If you thought the Wolves manager search wasn’t filled with enough drama, well, that’s about to change. Step forward Íñigo Pérez.
He was contacted by Wolves this week about replacing Vitor Pereira. And since then, all hell has broken loose at Rayo Vallecano.
ABC kick things off for us, reporting that Pérez had a ‘heated argument’ with his player Iván Balliu during the clash with Lech Poznan. He was seemingly so angry with that, he failed to attend the mandatory press conference afterwards.
The whole game was a case of tension and anger. Even before the game, 200 members of the Bukaneros, Rayo’s ultras group, clashed with their Polish counterparts from Lech Poznan, Terror Machine in the streets.
The incident with Balliu happened during the game, when he substituted the right-back as part of a quadruple change. Seconds later, the cameras showed Pérez in a ‘heated argument’ with his player on the touchline.
Naiz, a local Basque outlet, provide more details. They say that the ‘internal row’ could change the manager’s decision to stay at Rayo.
He renewed his deal there in April and stated he would be willing to extend again. That came amid potential interest from Athletic Club.
Drama may impact decision to stay
But ‘new offers’, such as the one from Wolves, and this incident could change his mind. That ‘significant verbal altercation’ is one of several incidents of late for Pérez. The feeling is those, coupled with ‘new offers’ like the Wolves one could hasten his departure. It might even happen in the January transfer window.
The incident this week was a surprising one as he’s described as a manager with ‘a calm and conciliatory nature’. Rayo Vallecano later said he was unwell, hence missing the press conference.
Marca have a timeline of matters. They describe the incident with Balliu as a ‘very tense conversation’ on the touchline. But they say it didn’t stay there.
Instead, Pérez left the stadium immediately after the game, having ignored the press conference. That was while his players gathered in the dressing room to discuss the issue. That’s described as an ‘emergency meeting’.
There’s also been other consequences. An open training session planned for Friday has now been closed off to the public and media. Pérez has at least received the backing of his president, who has publicly condemned Balliu for the argument.
Criticism has come from the press, though, with Marca’s pundits less than impressed with the matter.
“Iñigo is a wonderful coach, but he lacks experience,” said Pipi Estrada.
“An experienced coach handles this differently, especially after winning the match. Imagine Xabi Alonso leaving after the Vinicius incident in El Clásico…”
“The player must have said something to him, and that was the trigger,” added Pepe Pasqués.
“They couldn’t stop him because Iñigo magnifies an internal problem and snaps at the crucial moment: after winning the match and making the substitutions.” Javi Lázaro, meanwhile, thinks something else sparked the issue.
“Something else must have happened with Iñigo… Neither of them is doing well. Does that excuse not going to a press conference? In my opinion, no,” he concluded.
It would appear that just mere contact from Wolves has the power to attract chaos.