La Liga manager confirms continuity even in case of relegation – ‘Money doesn’t motivate me’ | OneFootball

Levante manager Luis Castro has confirmed that he will remain at the club next season, even if Los Granotas are relegated down to Segunda. As the season enters it’s final quarter, Levante face an uphill battle to escape the drop.

Castro arrived in December to replace Julian Calero, the manager who had taken Levante up from Segunda last season. The Portuguese coach signed a contract until 2027, despite the precarious situation, and has confirmed to Marca that he intends to remain at the club regardless of how the season plays out.

“Yes. I don’t need to coach a Champions League team to be happy. I have the opportunity to do something I love every day and get paid for it. What I would do if I continued coaching: I would still coach at night. It’s true that I want to coach in the First Division; I hope Levante stays up, but I think if I’m in the Second Division and I’m happy with myself, I’ll stay. Financially, Levante wasn’t even close to being the best option I had. But that’s not what motivates me for the future.”

‘At first, I thought I wouldn’t come to Levante’ – Castro

Castro arrived as something of an unknown in Spain, despite strong work with Dunkerque in France, and a brief spell at Nantes. He admitted that he wasn’t sure of taking the job at the Ciutat de Valencia either.

“My first reaction was that I wasn’t going to come, because I already had another very good offer. Then, the second time I spoke with Pepe Danvila, he explained the future of the club to me and I said yes. If the project was like this, I said yes.”

CEO Jose Danvila managed to sell Castro on his vision though.

“First, it was just that he wanted me. The second time, when he explained what the club would be like in four or five years in terms of work and the youth academy, I said yes. I’m not a coach who only looks out for himself. I like to do something for the clubs, the fans, and what’s best for the future. I looked more closely at the team and the things I could change, and I came to the decision to say yes. I’ve always followed the Spanish league, after the Portuguese one. I didn’t just come for Levante, but also because I like Spain.”

Castro influenced by Mourinho and Guardiola

As a native of Portugal, it is no surprise as an aspiring coach that Benfica manager Jose Mourinho was one of his inspirations. Castro cited a variety of top coaches over recent years though.

“For me, as for many coaches at that time, it was Jose Mourinho. He’s a benchmark because of his profile, his ideas, and his approach, and he provides a lasting reference point. He coached a very strong team like Porto, which won the UEFA Cup and the Champions League. Then, another coach I really admired was Pep Guardiola, who changed many things in football, although I don’t just look at one coach, but several, like Klopp or Fonseca.”

Levante currently sit in 19th, but are just three points off Elche in 17th and safety. Castro has generally impressed with his handling of Levante since taking over though, registering 16 points (4-4-5) from his 13 games in charge. The only side Los Granotas have lost to in the bottom half of the table are city rivals Valencia.