Balague: Biggleswade United coach headhunted by Spanish club

After a short though extremely successful stint as first team coach since taking over from Jimmy Martin in early November, Emilio Millán will be leaving the club to take over as head coach at UD Tomares Under 18 side in Spain.

UD Tomares are based just out of Seville and play in one of the highest leagues for its age group in the country playing in the same division as the same aged sides of Primera Liga clubs like Sevilla and Real Betis.

It is a league regarded by everyone in Spain as very much the proving ground of both players and coaches alike. It was certainly an offer he could not refuse and Emilio leaves with our blessing and our thanks for what he has done for the club during his time with us.

It comes as no surprise to me that his progression as a coach should have come to the notice of bigger fish than ourselves and confirmation that in this technological age that we find ourselves, anything is possible and there truly are no frontiers in the world of football.

Personally, I always knew Emilio was destined for bigger things and I’m sure that he will also feel his brief though very timely stay with us has helped set him on the path to success and career fulfilment.

That said I cannot pretend to be particularly enamoured with his new club who did not have the good grace to call us first to request permission to speak to Emilio. Small and modest we may be, but we are nonetheless old fashioned enough to believe that there is a correct way of doing things.

But we move on.

Fortunately when you have a game plan, policy, ideology and look to continuity as we do then the next step is as easy as it is logical and so Alex Salvador - currently assistant first team coach - moves up to number one, the same transition as when Emilio took over from Jimmy and the way we like to operate at this club.

Alex is just 27 years old but is already a Pro Licence holder with a wealth of experience behind him. He will be aided by his new number two, Tom Farr, aged 22, who will be combining his role as coach at Stevenage FC Academy to work with us.

They have two home games starting on Saturday as we face a recently rejuvenated Stotfold and then Colney Heath on Tuesday.