the next.
As the current chapter unfolds, Beccacece’s tenure stands under close scrutiny. After 12 games, the aim remains clear: keep the squad competitive, build toward the next campaign, and pursue promotion with a clear, intelligent plan. Whether this Beccacece era joins Mesones, Olsen, or becomes another cautionary tale in the annals of Elche remains to be seen. What is certain is that Argentine coaches have left an indelible stamp on the club’s fabric, contributing to a narrative that blends aspiration with the trials of football management.
ARGENTINE COACHES IN ELCHE HISTORY
Alfredo Di Stefano 1967-1968
Roque Olsen 1971-1972, 1972-1973, 1973-1974, 1977-1978, 1983-1984 and 1985-1986
Nestor “Pipe” Rossi 1974-1975 and 1975-1976
felipe mesones 1976-1977, 1981-1982, 1987-1988, 1995-1996 and 2000-2001
Jose Hector Rial 1980-1981
Gustavo Silva 1990-1991
Jorge D’Alessandro 1999-2000 and 2000-2001
Oscar Ruggeri 2003-2004
Jose Luis Acciari 2017-2018
Jorge Almiron 2020-2021 and 2022-2023
sebastian beccacece 2022-2023