Former striker Maheta Molango is well and truly on the front line in his new role. As a hiring, firing, wheeling, dealing chief executive.

The man who entered Albion folklore with his 12-seconds debut goal at Reading more than 11 years ago has veered away from a successful career as a lawyer specialising in sport in Madrid to get right back into the thick of football with second division under-achievers Real Mallorca.

He hopes a few experiences gained while fighting relegation with the Seagulls back in 2004-05 can help him turn the fortunes of the Balearic club.

Molango, head-hunted by owners of NBA outfit Phoenix Suns when they bought Mallorca, has already added former Albion forward Adrian Colunga to the squad. He is taking a hands-on approach to the transfer window and has already sacked his head coach.

The 2003 Spanish Cup winners have been taken over by Suns top man Robert Sarver and his partners, who have considerable cash to invest. Molango is their man on the ground.

He explained: “I got to know Robert when he tried to buy Getafe and I happened to be the lawyer for Getafe.

The Argus:

Maheta Molango scores 12 seconds into his Albion debut

“In the end the transaction did not go through but he said ‘If I ever buy a club, I’d like to get you involved because I thought you did a good job’.

“At some stage he was close to buying Mallorca and he rang me up asking if I would like to be the CEO. It is one of those opportunities you cannot turn down because of his track record in the NBA.

“He was coming in with two other people who are really relevant. There is Andy Kohlberg, who used to be a tennis player, who played at Wimbledon and is now a successful businessman, and Steve Nash, the former Phoenix Suns point guard who is a massive football fan, a big Tottenham fan, and is a co-owner with the Vancouver Whitecaps in MLS.

“They are making a huge investment. Having the chance to work alongside people of that track record coupled with the fact Mallorca is a beautiful place to live and an historic club persuaded me.

“They have played in the top league for years and played in Europe and had huge players in Samuel Etoo, Joaquin and Diego Tristan. It’s a big club in the second division which basically should not be there. They have a 25,000-seat stadium, 1,000 season ticket holders. I felt keen to explore that opportunity.

“The last five years here have been about people arguing with each other. My biggest challenge has been to put the club back in the centre so we don’t care about Sarver or Molango or this coach or this player, we care about Mallorca.

The Argus:

“We put big emphasis on our youth sector because we have got really good talents, a lot of people representing Spain at youth level.

“We have good support. Four regional newspapers, two or three radio stations and two TV stations so the coverage is surprisingly big. You need to reconnect those people with the club.

“When I asked Robert ‘Why do you pick me?’ he said he didn’t need someone who is an expert in finance. He said ‘I need someone who understands the game, who understands the dressing room, who has the right level of contacts with agents and players to make something happen. I need someone to help on the sports side’.”

As a former player and as a lawyer involved in player transactions, Molango is well placed to try his hand at transfer market dealing.

He said: “I’m basically the Paul Barber of Mallorca but, at the moment, I am trying to get more involved in the transfer window than a CEO would normally because I think the team need it. I hope in the second season to be able to keep a little more out of the firing line!

“The way we structure is the coach talks about what type of player he wants but he doesn’t talk about cash, he doesn’t talk to agents or players. The sports director finds two, three, four options based on those criteria. Then my job is to go and talk to agents, talk to players and get the players.

“I changed the head coach. It was the first big decision I had to make. He was a good coach, he was a guy who was really committed to the club but, when you have a team who are so fragile and fighting against relegation – and I’ve been there with Brighton – I think I’m pretty clear on what is needed to stay up. You need a calm head and a steady hand.”

 

Colunga was brought in after almost a year without playing regular football, having been injured at Granada and then on the sidelines with Albion. He previously played for Getafe, a club Molango represented.

“I think Adrian was desperate to find a place where he could get confidence, playing time and someone who would give him a chance,” added Molango. “I said ‘I know you, I know how you play, I’ve spoken to the people at Brighton, at Granada, at Getafe, and I know all you need is confidence because you have got the rest.

“He has got pace, he is a great finisher, he has talent, he has scored more than 50 goals in La Liga. I got him to turn down clubs in the first and second division here because he had offers.”

Molango continues to work with another ex-Albion striker, Leo Ulloa, and believes he is proving a valuable contributor at table-topping Leicester.

“He would prefer to get more playing time but he is a team player. He is working hard to get a spot and he is showing that he is a Premier League player.”

He is also, Molango suggests, offering a blueprint of how to bring a South American player to the Championship. And that observation is timely as transfer business heads to a crescendo this weekend.

“I’m one of those who thinks a middle step, for example Spain, before you go to the UK is helpful for a player from, for example, Argentina,” Molango said.

“Leo is a perfect example. If you take Leo when he first landed in Spain to Leo who left for England to Leo who left Brighton, you see how he evolves. You always have the exception who goes straight to the UK and is successful, like Alejandro Faurlin who I work with.

“But I think a middle step is important. Maybe a middle step like Mallorca!”