Elche CF organized a rescue training session this Tuesday at Diego Quiles field, located in the Altabix sports complex, and today, Wednesday, starting at 10:30 in the morning, another study session is planned to prep for the upcoming match. On Saturday, the team will face Valencia at Mestalla, with kickoff scheduled for 16:15.
The club’s interim technical staff, led by Alberto Gallego, along with assistants Small Child and Dani Llaceren, continues to supervise the first team, and current indications suggest they will again be on the bench for the Valencia game.
Owner Christian Bragarnik continues to steer the club’s direction. It has been a week since Francisco was dismissed, yet no new head coach has been announced as a replacement.
One of the main possibilities being discussed is the role of technical secretary, with Sergio Mantecón among the candidates who could depart to join another project if needed.
Elche, once widely tipped as strong contenders for promotion from the Second Division, has seen French coach Mehdi Nafti step aside, followed by successors Alvaro Servera and the two coaches Elche has kept in contact with, namely Vincent Moreno and Javier Calleja.
Moreno remains firmly in the picture, even though Elche asked about the possibility of his joining the Franjiverde side. Al-Shabaab, the Saudi Professional League outfit, remains unbeaten at the top of the table and continues to feature among Saudi Arabia’s notable coaching options.
Meanwhile, Bragarnik is reported to have discussed with several people last week to gauge Elche’s willingness and the terms of a potential contract. Elche is not willing to wait indefinitely and has also explored the possibility of bringing in a coach to lead Levante if a suitable arrangement emerges. In fact, a former Franjiverde player, acting through his agent Unai Vergara, held talks with the Granota organization as well.
Thus, if Vicente Moreno misses out, which seems increasingly likely, and if Javi Calleja’s path with Levante finally becomes concrete, Bragarnik would be left with fewer and fewer viable candidates to choose from.
Sebastian Beccacece, alongside Jose Bordalás as a potential route, represents a fairly complex option, and the pool of contenders shrinks further unless the club owner delivers a bold, aspirational choice that can lift Elche beyond its current position. Paco López and Beccacece have often been cited as the owner’s preferred candidates, a preference that has persisted from the earliest stages of the process.
One obstacle with Beccacece is determining whether he can secure the necessary credentials. The Royal Spanish Football Federation and the UEFA Control Panel require proof of five years of head coaching experience to qualify for certain coaching roles in Spain, a criterion that Beccacece would need to meet before being officially sanctioned to lead a top-tier team.
Beccacece has previously coached Defensa y Justicia in two separate spells, Independiente and Atlético Avellaneda, in different seasons. He has also managed the Argentina U20 team. The question remains whether those roles count toward the five-year leadership requirement in the eyes of federation and UEFA officials.
Bragarnik appears determined to avoid the pitfalls that arose during a past signing, when another coach faced complications after a promotion to the First Division. If Beccacece secures federation and UEFA approval for a five-year leadership track, the owner would be prepared to take a calculated risk and place his faith in the Argentine coach who also represents the club’s interests. This stance has been confirmed to this publication by sources close to the Elche owner.
The decision makes for a high-stakes gamble: if Elche does not advance or stabilize, scrutiny will intensify around the Bragarnik leadership and the choices made in the coaching race.