Homegrown heroes: How academy coaches turned Castellón and Málaga's seasons around
Pablo Hernández and Juanfran Funes have transformed their clubs' fortunes after stepping up from reserve teams, despite having no previous Segunda División experience.
Two clubs took a massive gamble promoting their B-team coaches to the first team hot seat, and it’s paying off in spades as both Castellón and Málaga enjoy remarkable turnarounds in LaLiga Hypermotion.
The Castellón revival
After just five matchdays and a measly two points, Castellón became the first Segunda División club to sack their manager this season, showing Johan Plat the door. The club turned to Pablo Hernández – their reserve team gaffer – as a temporary solution while searching for a permanent replacement.
What happened next was nothing short of remarkable:
- Three consecutive wins including impressive victories against Cultural Leonesa (1-3) and Leganés (0-1) on the road
- A convincing home triumph against Sporting (3-1)
- A transformation from relegation candidates to promotion contenders
The club’s brass quickly abandoned their search for an external appointment, making Hernández’s position permanent. The results speak for themselves – Castellón now sit fourth in the table with an impressive record of ten wins, two draws and just three defeats under his guidance.
Prior to this appointment, Hernández’s only managerial experience came with Castellón’s B team, where he secured promotion from Tercera RFEF in his debut season. Talk about a proper step up!
Málaga’s Disney-inspired turnaround
Málaga’s decision to promote Juanfran Funes from their struggling reserve side raised more than a few eyebrows among the faithful. The B team was rooted to the bottom of Segunda RFEF when sporting director Loren Juarros made what seemed an absolute dog’s dinner of an appointment.
But the numbers don’t lie:
- 14 points from a possible 18 since taking charge
- From rock bottom (20th) to ninth in the table
- Unbeaten in league competition with an attractive, attacking style
- Three consecutive victories – a feat not achieved since April 2023
- Back-to-back away matches scoring three goals – something not seen since 2007-08
Funes has transformed the team’s mentality with his unique approach, reportedly using Disney phrases to motivate his players alongside old-school football philosophies that have completely reversed their fortunes.
With a seven-point cushion above the relegation zone, Málaga are now looking upward toward the playoff spots. The statistics are telling – if the season had started when Funes took over, Málaga would be sitting second, behind only… you guessed it, Hernández’s Castellón.
Sometimes the best solutions are right under your nose – or in this case, down in the B team dugout.