Rayo not only ends the League in Son Moix, it also closes the ‘Iraola era’. The Usurbil coach says goodbye to the franjirrojo club, after three seasons full of successes with a promotion to the First Division (20-21), a cup semifinal (21-22) and even the fight for the Conference until this last day (22- 2. 3). Hence, rayismo has regretted his goodbye. Iraola himself confirmed his departure a little over a week ago at a press conference, in which he made it clear that he was packing his bags without any other fixed course. Since then, with the free bench, the candidates have followed one another. Many names, but one of them marked in red from the beginning, Francisco.
The 44-year-old from Almería is currently the favourite. To the point that Francisco is very close to signing with Rayo to take the reins of the 23-24 team. The next few hours will be decisive in resolving the future of the Vallecano bench, for which Íñigo Pérez, Iraola’s second, has also been tested. That would be a more continuous line, although Francisco has more experience. More than a decade of career, in which he has directed groups such as Almería, UCAM Murcia, Lugo, Córdoba, Huesca, Girona and Elche.
In fact, His Girona lost to Rayo de Iraola in the promotion playoff final. A curse that was repeatedsince a campaign before also fell into the promotion at the hands of Elche. Years later, in 22-23, already on the Elche bench, he faced the Strip again and a new defeat (2-1) led to his dismissal. Now, Francisco is the best placed to take over from Usurbil in Vallecas, a stadium that he has visited as a spectator on occasion this season.