Results shape the trajectories of coaches on the Elche CF bench. Since the Argentinian investor Bragarnik acquired Elche, the club has navigated a period of instability, with José Sepulcre stepping aside in December 2019. Many coaches faced uncertainty about their futures as the team searched for consistency.
The first major appointment under Bragarnik was Fran Escribá, who returns to Valencia’s Martínez Valero next Saturday to face Real Zaragoza. The Valencian coach arrives under scrutiny, his stability questioned after a strong start that saw five consecutive wins, followed by a dramatic shift as Zaragoza slid from the lead to ninth place with 22 points, while Leganés closed in at the top with a nine-point cushion and a pair of promotion playoff spots. The on-pitch performances, particularly at La Romareda, have amplified doubts about Escribá’s future as Elche prepares to meet him again on the upcoming weekend.
Escribá stands out as one of the most successful managers in Elche’s recent history. He directed two stints with the club, delivering promotion to the First Division in the 2012-2013 season and guiding the team to solid stays in the top tier. His early era saw Elche becoming a stable presence in the highest level until economic troubles prompted his departure and a period of administrative relegation that followed.
He returned midstream to Martínez Valero in 2020-2021, replacing Jorge Almirón as Elche battled to remain in the First League. After 17 matches, Escribá steered the squad through a difficult stretch, achieving five wins, three draws, and nine losses, with the campaign ending after a defeat at Bilbao Athletic Club.
next campaign The 2021-2022 season began with a setback, a 0-3 home defeat to Betis, which contributed to Escribá’s dismissal on matchday 14. The team found itself in relegation danger as results deteriorated, and the decision signaled a turning point in the club’s approach to management.
Bragarnik’s tenure brought another wave of changes. The first coach of this era was Jorge Almirón, a high-stakes gamble for the club. After Elche earned promotion in 2020, Bragarnik chose not to retain Pacheta and instead brought Almirón on board for two cycles. His time on Elche’s bench lasted 21 matches in the first stint, recording three wins, nine draws, and nine losses before leaving the role.
Almirón then moved to Boca Juniors, where he guided the team to the Libertadores Cup final before resigning after a recent defeat to Fluminense. The Bragarnik era also saw Eduardo Bragarnik adding other figures to the squad, but not all trials paid off. A later shift placed a renewed focus on stability, though uncertainty lingered around the head coach position.
Another figure under scrutiny during Bragarnik’s period was Pacheta. The Burgos manager carried fragility around his tenure at Elche as the club evaluated continuity. La Liga form was volatile, with only a couple of victories and the possibility of rapid changes looming over the squad as Marcelino García Toral remained a potential alternative.
Pacheta and Escribá, both significant contributors in Elche’s recent rise, delivered promotions that elevated the Franjiverde side from the lower divisions to the First League. Yet after achieving top-flight status, Elche’s ownership re-evaluated the leadership, opting for a different path that favored changes at the top as the club prepared for next steps.
Pacheta will not continue at Elche
Pablo Machín then took over in December of the previous year, but the tenure was brief. After two wins, three draws, and seven losses in 12 league matches, the team remained in danger, and Bragarnik decided to change direction, turning toward Beccacece to lead the squad in the current season. Machín is no longer with the club.
Among the coaches who have guided Elche in recent seasons, Francisco Rodríguez stands out for securing positive results. The Almeria coach carried Elche to notable performances, including earning a point at Real Madrid in Madrid and nearly clinching a historic win on home soil. The team’s trajectory under Rodríguez demonstrated what a stable leadership can achieve, even in a challenging campaign.
Francisco ultimately left the role, but his impact lingered in the club’s recent memory. He arrived during a period of heavy expectations and helped Elche achieve a historic points total in the First League, leaving behind a foundation for future teams to build on. The club continued its search for a coaching balance that could translate potential into sustained results, a task complicated by ongoing ownership decisions and financial pressures.