Pepe Mel: 'I'll give minutes to the players who are eager to compete on the pitch'
The UD Almería head coach recognises that they are massively indebted to the fans. 'The remaining matches are vital for me because I'd like to continue here,' he said regarding his continuity in the Club.'
UD Almería head coach Pepe Mel has looked ahead to Sunday's match against Rayo Vallecano, to whom, before answering the questions from the media, he sent a message for celebrating its centenary: 'Congratulate the Club, all its people and enjoy this year.' Once that well-deserved congratulations were expressed, the head coach highlighted about his next match: 'I'd like to go to Vallecas in a different way, but I know that my players are going to give everything to win, they're going to compete. We're massively indebted to so many people. We must play as well as we did against Villarreal CF, Real Sociedad and UD Las Palmas and forget about those of CA Osasuna and Getafe CF.'
Regarding how to face the next opponents on Sunday, the gaffer stressed: 'Every game is different, we hadn't won all season, we went to Las Palmas, who were in good form, we won and since then, they haven't won. Real Sociedad, competing in the Champions League, we took them on as the bottom team and we were close to beating them... each match is different.'
UD Almería 'B' youngster Marcos Peña Will feature against Rayo Vallecano. 'He has to help the first team, if we want the people from the youth team to be protagonists this is the time, he's the ideal player to grow professionally, be important and help the Club,' he said about the Almería-born player. In addition, he announced: 'He'll play tomorrow.'
Last Saturday, the Rojiblancos blew their opportunity to stay up in the Primera Division and we're relegated to second tier of Spanish football. With regard to this difficult moment, Pepe Mel underlined: 'If UD Almería went down to the Segunda Division, we have to accept the criticism voicef by our people. I stayed on the bench until the end and what Robertone and Luis Suárez did, we should all have done.'
The Madrid native head coach also stressed: 'These have been tough weeks for me, I would've liked to have helped more because we started very well in Las Palmas. However, we got a little stuck. I like my teams to compete and the previous game was disappointing. Football is meant to be enjoyed and that's what I try to convey to my players.'
To conclude his pre-Rayo press conference, Mr Mel stated: 'These five games are vital. I've told my players that they and I are at risk. I want to continue here and enjoy the profession. I'm going to give minutes to the ones who are better, the ones eager to compete on the pitch,' he concluded.