Former Olympiacos employees continue progression in Europe
Former Olympiacos coach Ernesto Valverde has Eric Abidal and Jose Segura for company in Barcelona, Leonardo Jardim is doing a superb job at AS Monaco, Marco Silva has received the keys at Everton and Mario Husillos is the new director of football at West Ham United. AGONAsport takes a closer look at the Thrylos’ former employees enjoying success around the continent.
VALVERDE BOSS IN BARCELONA
Let’s start with Ernesto Valverde, who was gifted the role of Barcelona boss ahead of the 2017/2018 campaign after former manager Luis Enrique departed. Previously in his career as a coach, Valverde enjoyed two successful stints at Olympiacos, initially moving into the hot-seat in May 2008. Impressively the Spaniard won the double in his debut season in Greece, comfortably winning the Super League with an eight-point advantage over PAOK. However, despite that success, he left Olympiacos in summer 2009 as a direct result of a financial dispute with the board.
Nevertheless, Valverde would make his grand return just a year later, once again reigning supreme in the Super League. This time, he stayed in Piraeus for two years, leaving in April 2012. Following his time in Greece, the 54-year old then worked at Valencia and Athletic Bilbao, then earning the role as Barcelona head coach in 2017. Valverde managed to win La Liga in his maiden season with the Catalan giants, although the dramatic defeat to Kostas Manolas’ AS Roma in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals left a bitter taste in his mouth.
Valverde will now be joined in Barcelona by former Thrylos full-back Eric Abidal, with the Frenchman penning a deal to become the club’s next sporting director. Abidal represented Olympiacos in the 2014/2015 Super League, a championship which was incidentally his last as a professional player. When hanging up his boots, Abidal opted to remain a member of the Olympiacos system, putting in the hours behind the scenes. Last week, it was confirmed that Abidal will turn his attentions to Barcelona as the sporting director, in turn working alongside Valverde at the Camp Nou. Jose Segura, the ex-Olympiacos coach, also holds a position at Barcelona, boasting the title of general football manager.
JARDIM THRIVES AFTER OLYMPIACOS SACKING
Between July 2012 and January 2013, Portuguese coach Leonardo Jardim guided the Piraeus ship, but he was controversially kicked out of the door midway through the season with Olympiacos clear in top spot. That didn’t knock Jardim though, as he’s proven himself to be an intelligent manager at the highest level. Since 2014, Jardim has made the headlines at current club Monaco, earning 124 matches out of a possible 220 and claiming the 2016/2017 Ligue 1 title. Olympiacos’ perplexing decision to fire him really wasn’t the wisest.
RECORD BREAKING SILVA GIFTED ROLE AS EVERTON MANAGER
In May of this year, 40-year old Marco Silva was given his third job in England, replacing Sam Allardyce as Everton coach. Back in the past, Silva was the Olympiacos leader for the 2015/2016 Super League season, setting a European record with 17 consecutive wins at the start of the campaign. Silva wasn’t keen on staying in Piraeus for long, waving goodbye to the Thrylos in June 2016 and bowing out as a Greek champion. Eventually, he returned to work in January 2017, unable to save Hull City from English Premier League relegation. The Portuguese national was sacked by his next employers Watford early this year, but Silva recently accepted another chance to work in England, made Everton coach for the upcoming season.
Elsewhere, West Ham United’s new director of football is Mario Husillos after he was employed at Olympiacos for a period of time in 2017 and Eduardo Macia, Olympiacos’ ex-technical director, is the head of senior player recruitment at Leicester City.
