Fran Escribá, the architect of Elche's dream

"There's only one secret to success, to learn from your mistake and continue working", is how Fran Escribá sums up his coaching philosophy on his website. A thought and a way of life that has seen him gain professional success as the boss of Elche CF, who he took back to Liga BBVA after 24 years of absence, and kept them there.

His time spent on the bench is laden with success. He started as an assistant, under Quique Sánchez Flores. Getafe CF, Valencia CF, SL Benfica and Club Atlético de Madrid were all part of the learning curve.

The core of the side remains, something that means they should reap the rewards of hard work.  

His first steps as the top boss could not have been better. The side from Alicante game him his chance, with promotion to Liga BBVA on the cards. It had been 24 long years since they Green and Whites were in the elite, but Escribá did not let them down.

Direct promotion after winning Liga Adelante in 12/13 was achieved. Teams such as Villarreal, who are now in Europe, Almería and co all finished behind Escribá's side, with Carles Gil, Alberto Rivera and Edu Albácar pulling the strings on the pitch. Six defeats and 13 draw over 42 games were enough for the team to return to the big time.  

Return to the elite

The 2014/15 season will be the club's second in Liga BBVA since its return. The core of the side remains, something that means they should reap the rewards of hard work. The club's adaptation to the new league was not the easiest, with three defeats and three draws coming from their first six games last season, meaning the road to safety was not straight forward.

24 had passed since the last time Elche were in the top division, and Escribá did not let them down.  

Some key players have changed shirts: Colombian Carlos 'la Rocha' Sánchez, midfielder Rubén Pérez, Carles Gil and Fidel Chávez have all moved on. However, the courage of Damián Suárez, the electricity of David Lombán, the flair of Edi Albácar and the experience of Manu Herrera all remain under Escribá’s guise, alongside new signings such as Jonathas, Pašalić and Fayçal Fajr. Together they will look to keep the dream alive for Martínez Valero faithful: to continue to watch their side mix it with the big boys in Liga BBVA. 

"Players who give their all in each game and each training session are, for me, the only indispensable ones", Fran Escribá. This is the philosophy of the architect of Elche’s dream.