UD LANZAROTE APPOINT THEIR NEW MANAGER

Rojillo fans are going to have to pinch themselves to truly believe that 52 year old Argentine Leonel “Pipa” Gancedo is their new manager.

Whilst most foreign fans may not have heard of his name, Argentinian and Spanish football fans most certainly have.

At 19 years of age he made his debut in the top tier of Argentine football with Argentinos Juniors and spent five seasons there before making the huge move to one of the worlds most recognizable clubs River Plate.

Pipa spent four glorious seasons with River Plate winning five domestic trophies as well as winning the Copa Libertadores which is the South American equivalent of the Champions League.

After a hugely successful decade in the top flight of Argentinian football he moved to Spanish Primera Liga club Osasuna for three seasons then a year with Real Murcia.

Pipa returned to River Plater for another successful spell but this time as their sporting director and he also successfully led C.A.I. Patagonia Argentina to promotion as their manager. He played his last football match aged 47.

He grew up in the same vicinity as Diego Maradona and had a great relationship with the Argentine Legend and his family. It was Maradona that gave him his first pair of football boots.

The Rojillos new manager has earned a good living through football though it does seem that money is not his driving force. He bought 10 hectares (over the size of 20 football pitches) for his local community in Buenos Aires to use as a farm and picnic area as well as 5 a side football pitches for the more underprivileged areas of his community.

Pipa will also join the board of directors of UD Lanzarote alongside sports agent Fabián Bustos and sports lawyer Pablo Rial.

These are certainly exciting times for UD Lanzarote and what an opportunity for the Rojillos players to learn and be coached by a former player that has achieved so much.