Blues looking for their first title

Javi Muñoz’s arrival at St Joseph may not have had the immediate impact the club had been hoping for, with the runners-up in the 2025/26 Gibraltar Football League falling at the first hurdle in the UEFA Conference League.
A 2-0 defeat at the hands of Irish side Bohemians in the first leg was followed by a goalless draw in the second, bringing St Joseph’s European campaign to an early end.
Muñoz, himself a former player with Europa FC when they won the league and competed in the Champions League, now begins his domestic career as St Joseph first-team manager against former club Lincoln Red Imps. He also previously served as head coach of the Imps for a short period.
His arrival has already brought significant changes to the Saints’ senior squad, with a succession of new players arriving over the summer.
This represents a significant departure from his former club’s policy of aiming to retain at least 85 per cent of the previous season’s squad. Muñoz will instead be leading out a very different St Joseph side to the one which failed to protect its position at the top of the table earlier in the season, eventually finishing second after dropping crucial points against Mons Calpe and then Lincoln Red Imps.
When Muñoz arrived at St Joseph, he stated that the move represented an opportunity that “meets all of the requirements I look for; I want to help the club continue to progress and grow, whilst striving to improve as a club and as a team.”
The now Saints head coach also made clear that his immediate priority would be to build a strong bond within the squad.
“My first objective is to ensure the bond between the group is as strong as possible, so that we are able to translate it into what we do on the pitch once the action returns,” he said.
“We won’t be looking too far ahead; at this stage it’s all about the next training session, the next match.
“My message to the Saints’ fans is please give your full support to the players and the club because we are stronger when everyone is working together.”
Muñoz will need the patience of the supporters as he attempts to mould his new-look squad into a cohesive unit. His first major domestic test comes this weekend in the Pepe Reyes Cup against Lincoln Red Imps.
With Lincoln currently involved in the Conference League play-offs, however, the Imps’ focus will be divided as they seek another season in the league phase of European competition. The possibility of changes to their line-up for the domestic fixture cannot therefore be ruled out as the league champions continue their pursuit of another lucrative European campaign.
St Joseph will nevertheless view the cup final as an opportunity to make an early statement and establish themselves as genuine contenders for the league title.
The league championship is a prize that has eluded the Saints since Gibraltar joined UEFA. Having finished runners-up on several occasions and come close to ending Lincoln Red Imps’ dominance, St Joseph have experienced a number of disappointments at the final hurdle under different managers.
The club has also not been far from controversy, particularly over its calls for the Home Grown Player rule to be abolished. The rule was introduced with the aim of safeguarding the pool of players available for national team selection.
St Joseph’s continued recruitment of overseas players, in recent years often experienced and established performers, has created intense competition for places within the squad and provided a genuine challenge to Lincoln Red Imps’ hold on the league.
That competition has also seen significant player movement during the summer, with Ethan Jolley making the move to Lincoln Red Imps.
St Joseph countered that departure with the return of Julian Valarino and the signing of Gibraltar international Evan De Haro, demonstrating that the club continues to have significant pulling power within the local player market.
The Saints have also looked beyond Gibraltar as they seek to build a squad capable of competing on multiple fronts.
The recruitment drive began in June with the arrival of experienced front-man Francis Ferron, following a long pursuit of the player. Ferron said the club’s project and ambition made the decision to join an easy one.
“The manager explained his project to me and what he wanted for this year, and I felt a strong connection with what he wants to convey to the team,” he said, adding that friends at the club had also spoken highly of the environment and its ambitions.
A few days later, St Joseph completed the signing of Gibraltar international midfielder Evan De Haro. The midfielder described the move as a major opportunity to continue developing while helping one of Gibraltar’s leading clubs achieve its objectives.
“The coaching staff and my new team-mates have welcomed me very well and I feel confident and positive about the upcoming season,” De Haro said. “I have no doubt that we can achieve big things together this season.”
The Saints then added further strength to their defensive options with the signing of right-back Kingsley Fobi.
The 27-year-old former Ghana youth international has previously played for clubs including Granada, Watford, Chania, Estepona and Montijo.
Fobi said he had been impressed by the professionalism and ambition of the club, as well as the quality within the squad.
