The Elche under-23 squad entered a season that began with muted expectations and soon became a test of patience. Like the first team, the second string struggled to find consistent results, and a sense of unease persisted as multiple coaching changes marked the early phase. The sequence of managerial shifts underscored a broader struggle within the club’s framework, revealing a pattern of short-term fixes instead of a long-term rebuilding plan.
Alberto Gallego arrived after achieving promotion with another side and stepped into the role during the summer, taking charge of the development squad as the first team faced its own pressures. His appointment followed previous experiences with Recreativo de Huelva and Ibiza, and he was brought in to guide the youth pipeline and bridge the academy with the top tier. Gallego’s leadership coincided with the need to stabilize performances and establish a clear path for younger players who would eventually feed the first team.
Nino managed several matches in the interim, though his position clearly served as a temporary holding pattern while the ownership group, led by Christian Bragarnik, and the sporting director, Jorge Raffo, prepared to install a more permanent manager for the entire setup. The objective was to find a coach who could align the reserve team with the ambitions of the senior squad and ensure a more consistent playing style across the club’s pyramid. The hiring of a seasoned, adaptable figure in Patrick “El Patro” Graff signaled intent to bring in experience while continuing to nurture the club’s young prospects.
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JA Galvanized
The subsidiary entered a period of rapid change that spread a ripple of anxiety through the system. The squad wasn’t operating at full strength, and several players were repeatedly called up to reinforce the first team due to a shallow depth chart. This immediate reality pushed the group to tighten collective understanding and raise the level of competition in training, as performances on matchdays were under close scrutiny by club officials and fans alike.
In the latest match, the venue was the Juan Manuel Llaneza Sports City’s Mini Estadi, a familiar stage for Elche’s young talents, who faced Villarreal C. The game opened with tension, and the Franchiverdes edged ahead 0-1 thanks to a strike by Serbian forward Bane Knezevich. The result arrived as the squad’s cohesion was under evaluation, but there were clear signs of improvement as players adapted to extended minutes and greater pressure from rivals.
Against this backdrop, attention turned to the development of individual performers who could contribute to both the reserve side and the senior team in time. Goalkeepers, defenders, and midfielders joined forces to form a balanced unit capable of handling the league’s pace and intensity while staying focused on broader development goals. The pace of improvement suggested a shift from a reactive stance to a more proactive, attacking approach as the season progressed.
Nine months into the campaign, the Elche subsidiary positioned itself to move beyond mere survival. As squad depth grew and coaching continuity improved, the young players were steadily earning opportunities to prove themselves at higher levels. The horizon held promise for a team ready to translate training-ground progress into tangible results on matchdays, aligning more closely with the first team’s ambitions and the club’s broader aspirations.