Robert Garbanzo, coach and sporting director of Guadalupe FC, said on Apr. 23 that he takes responsibility for the team’s relegation to the Second Division.
The issue is important because it affects not only the club but also the families and young players who depend on its success. Relegation can have a lasting impact on a football club’s finances and morale.
Garbanzo told reporters after the match against Saprissa, “I’m here because much of the relegation is my fault. In 15 years as a manager this is the first time this has happened to me and it’s painful. I’m aware that I didn’t make decisions when I should have, so I accept the consequences.” He added that he should have acted sooner to protect the institution’s stability but was unable to do so in time.
He said that keeping too many inexperienced players contributed to their difficulties: “I think we kept many players who did not have experience in First Division at that time.” He also noted, “We stayed with many players who perhaps did not show commitment when taking on a real project, especially playing with ten teams where you must react quickly or you end up at the bottom of the table. We tried, but it wasn’t enough.”
Garbanzo explained another challenge was having little more than a month to assemble and prepare his squad for competition in First Division. “The responsibility is mine, totally mine. I put together this team and allowed many things during that first tournament; therefore I take responsibility because it’s a failure for the institution,” he said.
He further commented that poor signings before Apertura 2025 weighed heavily throughout their campaign: “We deserve to be where we are due to that same lack of commitment from some players.” Garbanzo thanked Marvin Angulo for his dedication and exempted Alfredo Morales and Mauricio Wright from blame. He concluded by saying he took over coaching duties himself rather than bringing in someone else who might lack commitment.
