Cádiz CF has sacked head coach Imanol Idiakez just days before the start of the season, and has already lined up a replacement in Albert Celades. The Andalusian club made the decision unexpectedly, days ahead of its Liga Hypermotion opener.
Celades will sign with Cádiz to lead the team for the next two seasons, according to Radio Cádiz, the same outlet that first reported Idiakez's departure. The Basque coach from San Sebastián will not be on the bench when Cádiz opens its Liga Hypermotion campaign against Celta Fortuna, just four days after news of the rift broke.
A rupture rooted in contract terms
The break is striking because Idiakez had been involved in building the squad for this season, signing off on arrivals and departures throughout the summer. Even so, tension had already been building behind the scenes before a preseason friendly against Tenerife. His refusal to sign the ficha federativa, the mandatory paperwork needed to compete officially in Liga Hypermotion, proved decisive. Behind that refusal was a specific demand: to renegotiate the terms of his contract, which tied him to Cádiz through 2027.
The club responded with an offer to extend his deal to 2028, but the proposal came with automatic termination clauses linked to results, meaning Idiakez could be dismissed if the team fell into the relegation zone or failed to meet agreed targets. The coach rejected that formula outright and demanded a renewal with no such conditions attached. Cádiz did not accept that position either, though the offer technically remained on the table.
Ultimatum leads to the exit
With talks stalled and no apparent room to maneuver, Idiakez presented an ultimatum with two options: either the club renewed his contract without performance clauses, or the two sides agreed together to terminate it. At that point Cádiz concluded the coach's continuity was no longer viable and began searching the market for his replacement. The process moved quickly and ended with an agreement with Celades, who arrives to take charge of a team that will need to show in Segunda División that its promotion ambitions are more than a preseason wish.
