‘For us he is the best’: Kiko Casilla made feelings clear on new Leeds boss Javi Gracia in 2009

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Leeds United have appointed Javi Gracia as their new manager, many years after he and former Whites stopper Kiko Casilla worked together.

Leeds sacked Jesse Marsch just over two weeks ago and finding a replacement hasn’t exactly been easy.

After missing out on a number of targets, Leeds have finally landed their new boss with Gracia confirmed at Elland Road today.

The Spaniard returns to English football having been sacked by Watford in September 2019.

Gracia is on a ‘flexible’ contract at Elland Road but it feels pretty simple; keep Leeds in the Premier League and he may stick around.

Gracia only really has a history with one Leeds player; he was Valencia boss when they chose to sell Rodrigo to the Whites.

One former Leeds player did play under Gracia though…

New Leeds boss Javi Gracia has history with Kiko Casilla

It may sound bonkers but Gracia actually coached former Leeds goalkeeper Kiko Casilla at Cadiz.

Casilla was just 22 and coming through the Espanyol ranks when he was sent on loan to Cadiz for two seasons.

Gracia was his manager for a year and a half of that, winning Spain’s third division title together in 2009 before Gracia was sacked in January 2010.

Casilla played 56 times for Gracia, somehow picking up nine yellow cards in that time whilst keeping 21 clean sheets and conceding 65 goals.

The 36-year-old goalkeeper – now with Getafe – ended up at Leeds in 2019 and helped the Whites win promotion to the Premier League.

So what did Casilla think of Gracia?

Well, as quoted by Portal Cadista in 2009, Casilla publicly spoke up in favour of Gracia when there were question marks over his position as Cadiz boss.

“I see the coach calm. He knows what he has to do and no matter what happens he will be here. For us he is the best coach who can be with us,” said Casilla.

That was strong praise but Gracia ended up being sacked just a few weeks later and Cadiz suffered relegation at the end of the season.

Casilla appeared to value Gracia highly and Victor Orta now agrees; all will hope that Gracia can now lead the Whites to Premier League survival in the coming months.