1. Early Life and Background
Francisco Jémez Martín was born on April 18, 1970, in Las Palmas, located in the Canary Islands of Spain. His father, Francisco Crespo Aguilar, was a notable flamenco singer known professionally as Lucas de ÉcijaSpanish, who released two records. During his childhood, Jémez relocated from the Canary Islands to mainland Spain, settling in the Andalusia region.
2. Playing Career
Paco Jémez's professional football career as a player spanned from 1989 to 2006, during which he established himself as a robust central defender known for his long hair.
2.1. Club Career
Jémez began his senior club career with Córdoba CF in 1989. After two seasons there, he moved to Real Murcia in 1991. In 1992, he joined Rayo Vallecano, where he made his debut in La Liga and notably played in all 38 matches of the 1992-93 season.
In 1993, Jémez transferred to Deportivo de La Coruña. While Deportivo achieved consecutive runner-up finishes in La Liga during the 1993-94 and 1994-95 seasons, Jémez had limited appearances in his first two seasons, playing only ten games in total. He saw more action in subsequent years and was part of the squad that won the Supercopa de España in 1995.
Jémez moved to Real Zaragoza in 1998, where he played for six seasons, making 168 league appearances. During his time with Zaragoza, he helped the club win the 2001 Copa del Rey. In the middle of the 2003-04 season, from January to June 2004, he returned to Rayo Vallecano, which was then competing in the Segunda División. After a year out of football, Jémez briefly returned to playing with CD Lugo in the Tercera División during the 2005-06 season before retiring at the age of 35. Over his club career, he played 269 La Liga matches across 11 seasons.
2.2. International Career
Paco Jémez represented the Spanish national team 21 times over a period of nearly three years. His international debut occurred on September 23, 1998, in a friendly match against the Russian national team held in Granada.
He was included in the Spanish squad for UEFA Euro 2000 and participated in three matches during the tournament. Spain eventually exited the competition at the quarter-final stage. His final appearance for the national team was in a friendly game against the Japanese national team on April 25, 2001, in Córdoba.
3. Managerial Career
Paco Jémez began his coaching career in 2007, developing a distinctive style characterized by aggressive, possession-oriented football.
3.1. Managerial Philosophy
Jémez is known for his unique coaching philosophy, which emphasizes an aggressive, possession-based style of play. He is willing to take significant risks, often employing unconventional tactical formations, such as a three-back system, even when the four-back formation was dominant in La Liga. This approach frequently led to his teams having high numbers of both goals scored and goals conceded. He prioritizes attacking football and the initiative to dictate play, regardless of the opponent's strength or his team's financial constraints. His distinctive coaching persona, with his bald head, stands in contrast to his long-haired playing days.
3.2. Career in Spain
Jémez's managerial journey has seen him coach numerous clubs within the Spanish league system, facing both successes and challenges.
3.2.1. Early and Mid-career
Jémez started his coaching career in 2007 with RSD Alcalá, a lower-league club. He then moved to Córdoba CF in the Segunda División in the 2007-08 season, but was dismissed after only 11 matches.
In early 2009, he took charge of FC Cartagena in the Segunda División B. In his first season, he successfully guided the club to its first-ever promotion to the Segunda División, though he departed in July of that year.
On April 12, 2010, Jémez was appointed manager of UD Las Palmas in the Segunda División, a club from his hometown, replacing Sergije Krešić. He successfully steered the struggling team away from the relegation zone, finishing 17th. However, he was dismissed on February 27, 2011.
In the summer of 2011, Jémez returned to manage Córdoba CF in the Segunda División. He led the team to their highest league finish in 37 years, securing fifth place, which qualified them for the promotion playoffs for La Liga. However, they were eliminated by Real Valladolid in the semi-finals.
On June 22, 2012, Jémez took over as manager of his former club, Rayo Vallecano, which was then in La Liga. Rayo Vallecano was operating under bankruptcy law, and Jémez inherited a team with only 13 remaining players due to departures of key figures like Michu and Diego Costa. Despite these significant challenges, he led the team to an eighth-place finish in the 2012-13 season, their best-ever ranking in the top flight, and subsequently renewed his contract until June 2015. Throughout his tenure, he remained committed to his aggressive, attacking style, even when it meant conceding a high number of goals (e.g., 66 goals conceded in 2012-13, 80 in 2013-14, and 68 in 2014-15). Despite a record of conceding 73 goals, the second-highest in the league, Rayo was relegated in the 2015-16 season.
3.2.2. Later Returns to Spain
After Rayo's relegation, Jémez did not agree to new terms and left the club on May 26, 2016. He was appointed manager of Granada CF on June 20, 2016. However, his tenure was short-lived; he was sacked on September 28 after just six winless games, marking the club's worst start to a season in over 70 years, with 16 goals conceded.
