Betis president admits Mel regret

Real Betis president Manuel Dominguez Platas has admitted the club should have taken more time to consider Pepe Mel’s dismissal.

Mel was removed from his position at Estadio Benito Villamarin in December following a poor run of form.

However, the club’s on-pitch fortunes failed to improve under his successor Juan Carlos Garrido, who was subsequently replaced by Gabriel Humberto Calderon in January.

Despite the managerial merry-go-round, Betis have shown no improvement and – with just five games remaining – a 10-point gap to 17th-placed Real Valladolid means the club look destined to be relegated from La Liga.

And Platas has conceded that the decision to remove Mel – who is now in charge of Premier League outfit West Brom – may have been premature.

“Pepe and the squad had fallen out,” Garrido is quoted as saying by Marca.

“But looking back now perhaps we should have given him a bit more time.”