Joni Lorente Hurtado – affectionately known as Macan – hung up his football boots in 2022 after playing at his hometown club CD Montesinos.

His career as a player has lead to him remaining in football as coach of the club’s u16-17 squads.

Taking on a coaching role after playing football for 20 years, how much do you enjoy it?

“I really enjoy it, we have a great time training and preparing exercises for the children to improve,” said Macan.

With the players you train, do you hope that in future some of them will progress into the senior team. Are there names of players who are progressing well?

“The idea is that in the future they will play in the senior team at CD Montesinos.

“There are three to four players who normally train with the first team to improve,” said Macan.

“The teams train three days a week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and we are competing in the youth league, together with the rest of the towns in the lower area of ​​Alicante,” added Macan.

Are there players in the first team squad who have come up from the youth academies of the club?

“Captain Fernando Carrasco, and centre back Manuel, who is also from Montesinos, along with a couple of other players have achieved status in the senior squad,” said Macan.