Pepe Mel facts for kids
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 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1974–1982 | Real Madrid | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1982–1983 | Real Madrid C | ||
| 1983–1987 | Real Madrid B | 72 | (15) |
| 1983–1984 | → Alcalá (loan) | 52 | (35) |
| 1987 | Osasuna | 0 | (0) |
| 1987–1989 | Castellón | 62 | (27) |
| 1989–1993 | Betis | 112 | (50) |
| 1993–1995 | Granada | 63 | (31) |
| 1995–1996 | Benidorm | 31 | (15) |
| 1996–1997 | Getafe | 37 | (17) |
| 1997 | Écija | 10 | (2) |
| 1998 | Angers | 16 | (3) |
| Total | 455 | (195) | |
| Managerial career | |||
| 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 | ||
| 2017 | Deportivo La Coruña | ||
| 2019–2022 | Las Palmas | ||
| 2022–2023 | Málaga | ||
| 2023–2024 | OFI | ||
| 2024 | Almería | ||
| 2024 | Tenerife | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
José "Pepe" Mel Pérez (born on February 28, 1963) is a Spanish former football player. He played as a striker. Today, he is a manager for football teams.
Pepe Mel played in 215 matches and scored 78 goals in the Segunda División. This is Spain's second-highest football league. He played for teams like Real Madrid Castilla, Castellón, and Betis. He also played in La Liga, which is Spain's top league, with Betis.
Mel started coaching in 1999. He has managed several teams, including Rayo Vallecano and Betis. He helped Betis win the second-tier championship in 2011 and 2015. He also worked in England with West Bromwich Albion and in Greece with OFI.
Contents
Pepe Mel's Playing Career
Early Years and Success
Pepe Mel was born in Madrid, Spain. He started playing football at a young age. He joined the Real Madrid youth team when he was 11 years old in 1974. He played alongside famous players like Emilio Butragueño. However, he only played for Real Madrid's reserve teams, not the main senior team.
In late 1987, he joined Castellón in the Segunda División. He played there for two years. He helped Castellón get promoted back to La Liga in his second season. This was a big achievement for the team.
Time with Real Betis
Pepe Mel had his best playing years with Real Betis. He joined the team in 1989. In his first season, he helped them get promoted to La Liga. He also won the Pichichi Trophy that year. This award is given to the top goal scorer in the league. He scored 22 goals, which was more than his previous season.
The next year, he scored 14 goals in La Liga. However, Betis was relegated back to the second division. He played his first La Liga match on September 2, 1990.
Later Playing Days
After his time with Betis, Mel played in lower divisions. He played for teams like Granada, Benidorm, and Getafe. He also played a short time in France for Angers. He retired from playing football when he was 35 years old. He finished his playing career with 215 games and 78 goals in the Spanish second division.
Pepe Mel's Coaching Journey
Starting as a Coach
Pepe Mel began his coaching career in 1999. His first team was Coslada, an amateur club. In 2001, he took over as coach for Tenerife in the top league. This was his first time coaching in La Liga. However, the team was relegated that season.
For the next four seasons, Mel coached in the second division. He then moved to Rayo Vallecano in a lower league. He helped Rayo Vallecano get promoted back to the second division in his second year. He then led them to a strong fifth-place finish. They almost got promoted to La Liga again.
Coaching Real Betis
In February 2010, Mel left Rayo Vallecano. Later that summer, he signed with his former team, Real Betis. Betis was in the second division at the time. In his first year, he successfully led the team back to Spain's top league, La Liga.
Mel coached Betis to a seventh-place finish in the 2012–13 season. This meant they qualified for the UEFA Europa League, a big European competition. However, he left the club in December 2013 after some difficult results.
Time in England
On January 9, 2014, Pepe Mel moved to England. He signed an 18-month contract with West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League. His first game was a 1–1 draw against Everton.
Mel got his first win in English football in March 2014. His team beat Swansea City 2–1. He helped West Bromwich Albion stay in the Premier League that season. He left the club in May 2014 after the season ended.
Returning to Betis
Pepe Mel returned to Betis in December 2014. He signed a contract until the end of that season. His team played very well, winning many games. In April 2015, he was named the Segunda División Manager of the Month. On May 24, Betis won the league championship. This meant they were promoted back to La Liga again.
However, Mel was later fired from Betis in January 2016. The team was in 15th place at the time.
Other Coaching Roles
Mel continued his coaching career with other Spanish clubs. In February 2017, he joined Deportivo de La Coruña. He helped them try to avoid relegation. He later left the club in October.
In March 2019, Mel became the manager of Las Palmas. He stayed with them until January 2022. After that, he coached Málaga in the second division from September 2022 to January 2023.
In December 2023, Mel moved to Greece to coach OFI. He left the club in February 2024. In March 2024, he took over Almería in Spain's top league. He helped them get three wins, but the team finished last in the league. He left Almería in May 2024.
Most recently, Mel returned to Tenerife in September 2024. However, he left the club in December 2024 after a short period.
Outside Football
Pepe Mel is not just a football person. He is also a writer! He has published three books. Their titles are Liar, The Road to the Afterlife, and The Test.
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
See also
In Spanish: Pepe Mel para niños
