Pepe Mel

Pepe Mel

Mel in 2011
Personal information
Full name	José Mel Pérez
Date of birth	28 February 1963
Place of birth	Madrid, Spain
Height	1.79 m (5 ft 10 ^1⁄2 in)
Playing position	Striker
Youth career
1974–1982	Real Madrid
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1982–1983	Real Madrid C
1983–1987	Real Madrid B	71	(15)
1983–1984	→ Alcalá (loan)
1987	Osasuna	0	(0)
1987–1989	Castellón	62	(28)
1989–1993	Betis	112	(50)
1993–1995	Granada	65	(31)
1995–1996	Benidorm	31	(15)
1996–1997	Getafe	37	(17)
1997–1998	Écija	10	(2)
1998	Angers
Teams managed
1999–2000	Coslada
2000	Mérida
2000–2001	Murcia
2001–2002	Tenerife
2003	Getafe
2003–2004	Alavés
2004–2005	Poli Ejido
2006–2010	Rayo Vallecano
2010–2013	Betis
2014	West Bromwich Albion
2014–2016	Betis
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

José "Pepe" Mel Pérez (born 28 February 1963) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a striker, and a current manager.

He amassed Segunda División totals of 215 games and 78 goals over the course of eight seasons, in representation of Real Madrid Castilla, Castellón and Betis. He competed in La Liga with the last club.

In 1999 Mel took up coaching, going on to be in charge of several teams, mainly Rayo Vallecano and Betis, leading the latter to the second level championship in 2011 and 2015.

Playing career

Castellón / Betis

Born in Madrid, Mel started his career with Real Madrid; joining the club's youth system in 1974 at the age of 11, and playing alongside the likes of Emilio Butragueño and Míchel, he never represented the main squad, only competing at senior level with the B-team.^[1][2] In late 1987, after a very brief spell with CA Osasuna (he did not make his official debut), he moved to Segunda División with CD Castellón where he played two years, helping the Valencian Community club return to La Liga in his second season after an absence of seven years.^[3][4]

Mel enjoyed his best years at Real Betis, signing with the Andalusia team in 1989 and helping it achieve promotion in his debut campaign whilst winning the Pichichi Trophy with 22 goals, one better than in the previous season at Castellón.^[5][6] In the following year he played his first and only season in the top level, scoring 14 times but once again suffering immediate relegation; his debut in the competition was on 2 September 1990, and he found the net in a 2–2 home draw against Sporting de Gijón.^[7]

Late career

Mel played his remaining years in the third division, in his country but also in France, successively representing Granada CF – two years – Benidorm CF and Getafe CF, splitting his final season between Angers SCO and Écija Balompié and retiring at the age of 35, with a Spanish second division tally of 195 games and 73 goals.

Managerial career

Early years / Rayo

Mel started coaching one year after retiring, his first club being amateurs CD Coslada in the Community of Madrid. In 2001, after one year at Real Murcia in division two, he replaced Valencia CF-bound Rafael Benítez at the helm of CD Tenerife, having his first spell in the top flight as a coach^[8] and suffering relegation.

In the following four seasons Mel worked in the second level, being sacked early into 2005–06 by Polideportivo Ejido.^[9] Shortly after he dropped down a level and moved to Rayo Vallecano, helping the Madrid club return to the second division in his second year^[10] and subsequently leading it to the fifth place, with chances of promotion until the very last month of competition.

Betis

Mel training Betis in December 2010

On 15 February 2010, after a string of poor results, Mel was sacked by Rayo, being replaced by director of football Felipe Miñambres who helped the club to the 11th place.^[11] In the summer he signed with former side Betis also in the "silver category",^[12] leading the Verdiblancos back to the top division in his first year.^[13]

Mel coached Betis to the seventh position in the 2012–13 campaign, with the subsequent qualification to the UEFA Europa League. He was relieved of his duties on 2 December 2013, however, after falling to a 0–4 derby loss at Sevilla FC and conceding a last-minute 2–2 home equaliser to Rayo Vallecano.^[14]

West Bromwich Albion

On 9 January 2014, Mel signed an 18-month contract with West Bromwich Albion of the Premier League.^[15] His first match in charge came 11 days later, a 1–1 home draw against Everton.^[16]

Mel obtained his first win in English football after seven games, with a 2–1 success at Swansea City on 15 March 2014.^[17] On 12 May 2014, one day after the end of the season where he led the Baggies to the 17th place, he left by mutual consent.^[18]

Return to Betis

Mel returned to former club Betis in December 2014, with a contract lasting until the end of the campaign.^[19][20] He was the April 2015 Segunda División Manager of the Month after his team won all their games, scoring 11 goals and conceding two.^[21] On 24 May, after only one loss in his tenure, the league was won as champions and promotion achieved with a 3–0 win over AD Alcorcón.^[22]

Mel was sacked on 11 January 2016, with his team in 15th place following a poor run of form.^[23]

Outside football

Mel is also a novelist, having published two books, Liar and The Road to the Afterlife.^[24]

Honours

Player

Castellón

• Segunda División: 1988–89

Manager

Rayo Vallecano

• Segunda División B: 2007–08

Betis

• Segunda División: 2010–11, 2014–15

Individual

• Pichichi Trophy (Segunda División): 1989–90
• Segunda División Manager of the Month: April 2015^[21]

