Tenerife Libby's Sacks Coach Orduna After Copa de la Reina Elimination

Tenerife Libby's has let go of coach Guillermo Orduna just two months into the season. This decision follows their 1-3 loss to Emevé, which means the team can no longer qualify for the Copa de la Reina, set to be held in Santa Cruz in late January 2026.

It feels like a real loss because Guillermo Orduna is a very experienced person, almost like a father figure to many. Personally, I had a great impression of him and we had a very good working relationship. But you know that in professional sports, it's not personal, and sometimes very tough decisions have to be made. The club is making sure he has the best possible exit, both professionally and personally, because he committed to coming here. It was a situation that could happen.

Looking back, I honestly think the loss against Sayre hurt, but even then, I wasn't thinking about changing the coach. Quite the opposite, I hoped we could still use our last chances, which were the games against Haro and Emevé. We also have to remember how unpredictable the league has been; anyone can beat anyone. Even the top three teams have lost, so there's no clear leader. It's true that the last defeat was the final straw, so to speak, even though we were aware of the bigger picture. I truly hoped we would beat Emevé and go into the last match against Heidelberg with some hope.

Given his long career, Guillermo handled this with grace and professionalism. He's sad he couldn't help more or find a solution to turn things around. But he understands these things happen in sports and it's nothing personal. It wasn't because the team didn't support him, or because he lost the trust of the board or staff. It was simply about results. Unfortunately, we had to end his contract because of the negative trend, especially after the last defeat. While we saw some improvement in the first few games, the situation is now risky, and we need a change of direction.

For now, Jesús Latorre will take over. We are looking at other options for a new coach, but we have full confidence in Jesús. He's a very skilled young man who has worked with coaches like Juan Diego, Facundo, Miguel Rivera, and even during my time as coach. I believe he has learned a lot and learned it well, and for now, he will be the perfect stand-in for the team.

If it's up to me, he has our full confidence to finish the season.

Yes, absolutely. The league is so tight that if you win two matches 3-0, you could jump into fourth place. We need to be realistic; right now, we're playing to avoid relegation, and we must take that responsibility seriously. We have to try and turn things around and aim for at least a comfortable position between sixth and eighth, which I think is achievable because it's not that far off. Now, if you ask me if we can be in the top three, I'd say that's not realistic. I also have to add that, year after year, we've fought to be in the top four, but we've seen other clubs increase their budgets while we fall behind. Ten years ago, we were in the Top 4, and now we're in the bottom four. I don't like to make excuses or blame others, because luckily at Haris, we've made good signings. But it's a reality that, financially, we take a small step backward every year. We wish we could improve this situation so we don't end up like this, and so that if things don't go well sportingly one year, we can fix it.

The girls, understandably, were hit hard by Monday's news. But they are professionals and they work hard. Yesterday, I saw them training with great intensity, and the same today. I believe they know they want to have a good season because it's their job, and they need to perform well: first, to help turn the team's situation around; and second, for themselves, because if they want better contracts, they need to perform well.

It's a huge blow. It's not just any defeat; it's a blow not to be able to play here, in front of our fans. I believe that at Haris, we've worked very hard, not only to compete in finals for over a decade but also to host major events, like European competitions. In 2018, we hosted the Copa de la Reina, and now we convinced them again to host it once more. But it's true that the league is becoming very unpredictable. We were confident of securing a spot for the Copa. I'm convinced that if we had, things would have been different. The team would have been calmer, and perhaps a new group like ours would be in a different position in the standings now. And I'll tell you more, the rules will surely change for next season, and wherever the venue is, the local team will be the organizer. That's logical, just like in the ACB.

Yes, absolutely. I think it might have had an impact. If we hadn't had that pressure to qualify for the Copa, perhaps the team would have had the stability or peace of mind to achieve it, without a doubt, because that's precisely what we've lacked on the court. And well, it's a huge blow, but we have to take responsibility and try to turn the situation around. Since we won't be in the Copa, we must finish the season in a better position.

First of all, thank you as always for your support. I believe at this moment we owe you an apology for not meeting expectations. This is probably the first major setback we've experienced in 11 seasons, but we are already working to fix things. Above all, our fans, and sports fans in Tenerife in general, can be assured that we will get out of this slump and that the club is looking for the necessary sporting solutions to turn this around.