Jémez returned to UD Las Palmas on December 21, 2017, becoming the third permanent manager for the club during the 2017-18 season. He later rejoined Rayo Vallecano in late March 2019, replacing Míchel after a series of seven consecutive league losses. Jémez signed a deal until June 2020.
3.3. Managerial Stints Abroad
Paco Jémez has also had coaching experiences outside of Spain, managing clubs in Mexico and Iran.
3.3.1. Cruz Azul (Mexico)
On November 28, 2016, Jémez was named head coach of Cruz Azul in the Mexican Liga MX. He successfully guided the team to their first playoff appearance in three years. However, on November 27 of the following year, he decided not to renew his contract and departed the club.
3.3.2. Tractor S.C. (Iran)
In December 2022, Jémez ventured abroad again, taking up the managerial role at Tractor S.C. in the Persian Gulf Pro League in Iran. He remained with the club until April 15, 2024.
3.4. Recent Tenure at UD Ibiza
Jémez's most recent and current coaching period is with UD Ibiza. He initially took over the newly promoted second-division side on December 26, 2021, for the remainder of the 2021-22 season. While he successfully helped the team avoid relegation, his contract expired on May 31, 2022, and he subsequently left. He returned to manage UD Ibiza on November 12, 2024, with the team now competing in the Primera Federación.
4. Personal Life
Paco Jémez's father, Francisco Crespo Aguilar, was a well-known flamenco singer who performed professionally under the name Lucas de ÉcijaSpanish. Beyond football, Jémez has a strong passion for golf and at one point had a 1.4 handicap, indicating a high level of skill in the sport.
5. Honours
Paco Jémez has earned titles and achievements throughout both his playing and managerial careers.
5.1. As a Player
Deportivo de La Coruña
- Supercopa de España: 1995
Real Zaragoza
- Copa del Rey: 2000-01
5.2. As a Manager
FC Cartagena
- Segunda División B: 2008-09
6. Managerial Statistics
As of February 23, 2025:
| Team | From | To | Record | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Games managed | Games won | Games drawn | Games lost | Goals for | Goals against | Goal difference | Winning percentage | |||
| Alcalá | March 25, 2007 | June 28, 2007 | 12 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 21 | 11 | +10 | 41.67% |
| Córdoba | June 28, 2007 | March 31, 2008 | 32 | 7 | 15 | 10 | 40 | 46 | -6 | 21.88% |
| Cartagena | February 3, 2009 | July 1, 2009 | 19 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 33 | 16 | +17 | 47.37% |
| Las Palmas | April 12, 2010 | February 27, 2011 | 37 | 9 | 13 | 15 | 52 | 69 | -17 | 24.32% |
| Córdoba | June 8, 2011 | June 13, 2012 | 50 | 23 | 13 | 14 | 60 | 54 | +6 | 46.00% |
| Rayo Vallecano | June 22, 2012 | May 26, 2016 | 164 | 55 | 29 | 80 | 206 | 303 | -97 | 33.54% |
| Granada | June 20, 2016 | September 28, 2016 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 15 | -8 | 0.00% |
| Cruz Azul | November 28, 2016 | November 27, 2017 | 48 | 17 | 18 | 13 | 56 | 52 | +4 | 35.42% |
| Las Palmas | December 21, 2017 | May 25, 2018 | 23 | 2 | 6 | 15 | 12 | 41 | -29 | 8.70% |
| Rayo Vallecano | March 20, 2019 | July 31, 2020 | 56 | 17 | 25 | 14 | 76 | 73 | +3 | 30.36% |
| Ibiza | December 26, 2021 | May 31, 2022 | 21 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 34 | 36 | -2 | 33.33% |
| Tractor | December 6, 2022 | April 15, 2024 | 45 | 24 | 8 | 13 | 65 | 45 | +20 | 53.33% |
| Ibiza | November 12, 2024 | Present | 13 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 24 | 15 | +9 | 61.54% |
| Total | 526 | 183 | 147 | 196 | 686 | 776 | -90 | 34.79% | ||
7. Legacy and Assessment
Paco Jémez has left a significant mark on the football world, particularly through his distinct managerial philosophy and his impact on playing styles.
7.1. Impact on Football Style
As a player, Jémez was a robust central defender, often recognized for his long hair. However, his lasting legacy in football is primarily as a manager, where he became known for advocating an ultra-attacking, possession-oriented style. This philosophy, sometimes referred to as "risk-taking football," saw his teams play with high defensive lines and commit numerous players forward, leading to exciting matches with many goals scored and conceded.
Jémez's tactical bravery, including his willingness to deploy three-back formations in a league predominantly favoring four-back systems, set him apart. Despite the inherent defensive vulnerabilities of his approach, he consistently maintained his principles, even when managing clubs with limited budgets like Rayo Vallecano, which often forced them to rely on free agents. His unwavering commitment to attractive, offensive football has earned him a reputation as a charismatic and influential figure in Spanish football coaching, even leading to discussions about him as a potential future manager for the Spanish national team.