Garrido: I could see dismissal coming

Juan Carlos Garrido admitted his dismissal as Villarreal coach had not come as a shock after losing his job last night. The 42-year-old was sacked followed his team's Copa del Rey exit at the hands of third-tier Mirandes, which proved the final straw for the club's board on the back of a poor first half of La Liga and UEFA Champions League elimination. Garrido, whose side finished fourth in La Liga last term, said on www.villarrealcf.es: "Whenever you have a very good year, the next year is very demanding. Therefore, this season has been very complicated, although it is clear that we have failed. "I take my responsibility as leader of the group. It has not come as a surprise that this is over - it's something you could see coming with how things were. I accept my dismissal as the coach is always the main culprit. From the beginning, this has been a difficult year and throughout the year setbacks such as injuries and other things have cost us." The Yellow Submarine went down 2-0 at El Madrigal last night against Segunda Division B outfit Mirandes in the second leg of their fourth-round tie to crash out of the cup 3-1 on aggregate. The defeat, coupled with the team's precarious position of 17th in the league, prompted the club's board to dispense with Garrido's services. Villarreal also endured a terrible Champions League campaign, becoming the first Spanish side to lose all six group-stage matches. "I take my dismissal because it was disastrous and shameful and unseemly, the way we lost against Mirandes," Garrido continued. "I have only words of gratitude to the club and its board for the way they have treated me all these years." Garrido took up the first-team reins in February 2010, initially until the end of that season. He guided the team to a seventh-place finish in La Liga in 2009/10, before clinching fourth spot and Champions League qualification in his first full campaign at the helm. Villarreal also reached the semi-finals of the UEA Europa League last season, where they were ousted by eventual winners Porto. He added: "I'm happy for all that Villarreal has given me, because it has been my home for 13 years and I have learned a lot here and by training this team. "I arrived in February 1999 and since then I have spent unforgettable moments in this club, such as promotions with the reserves, qualifying for the Champions League, reaching the semi-finals of the Europa League and playing some great football. I leave with the feeling that I was very happy at Villarreal. I leave grateful and accepting the situation, trying to emerge stronger from this situation to be a better coach in the future."