|
Granada coach Paco Jemez has accepted complete blame for his team's embarrassing 5-1 defeat at Las Palmas and offered to stand down if the club wants to take a new direction. Jemez, who only joined the Andalusian club this summer after four years as Rayo Vallecano boss, had secured a 1-1 draw in Granada's season opener against Villarreal. However, he was so unhappy with his own performance during the loss to Las Palmas on Sunday that he said he was prepared to leave the role if the club felt that was the best course of action. "I was the best Las Palmas player," Jemez told reporters. "It's my fault. I didn't get the majority of things right and the club has to decide if I'm the right coach for the team." Granada were drawing 1-1 at half-time after Jeremie Boga had cancelled out Nabil El Zhar's opener, but Kevin-Prince Boateng, El Zhar, Momo and Sergio Araujo struck after the break at the Estadio de Gran Canaria. "We have to swallow shame and humiliation," the Las Palmas-born coach said. "It's all my fault. "I cannot reproach my players. I made all the imaginable mistakes. My team did not have a lack of attitude. They fought until they could. When a coach makes such mistakes, you expose your players." Granada began the game with Jemez's preferred three-man defence but the coach did not alter his tactics in the second half once Las Palmas found ways to penetrate. Jemez signed a three-year deal with Granada in June and replaced Jose Gonzalez, who guided the club to a 16th-placed finish in La Liga last season. The move came shortly after Granada were sold to Chinese firm Link International Sports. The new management added 12 new players in this transfer window, including attacking midfielder Boga, who joined on a season-long loan from Chelsea. Jemez says his team has a long way to go to be competitive. "We are not dangerous with the ball and we are weak without it," the 46-year-old said. "Two weeks into the season, we are light years away from proving that we deserve to compete in this division. "At this stage of the campaign, we should be doing things better. We have a lot to do." Granada host Eibar after the international break.
|
