When Athletic Bilbao promoted Gaizka Garitano to first team manager, from a role with the club’s reserve side, his brief was clear – avoid an embarrassing La Liga relegation.
Sacking managers has been a common theme at the Basque side, since Ernesto Valverde left the club for Barcelona in 2017,with Garitano the third coach to take the reins at San Mames in just 18 months.
He has replaced Eduardo Berizzo, and follows in the footsteps of Berizzo’s predecessor Cuco Ziganda, who was plucked from reserve team management at the club.