Pepe Mel

José Mel Pérez, a former footballer and a manager, was born in Madrid on February 28, 1963.

At the age of 11, Pepe Mel began to practice at the Real Madrid football academy. He played for the team as a professional as well but only for the second and third teams – he never got a chance to play for the main team. During his career as a footballer he mainly played for clubs of the second and third league, although he managed to play in La Liga as well. He played for Alcalá, Osasuna, Castellón, Real Betis, Granada, Benidorm, Getafe, Écija and Angers. He helped his team promote to a higher division a couple times. In 1998, Pepe finished his career as a footballer.

In 1999, Pepe Mel first tried to work as a coach. His first team was Coslad (a third division team at that time); afterwards he was head coach of Murcia, Tenerife, Getafe, Alavés and Ejido. In 2006, Pepe became head coach of Rayo Vallecano and in four years he was fired for bad results. The coach was immediately invited for a position at Real Betis. In his first season with the team Pepe coached Real Betis to the first place in La Segunda, thus promoting them to La Liga, and in the 2011/2012 season he helped the team from Seville secure their place in the top national league.

After a poor start of 2013/2014 season, Pepe Mel was released in December 2013.

The following month Mel was appointed the new West Bromwich Albion manager. He managed to keep the team in Premier League and left the club at the end of the season.