Xavi, García Pimienta, ‘Pimi’ or simply mister. UD Almería’s new head coach may go by several names, but his vision for the team is clear: a side that can be solid, attacking and capable of taking the initiative.

The La Masia graduate has arrived in Almería with a clear footballing philosophy, one in which the word team comes first. 'I’m very clear that our defensive work will be one of our strengths,' García Pimienta tells the Club’s official media, outlining the foundations of his new side. 

'We want to be protagonists, we want to dictate the game and we want to be proactive, attacking whenever we can. But there will be periods when the opposition puts us under pressure and when that happens we have to be really strong defensively,' he added.

And by defensive work, Pimienta is not simply talking about his back four: 'I’m not talking about the defenders, by the way, but the whole team. From the goalkeeper to the striker. We have to be solid out of possession and make it very difficult for opponents to create chances. If we can do that, then with the quality we have in the squad, everything becomes easier.

There is more than theory behind Pimienta’s approach. He can point to his own track record as evidence. 'When I was in the Segunda with UD Las Palmas, we earned promotion by controlling practically every game with the ball. We lost just 6 matches, conceded only 29 goals and kept 22 clean sheets,' the head coach recalled. 

There may be no foolproof formula for winning promotion, but Pimienta believes one ingredient is non-negotiable: respecting every opponent: 'I want us to give every team in this division the maximum respect, whether we're playing at home or away and regardless of where they're in the table,' he says emphatically.

The UD Almería gaffer has now completed a pre-season in which the ball has been at the heart of virtually every training session. 'You can win in football with any style, but my way is through the ball. I believe the profile of players we have is perfectly suited to this way of playing. UD Almería brought me here because the Club believes my way of understanding the game is the right fit for the team,' he explained.

Pimienta is clearly excited about the season ahead, but just as importantly, he is excited about the project itself: 'Every season is different and my enthusiasm is at its highest. I came very close to joining another club, but my conversations with João made me realise that this was where I wanted to be. It’s a really good project.'

The new profe describes himself as direct and open to dialogue with his players, while remaining approachable to everyone around the team. The footballer, he insists, comes first: 'They're the important ones.”

Pimienta is also keen to avoid excuses. Experience has taught him to keep a cool head and stay true to his decisions: 'You can make mistakes, of course, but what you can never do is regret the decisions you’ve made. And to do that, you need to have very clear ideas.'

Above all, the Barcelona native has one clear message for his first season at the helm: 'I want the fans to be proud of us. I want everyone to be able to look each other in the eye at the end of every game and, whatever the result, for the supporters to say "This is my UD Almería and these are my players", because they have given absolutely everything.'