Loren Juarros Out of the Loop on Funes Contract Talks — But the Club Still Wants to Renew
Málaga CF's sporting director admits he's had zero involvement in Funes Mori's contract renewal, despite the club reportedly wanting to extend the manager's deal.
A slightly awkward press conference at La Rosaleda on Thursday laid bare a curious situation at Málaga CF — the club wants to keep their manager, but the sporting director hasn’t been asked to do anything about it.
The Juarros Situation
Loren Juarros was at La Rosaleda for the official renewal announcement of young Aaron Ochoa, but inevitably the questions turned to the elephant in the room: what’s happening with head coach Funes Mori’s contract?
Just a week ago, sources close to the situation were suggesting the club fully intended to extend the manager’s deal. Juarros himself had previously hinted at his readiness to get involved if asked. But on Thursday? A completely different tone.
- Juarros was blunt: he’s had no contact regarding Funes Mori’s renewal
- He hasn’t been instructed to work on it, and nothing has been delegated to him
- Despite that, the club’s desire to keep Funes apparently still exists — it’s just not going through the sporting director
It’s a bit of an odd one, innit. You’ve got the will at board level, the manager presumably wanting clarity, and the sporting director sat there with absolutely nothing to do on the matter. Whether that’s a deliberate decision to handle it at a higher level or just a bit of organisational muddle is anyone’s guess.
Aaron Ochoa Steals a Bit of the Spotlight
The actual reason for the presser — Ochoa’s contract renewal — did get its moment in the sun. The young academy product gave his first proper press conference and came across well.
A few things worth noting from the Ochoa side of things:
- No pressure — he says he’s not feeling the weight of expectation at the club
- International allegiance settled — he’s committed to the Republic of Ireland and isn’t switching. His mum, he said, is dead proud of him representing Ireland
- He’s targeting a place in the next Ireland squad and wants to contribute to the national side
- Spain have been in touch, but he made his position pretty clear without needing to spell it out
Ochoa’s got a nice story — a Málaga academy lad with Irish roots who’s chosen the green shirt. Good on him for being straight about it rather than keeping everyone hanging.
The Bigger Picture at Málaga
Málaga are pushing hard in Segunda División and the uncertainty around Funes Mori’s future — even if it’s more administrative fog than genuine doubt — isn’t ideal. The manager deserves clarity, and frankly so do the fans. If the club wants to keep him, someone needs to actually pick up the phone.
For now, Juarros is watching from the sidelines on this one. Make of that what you will.