I Am Jose

Mallorca, located in the heart of the Balearic Islands, is the central and largest of the three major islands in the group. Covering an area of 3,640 square kilometers with a population approaching one million, nearly half of the island's population resides in Palma de Mallorca, the island's largest port and the capital of the Balearic Islands Autonomous Community. This is also the location of the Mallorca Club's stadium and headquarters.

With over 300 days of sunshine each year, Mallorca is a place where the weather is always bright and cheery. The landscape is varied, from sandy beaches and steep cliffs to fields of olive and almond trees. Due to its beautiful weather and scenery, Mallorca is often called the "Paradise of the Mediterranean." Tourists flock from all over Europe to soak in the sun and surf, making Mallorca a buzzing hub.

Naturally, tourism is the island's biggest economic pillar, and its historical architecture is mostly Gothic in style. Palma's seaside promenade is lined with hotels, bars, restaurants, and nightclubs. From the Bellver Castle, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the entire city, taking in sights like the Gothic Cathedral, the Almudaina Palace (formerly an Arab fortress), the Gothic Quarter, Cottons Plaza, the Town Hall, King James III Street, the Born Avenue, Villagran Plaza, and Las Ramblas (where Chopin once lived).

Thanks to these iconic old buildings and the fantastic weather, Mallorca is dotted with hotels. Palma, the regional capital, is of course the biggest, but coastal cities like Andraitx, Sóller, Alcúdia, Santa Margalida, Artà, Manacor, and Campos are also thriving. José's father, Alemany, is a hotel chain mogul, earning millions of dollars a year. His local ties are what allowed him to become the president of Mallorca, a position he attained without facing much resistance. The majority shareholder group, the Asensio family (who hold 60%), controls the Málaga region, and other major shareholders, like Vicente Grande's company (holding 30%), have their headquarters outside of Mallorca. Alemany's appointment faced little opposition, mostly due to his deep roots in the local community.

The team's home stadium, the recently opened Son Moix Stadium, is located just east of Palma, with excellent transport links. The team's training base, Doral, is just a short 10-minute drive away.

When the news came that José was appointed as the second-team coach, there was little resistance. After all, José had come up through the second team, and he had good relationships with the coaches. The second-team coach, Francisco, had already planned to retire, so José's return to the second team as coach was a logical step.

After meeting a few of the second-team coaches, José made his way to the training field. Despite being mid-season, the second-team players were still hard at work—after all, they needed to keep pushing if they hoped for a chance at the first team.

"Joan, how's the second team been doing these past few months?" José asked with a grin, addressing Joan Mesquida, the second team's oldest assistant coach.

"Not bad. We finally secured our place in La Liga last season... That Diego Tristan you've been keeping an eye on has been outstanding. 19 goals in 34 matches—no wonder the first team is keen on him," Joan replied.