Quique Setien: nice win yesterday, but I’m leaving in the summer

Las Palmas may have defeated Villarreal yesterday, but folks in the Canaries will be sad after their popular coach, Quique Setien, announced he will be leaving the club at the end of the season.

Setien had been given a new contract to sign in December. In his note today to Las Palmas fans, he noted that what at the time had seemed ‘small differences’ turned out to grow over time, such that he did not feel comfortable continuing at the club. It’s been widely reported his financial demands were higher than Las Palmas were comfortable with.

Setien stated he was making this clear now so that players and the front office would know what his plans were. Yesterday’s victory pretty much assured Las Palmas of remaining in the Primera for another season, so was probably a key factor in Setien going public now. It also, of course, gives him time to be considered as a candidate for job openings as soon as the season ends; AS has reported Malaga is already waiting in the wings to poach him; it is not known whether other clubs might be interested.