A calm pre-season took an abrupt turn this Tuesday. Hercules coach Lolo Escobar requested a board meeting in the afternoon, leaving the squad with two weeks before preseason kicks off and, as a free agent, weighing the option to switch teams if possible. Still wearing blue and white, his aim was to advance to Algeciras alongside Rico Pérez, his close ally and brother, and battle for a spot in the First RFEF next season. Despite the championship finish, the leadership trusted him to continue guiding the project.
Lolo Escobar’s wishes center on joining a club with a lighter media load and less social pressure. He wants to avoid reliving some of the upheavals he endured during his time in Alicante, where scrutiny came from every corner. While preparing for Don Benito, he assured the public that he was enduring a tough period. As Hercules’ head coach, especially at the start of the second half of the season, the results did not come, compounding the strain.
The coach’s decision surprised the sports commission, which, despite the season’s late grayness, remained confident in him.
Hercules understands that they won’t be able to anchor a project if the coach is no longer willing to lead. The club won’t close the door to Escobar as long as any departure can occur on favorable terms for the asset. He did not want to leave without fair financial compensation. The blue-and-white presidency engaged in talks with Algeciras to push ahead with a transfer agreement for the technician and his brother at the same price, as the Andalusian team flirted with a drop to the Second RFEF as the season drew to a close.
One reason Don Benito hopes to work in a club with less social burden and media pressure after the Alicante experience.
In the absence of an agreement, the Extremadura coach himself could have stepped in and paid his own resignation, a scenario not ruled out as all options remain open. Regardless, Escobar’s desire to leave Ortiz’s family-owned SAD with just days before preseason has made resolution extremely difficult, whether he departs voluntarily or under pressure, potentially forcing him to stay.
1 YEAR
Escobar brothers’ contract continues
► Hercules’ first and second coaches, along with the goalkeeping coach, will extend their roles through June 30 of the following year. They will also take on analyst responsibilities, studying opponents and identifying player profiles for the sporting director.
Hercules aims to find a solution that protects blue and white interests while recognizing that staying with someone unlikely to stay could jeopardize a fresh attempt to escape the fourth tier, especially since the person leading the squad would be the one most affected. Negotiations are set to resume this week, but a quick resolution is essential given the tight window to find a replacement.
Blue-and-white’s B team moves closer to avoiding a drop to the sixth tier
The probability of Hercules B avoiding relegation to the sixth division is growing as time passes. The Spanish Footballers Association (AFE) released a list of clubs barred from registering players for RFEF competitions, including Gandía, who carried a debt of approximately €200,000 that remained unresolved for weeks.
If Gandía fails to meet its obligations and salaries, the federation could intervene, potentially relegating the team to the regional leagues. The Blue-and-White subsidiary previously faced a decline when the club’s position fell in May after a draw with Acero in the final round. Gandía has until mid-month to settle up. Depending on performance and financial health, the regional federation will decide Gandía’s fate. The deadline looms as July approaches, and Hercules will assess whether the squad they built as pioneers of a new youth pathway can still push into the Third RFEF.