😱 Javi Prendes, Puerto de Vega manager: If I go to a brothel... | OneFootball

The Copa del Rey has been shaken by the explosive and direct statements of the Puerto de Vega coach, whose name has gone viral after an unfiltered and frontal criticism of the promotion system and opportunities in Spanish football. The coach used a shocking analogy to illustrate his view of how coaching positions are distributed, openly accusing the structure of privileging personal connections over sporting merit. His words, full of frustration and anger, have brought attention to a problem that, according to him, affects hundreds of professionals in the lower leagues.

The harshness of the message focused on meritocracy within the sport—or rather, its absence. The coach was blunt in stating that the current system does not allow coaches to move up based solely on their talent and results. "Look here, and let this be very clear to everyone, in this fucking country, the only ones who coach are those who know a president; nobody moves up on their own merit, and it should be based on merit," the coach snapped. This phrase encapsulates the deep disappointment of a professional who feels that his daily effort and on-field achievements are ignored by a network of interests and favoritism.

The analogy he used to emphasize his point was particularly crude and controversial, alluding to the lack of professionalism and randomness in the appointment of positions: "If I go to a brothel at one in the morning and sign a contract, that's when you get the opportunity; whoever knows someone, coaches." With this striking image, the coach not only criticized those who get coaching jobs through contacts, but also issued a challenge to the media and public opinion at the end of his speech: "I hope a lot of people hear me. Let's see if you have the balls to put this out for everyone." A challenge that underscores his desperation to bring this alleged injustice to light.

Reactions to the statements were swift. While some fans and anonymous coaches applauded the coach’s courage and brutal honesty in voicing an "open secret" of lower-league football, the controversy generated by his language has also provoked rejection from other sectors.

Despite the incendiary tone, the core of the Puerto de Vega coach’s criticism points to a necessary structural reform to ensure that opportunities in football are based on skills and real performance, not on one’s contact list.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.