Former Leeds United sporting director Victor Orta has acknowledged his role in Sevilla’s early-season managerial change, taking responsibility for their disappointing start. Speaking to AS after Sevilla appointed Diego Alonso, Orta pointed out that everyone, including himself, bears responsibility for the team’s poor performance in the early part of the season. Currently, Sevilla occupies the 14th spot in La Liga, having only collected eight points from their first eight matches. This situation comes as Orta’s first season with the club, having joined as the director of football during the summer, replacing Monchi, who left for Aston Villa to reunite with Unai Emery.
The 44-year-old had been searching for a new position after his departure as sporting director at Leeds in May, where the club faced the threat of relegation. The underwhelming start to the season led to the dismissal of manager Jose Luis Mendilibar, despite his previous success in guiding the team to victory in the Europa League in May.
During a press conference following the appointment of Alonso, whom Marcelo Bielsa had replaced as the Uruguay national team’s coach earlier in the year, Orta publicly accepted some blame for Sevilla’s sluggish start to the season. He acknowledged that in football, results are the ultimate determinant, and Sevilla’s meager eight points in eight league games compelled them to assess the situation and make the tough decision to replace the coach. Orta emphasized that the responsibility for this situation doesn’t rest solely with the coaching staff but extends to the players and even himself. The decision to change coaches was seen as a way to trigger a response, but the blame can be attributed to various parties.
Orta now faces increasing pressure in his new role in Spain, especially given the unconventional choice of replacing a coach who had recently secured a European trophy with one who lacks prior club-level experience on the continent. If this managerial appointment doesn’t yield positive results, Orta could be in for a challenging period ahead.
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