Pepe Mel and Tino Fernández gave a press conference at the Estadio ABANCA-RIAZOR to explain to the press the Club’s decision to part ways with who is now RC Deportivo’s former coach.

The Branquiazul chairman began the press conference by saying, “The reason for this press conference is to give Pepe the farewell we think he deserves. To thank him for his work and for deciding to join us last season in a complicated moment.” “We would also like to thank him for successfully achieving last year’s objective of staying in Primera and coming out of a sticky situation,” he added.

Pepe Mel also spoke a few words before answering the journalists’ questions. The coach praised the support he has received. “It’s nice when you leave your work and see the people that have been with you. It has been a pleasure being in Deportivo. We did everything humanly possible for things to work, but at the end of the day this is a game and there are lots of factors that don’t depend on you”.

Mel said goodbye “to the people, the members, the fans,” who he encouraged to “stick to their team. As I told the players yesterday, support Cristóbal like you have done so with me.”

The coach stated he was “sure that Deportivo have made a good team” and he emphasized, “I’m not a person that avoids their responsibilities.”

He also thanked the press: “I’d like to thank the press, who have treated me quite well. You have treated my figure with decorum,” he added, before he told everyone he hopes “to come here as a rival and receive the same affection, like now. The fact that members of the board, club, and employees are here, who I also want to thank, means that not everything I’ve done is bad.”

Pepe Mel answered the first question regarding his departure from the Club: “We’re talking about a team that isn’t in the relegation zone but which we all had higher expectations. There’s something we haven’t done well, but today’s not the day to speak about it.”

“Everything I’ll say once I’m not in Deportivo will sound like an excuse, and I don’t like excusing myself. If I haven’t said it, I should have when I was in the club. Now I’m just another Deportivista and I wish Cristóbal a lot of luck. I hope Deportivo finishes as high as possible,” was his answer to the reasons behind him leaving Deportivo’s dugout.

Pepe Mel exempted everyone at the Club from blame. “There are no hard feelings with anyone at the Club,” he stated.

He also wanted to leave clear that during his Branquiazul stage “I’ve felt comfortable with the people around me, I’ve felt comfortable in the city and in the club,”

Tino Fernández was asked about Cristóbal Parralo, the next appointed Deportivo coach: “Out of the options we were looking, he was the best,” he replied.

The Deportivista chairman was also asked about the lack of continuity on the bench since his arrival as head of the Board in 2014. “Las Palmas, who are coming here tomorrow, have also had six coaches throughout the same time. They're coming with Pako Ayestarán, who was in Valencia, who have had seven coaches. Let’s hope we find the one that stays and for many years. We don’t like what’s happening. But if things don't work, we will have to continue doing it,” he argued.

Pepe Mel also wished to leave clear that he understands the Club’s decision because “it would be irresponsible on the chairman and board’s behalf if they didn’t make decisions they thought were best,” whilst Tino recalled that the coach “has always had their support, and we’ve said that in many occasions” and urged “everyone to take a step forward, because the movement the Club is making as an organisation in another that just fight to stay in Primera, and that’s not just a speech for the coach and players, because we also form part of the solution.”