I Am Jose

In a La Liga match this afternoon, Mallorca, who had been winless for eight rounds, finally secured a victory. Playing at home, they defeated Rayo Vallecano, who were ranked third at the time, with a 3-0 scoreline. José Alemany, the youngest manager in La Liga, led Mallorca to victory in his first match in charge. However, the most shocking part wasn't the result itself. In the post-match press conference, José revealed that before the game, he had told all the players in the locker room that if they didn't win, this would be the only official match he would ever coach in his life. Mallorca's captain N'Gonga and forward Tristan, who were also present at the press conference, confirmed that he indeed said this.

José explained that he was certain that Mallorca's strength exceeded that of Rayo Vallecano and that his coaching abilities were superior to those of Rayo's manager, Vázquez. That's why he made such a bold vow in the locker room. Which coach is more capable, and which team is stronger, is subjective—there are as many Hamlets as there are people. But even if Mallorca were indeed stronger than Rayo, and José were truly better than Vázquez, football isn't a game that can be easily predicted. Even the best coach leading the world's best players can't guarantee a win against a professional team! The result of a football match is the hardest to predict, and for a young coach to make such a promise... well, he must be a bit crazy. If the game had gone poorly, his managerial career would've ended before it even started.

Fortunately, José's luck seemed to be on his side. He won the game and secured his job for the time being. It's hard to imagine that he would have actually resigned had he lost, but now, Mallorca's players are likely convinced that their coach is a man of his word. Even though Mallorca is still at the bottom of the league, their morale and form might just return in upcoming matches...

Meanwhile, as Palma Daily published a front-page headline about Sunday's match and the incredible events that unfolded at the press conference, the so-called crazy manager had already boarded a flight, leaving Mallorca Island and heading straight to Madrid, the Spanish capital.

José had come for one person—the player who would one day leave a lasting mark in Mallorca's history and make a name for himself across Europe: Samuel Eto'o, Cameroon's star forward, the greatest African player since Weah, and the unquestionable "runner in the name of the black man."

But right now, despite playing in the World Cup for France a year and a half ago, Eto'o was only a substitute for Cameroon, and he wasn't getting much playtime at Real Madrid either. Last season, he only played once, and this season, with the high-profile signing of French striker Anelka, Eto'o's opportunities were further limited. Throughout the first half of the season, he only played in two games.

Today was January 25th. Although Spain's transfer window closed on January 1st, loan deals could still be completed as long as they were finalized before January 31st.

When José stepped out of Madrid Airport, no one recognized the young man wearing sunglasses, but José didn't mind. After exiting the airport, he quickly hailed a taxi and headed straight to the Bernabéu.

At the Bernabéu's Entrance 55, José walked into Real Madrid's headquarters and entered the office of the club's general manager, José Martínez Sánchez, better known as Pirri.

Pirri, a legend of Real Madrid, had retired years ago and had since served as the club's doctor. Now, he was the club's general manager and technical director, a position of considerable power. Player transfers, whether incoming or outgoing, had to go through him. If José wanted to loan Eto'o, he had to deal with him.

Before his rebirth, José hadn't known who Pirri was. He knew that Real Madrid's general managers and technical directors were usually names like Valdano, Butragueño, and Mijatović, but Pirri had been a mystery. After his rebirth, he understood how important Pirri was during the Sanz era.

"Mr. José? Hello, I'm Pirri," the man greeted with a handshake.