Pablo Hernandez has given Leeds United supporters another reason to smile, even from Spain while in charge of Castellon, and both Luke Ayling and Liam Cooper have responded to his latest news.
Hernandez’s connection with Castellon runs deeper than the dugout, having been part of the ownership group at the club where his football journey began.
Would you like to see Pablo Hernandez return to Elland Road as manager one day? 🧙♂️
El Mago has opened up on the ongoing influence of El Loco, Marcelo Biel
I’ve been lucky enough to have had some truly great coaches, and if I had to pick one who has influenced me the most, it would be Bielsa.
He’s a top coach who gets the absolute best out of his teams and players. There are many things I’ve learned from him.When he arrived at Leeds, I was already in the final stages of my career and thought I knew everything there was to know about football, and he helped me take that extra step.
Pablo Hernandez speaking to Marca
Many of the things I see in football now I’ve picked up from him.
He stepped into the first-team job after Castellon made a poor start to the season, with the club having taken two points from their first five matches.
That made his impact even more impressive. Castellon went from early-season trouble to the promotion play-offs, before their campaign ended with a 3-2 defeat against Almeria in the semi-finals.
Castellon have now made a long-term call
Hernandez was initially confirmed as Castellon boss until the end of the 2025-26 season, which already showed faith in his early work.
Now Castellon have gone much further. The club have handed Hernandez a new contract until 2029, turning a promising appointment into a long-term project.
That is the real story here. Hernandez was not simply a famous former player placed in charge for emotional reasons, because his results forced Castellon to act decisively.
Ayling and Cooper summed it up perfectly
The reaction from two former Leeds teammates said plenty. Ayling replied “Magic man” with two white hearts, while Cooper wrote “El mago” with clapping and blue heart emojis.
Those comments were short, but they carried weight. Ayling and Cooper were not casual observers of Hernandez’s best years at Leeds, because they lived them from inside the dressing room.
Both men were central figures under Marcelo Bielsa, and both saw at close range how much Hernandez shaped one of the most important teams in modern Leeds history.
That is why their reaction felt so fitting. Hernandez was not just admired because he was gifted, but because he delivered when Leeds needed him most.
Pablo Hernandez is a modern-day Leeds legend
The numbers alone make a strong case. Hernandez made 175 appearances for Leeds, scoring 36 goals and providing 41 assists. That output was excellent, but it still does not fully explain his status.
Hernandez became a Leeds legend because his best moments arrived with pressure attached. His goal against West Bromwich Albion remains one of the great Elland Road moments of the Bielsa years.
Hernandez scored after just 16 seconds against West Brom, setting Leeds on course for a statement 4-0 win. Then came Swansea City in July 2020.
Pablo Hernandez addresses a potential ‘dream’ Leeds United return
“Obviously, the clubs [Valencia and Leeds] that are so important to me would be a dream, but it is not something I am considering at the moment.
“First, I want to learn a lot, I have a lot to learn, see if this is what really fulfils me and what I like, and in the future, we will see that it holds.”
Pablo Hernandez
Hernandez came off the bench and scored an 89th-minute winner that moved Leeds another huge step towards promotion back to the Premier League.
That goal did not mathematically secure promotion, but it felt decisive. It was the kind of moment that turns a brilliant player into a permanent part of a club’s story.
Ayling and Cooper knew exactly what they were doing with their messages. They were congratulating a manager on a new contract, but they were also recognising a player who gave Leeds years of magic.
Hernandez is now building something of his own at Castellon. For Leeds fans, though, the reaction from Ayling and Cooper was a reminder that “El mago” will always be one of the club’s most-cherished players.
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