Managerial statistics

As of 12 January 2016

Team	Nat	From	To	Record
				P	W	D	L	Win %
Coslada[25]		1 July 1999	30 June 2000	44	27	10	7	61.36
Mérida[26]		30 June 2000	25 September 2000	4	3	1	0	75.00
Murcia[27]		25 September 2000	30 June 2001	42	13	13	16	30.95
Tenerife[28]		30 June 2001	18 February 2002	27	6	6	15	22.22
Getafe[29]		21 January 2003	30 June 2003	23	8	8	7	34.78
Alavés[30]		1 July 2003	30 June 2004	50	22	19	9	44.00
Poli Ejido[31]		30 June 2004	14 November 2005	56	15	17	24	26.79
Rayo Vallecano[32]		30 June 2006	15 February 2010	169	76	58	35	44.97
Betis[33]		12 July 2010	2 December 2013	156	68	32	56	43.59
West Bromwich Albion[34]		9 January 2014	12 May 2014	17	3	6	8	17.65
Betis[35]		19 December 2014	11 January 2016	46	21	12	13	45.65
Total				634	262	182	190	41.32

References

1. "1–1: Balón de oxígeno para el Mallorca" [1–1: Oxygen balloon for Mallorca] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 13 October 1985. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
2. "1–1: Balaídos dejó de ser inexpugnable" [1–1: Balaídos is no longer virgin territory] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 12 January 1987. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
3. "Renovó Mel y Vinyals se va al Oviedo" [Mel renewed and Vinyals goes to Oviedo] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 23 June 1989. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
4. "El Castellón puso la "guinda"" [Castellón "iced the cake"] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 26 June 1989. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
5. "Mel: "El Español se equivocó"" [Mel: "Español made a mistake"] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 12 May 1990. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
6. "Racing: Se consumó la tragedia" [Racing: Tragedy consummated] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 28 May 1990. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
7. "Betis y Sporting, de poder a poder" [Betis and Sporting, from strength to strength] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 3 September 1990. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
8. El Tenerife despide a Mel y ficha a Javier Clemente (Tenerife fires Mel and signs Javier Clemente); El Mundo, 19 February 2002 (Spanish)
9. Pepe Mel, destituido como técnico del Poli Ejido (Pepe Mel, sacked as Poli Ejido's coach); El Mundo, 14 November 2005 (Spanish)
10. "El Rayo vuelve a la División de Plata del fútbol español" [Rayo returns to Silver Division of Spanish football] (in Spanish). Marca. 15 June 2008. Retrieved 12 May 2014.
11. Pepe Mel, destituido como entrenador del Rayo Vallecano (Pepe Mel, sacked as Rayo Vallecano coach); Globedia, 15 February 2010 (Spanish)
12. Pepe Mel, nuevo entrenador del Betis (Pepe Mel, new Betis coach); Sevilla Actualidad, 12 July 2010 (Spanish)
13. "Pepe Mel renueva con el Betis tres temporadas más" [Pepe Mel renews with Betis for three more seasons] (in Spanish). Marca. 27 May 2011. Retrieved 12 May 2014.
14. El Betis destituye a Pepe Mel (Betis fires Pepe Mel); El País, 2 December 2013 (Spanish)
15. "West Brom appoint Pepe Mel as their new head coach". BBC Sport. 9 January 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
16. "West Brom 1–1 Everton". BBC Sport. 20 January 2014. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
17. "Swansea 1–2 West Brom: Mulumbu's late winner ends Mel's seven-game winless run". Daily Mail. 15 March 2014. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
18. "Pepe Mel: West Bromwich Albion part company with manager". BBC Sport. 12 May 2014. Retrieved 12 May 2014.
19. "Mel, nuevo entrenador del Betis" [Mel, new Betis manager] (in Spanish). Marca. 20 December 2014. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
20. "Former West Brom coach Pepe Mel returns to Real Betis as manager for the second time, seeking to win promotion to La Liga". Daily Mail. 20 December 2014. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
21. "Pepe Mel wins April's Liga Adelante coach of the month award". Liga de Fútbol Profesional. 15 May 2015. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
22. "Real Betis win promotion to Primera Division after Alcorcon victory". Sky Sports. 25 May 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
23. "Pepe Mel: Real Betis sack manager after defeat at Getafe". BBC Sport. 11 January 2016. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
24. Parkes, Ian (19 January 2014). "Part-time novelist Mel hoping to write happy ending to his time at West Brom". Daily Mail. Retrieved 2 February 2014.
25. "Tercera División (Grupo 7) 1999–00" [Tercera División (Group 7) 1999–00] (in Spanish). Futbolme. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
    "Fase de ascenso a Segunda División B 1999–00 (Grupo A1)" [Promotion phase to Segunda División B (Group A1) 1999–00] (in Spanish). Futbolme. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
26. "Tercera División (Grupo 7) 2000–01" [Tercera División (Group 7) 2000–01] (in Spanish). Futbolme. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
27. "Mel: José Mel Pérez". BDFutbol. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
28. "Mel: José Mel Pérez". BDFutbol. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
29. "Mel: José Mel Pérez". BDFutbol. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
30. "Mel: José Mel Pérez". BDFutbol. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
31. "Mel: José Mel Pérez". BDFutbol. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
    "Mel: José Mel Pérez". BDFutbol. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
32. "Mel: José Mel Pérez". BDFutbol. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
    "Mel: José Mel Pérez". BDFutbol. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
    "Mel: José Mel Pérez". BDFutbol. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
    "Mel: José Mel Pérez". BDFutbol. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
33. "Mel: José Mel Pérez". BDFutbol. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
    "Mel: José Mel Pérez". BDFutbol. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
    "Mel: José Mel Pérez". BDFutbol. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
    "Mel: José Mel Pérez". BDFutbol. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
34. "Mel: José Mel Pérez". BDFutbol. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
35. "Mel: José Mel Pérez". BDFutbol. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
    "Mel: José Mel Pérez". BDFutbol. Retrieved 2 April 2016.

External links

• Pepe Mel profile at BDFutbol
• Pepe Mel manager profile at BDFutbol
• Betisweb stats and bio (Spanish)
• Worldfootball profile