Maximum confidence surrounds Lolo Escobar. The club has named Don Benito as next season’s coach, and Escobar will also play a pivotal role in constructing the squad. He is convinced that Escobar is the right coach to promote Hercules and has received complete faith to fulfill the year of his contract. Escobar arrived in Alicante to replace Ángel Rodríguez, and the Madrid coach left a favorable impression with his work in sports management and team ownership, although the immediate objective was not achieved. The evaluation of his work comes from the months he spent in Alicante. When considering only the matches directed by Escobar, Hercules would rank third, with Teruel and Peña Deportiva ahead of them at that time.
He has made his intentions clear in recent press conferences that his goal is to fulfill his contract. He also stated a desire to be involved in sporting decisions for the squad’s preparation, a logical stance in football management.
While Escobar sparked excitement upon taking over a team known for coming from behind to win key matches, the squad later faced a tougher stretch that complicated the target and ultimately prevented it from being reached. At the club, though, it is evident that Hercules might have seen a very different result had the Madrid coach started the season on the bench.
Does Lolo Escobar deserve a sequel in Hercules?
The Madrid coach was frustrated by criticism and spoke about the feeling of being overwhelmed during his final Alicante press conference. He stated a clear wish to complete the remaining year of his contract and emphasized that criticism would not alter his commitment to the club. He conveyed that he felt strong and ready to continue working, adding that starting something anew would be premature. He stressed the importance of finishing what he started and indicated confidence in his plan to stay competitive. The coach expressed that if there were misunderstandings, they would be addressed within the appropriate channels.
Lolo Escobar, in the air
Caesar Hernandez
Hercules intends to begin work as soon as possible to avoid a repeat of last year’s disruption that forced the postponement of pre-season friendlies due to squad shortages. The club currently sees progress with Sergio Marcos, Mario Gomez, and Felipe Chacartegui in the process, with Ander Victoria closing the season in white for the first time in eleven seasons, signaling a potential shift toward stability.