Leeds United fans, rejoice. The Pablo Hernández as Leeds manager future dream is very much on the table.
The former midfielder is currently taking his first steps into management with Castellón. And he’s already earning rave reviews for his style as they sit top of the table.
For those that don’t know, Hernández brought his playing career to an end three years ago at the ripe old age of 38. He spent the final two seasons of his career playing at his hometown club CD Castellón, eventually transitioning into a club ambassadorship role.
But a managerial role was not far in coming. He took charge of the Spanish side in a caretaker role last September, after leading the B side to a league title and promotion.
A massive upturn in form followed as he led Castellón out of trouble and into the promotion play-offs last season.
Top of the league
Now, they sit top of the Segunda División, also known as LaLiga HyperMotion.
They’ve enjoyed a flying start to the season, with six wins and one draw from seven games, 14 goals scored and just two against to date.
That’s led Marca to investigate with his inner circle to understand what kind of coach the former Leeds United star is. And it turns out his time at Leeds United is playing a big part in his development.
The newspaper reports that ‘two proper names’ have forged the style that Hernández now has his side playing. One of them is Marcelo Bielsa. The other is Michael Laudrup.
“He only sees football as a show, to have fun,” one source described. Now, those are two completely opposing styles, but the former Leeds man has no issue blending.
| Pablo Hernández — Leeds United career | All competitions |
|---|---|
| Years at club | 2016–2021 |
| Appearances | 175 |
| Goals | 36 |
| Assists | 41 |
| Goal contributions | 77 |
| Championship titles | 1 — 2019/20 |
A mix of Bielsa and Laudrup
He has, so far, simply taken certain elements from Bielsa and Laudrup, both of whom he worked with while playing at Leeds and Swansea, to form his managerial ideas.
They are a “source of inspiration” for him. Hernández has developed a style of play that is ‘joyful, direct and attack minded’ report Marca.
He completely rules out playing a low block and his goal is always to move forward while maintaining structure. The influence of Bielsa and Laudrup is evident in everything he does.
And the proof lies in the Segunda División standings. Castellón are the league leaders, having ‘spent over a year making football entertaining to watch.’
The hope now is that continues moving forwards, and they can return to La Liga for the first time since 1991. If they do, it will be another feather in the cap of the Leeds United favourite and will perhaps take him one step closer to the Elland Road dugout in the process.
That’s obviously for another time with Daniel Farke doing well, but one day…