“What has surprised me most since I arrived has been the quality of the group, the atmosphere in the dressing room and the way everyone works together,” he said. “I know it will be a demanding season, but I am motivated and eager to help the team achieve its goals.”
Gibraltar international Julian Valarino also returned to St Joseph after previously serving the club on loan. The versatile player, who has also represented Lincoln Red Imps and Europa FC, said the club’s ambition and project had given him confidence that it was the right place to continue his development.
“I want to be part of a team that competes at the highest level and has important goals for the season,” Valarino said.
The Saints continued to add to their attacking options with the signing of 25-year-old Álvaro Cascajo.
A product of the Recreativo de Huelva youth academy, Cascajo has also played for Castilleja, AD Cartaya, Xerez Club Deportivo and Real Balompédica Linense.
He said the club’s ambitious project and the confidence shown in him by the coaching staff were key factors in his decision.
“I believe that this is the place where I can develop as a player and I want to also be able to use my experience to help take the team forward towards reaching its goals and objectives,” Cascajo said.
St Joseph subsequently added further power and experience with the signing of Bakaray, who said the club’s ambition and sporting project aligned closely with his own objectives.
“I hope to bring more energy, commitment, experience, and quality to the pitch to help the team achieve the best possible results and delight the fans,” he said.
The recruitment continued into the end of July with the return of Alejandro Cortijo from CA Antoniano.
Cortijo first represented St Joseph at the age of 18 and, after a decade away from the club, returned with considerably more experience behind him.
“I believe it was the perfect moment to come back,” Cortijo said. “The reasons I accepted the challenge are clear; the club’s ambition and the drive to keep growing and competing for major goals.”
Cortijo added that he hoped his experience would allow him to bring maturity, commitment and a competitive edge to the team.
The Saints strengthened their defensive unit further in August with the arrival of Julio Algar from RB Linense.
The experienced defender said he had been impressed by the project and the way the club was being run.
“I feel that I will bring dedication, sacrifice and commitment to the group,” Algar said. “I will give everything I’ve got for the club and the fans that I am representing so that they can feel proud.”
St Joseph also reinforced their goalkeeping department with the signing of experienced goalkeeper Ivan Villanueva.
The 30-year-old has previously represented Mons Calpe SC, Lincoln Red Imps and FCB Magpies in Gibraltar.
Villanueva said the club’s ambition and desire to compete for every title in Gibraltar had attracted him to the Saints.
“The sporting project is an exciting one as we look to compete for every title in Gibraltar,” he said. “My message to the fans is that we need you behind us every step of the way.”
The club’s latest addition has been Ceuta-born winger Taufek, who joined from UD Almería B after gaining further experience with Xerez CD and AD Ceuta FC.
Taufek said the ambition of St Joseph, together with its structure and sporting project, had convinced him that it was the right environment in which to continue his development.
“I want to thank the fans for the warmth and support they’ve shown me since I arrived,” he said. “I promise to give 100% in every training session and every match to represent this badge in the best possible way.”
The succession of signings represents a significant recruitment drive by St Joseph, with the club adding experience, international pedigree, defensive strength and further attacking options to a squad already aiming to challenge at the highest level.
There is, however, a considerable challenge ahead for Muñoz as he attempts to gel together what is essentially a transformed side.
His first domestic match comes against his former club Lincoln Red Imps in the Pepe Reyes Cup, while the first league fixture will see St Joseph face Mons Calpe — two opponents who played a significant part in the Saints’ failure to maintain their challenge for last season’s title.
A repeat of Muñoz’s back-to-back title successes with Lincoln Red Imps will require him to build a strong team spirit quickly and, perhaps most importantly, establish consistency.
St Joseph will also need to put behind them the disappointment of losing out in the title race in recent seasons. The club has repeatedly come close, only to fall short at crucial moments.
This season, however, the stakes could be even higher. With four Gibraltar clubs set to qualify for European competition next summer, the battle for the top positions is likely to be intense.
For St Joseph, the summer rebuild has provided a clear statement of intent. The task now falls to Muñoz to turn that investment and individual quality into a team capable of finally delivering the league title that has remained just out of reach.