My wife got messages from tearful Leeds United diehards but 'life gave me signals' to leave

The trademark stepovers are a thing of the past, but Pablo Hernandez is now attempting to work his magic in a different way after embarking on a 'new life' as manager of Castellon's B team. Although the days are long at his boyhood club, El Mago still ensures he follows Leeds United from afar. After all, this is the team he will 'always keep' in his heart.

"I watch the games if I can," he told Leeds Live. "The right place for Leeds is the Premier League. I hope they come back and we can see the Leeds games again in the Premier League next year and why not watch Leeds in Europe in a few years? I think it's a possibility. If that happens, for sure, I'll come back to watch some games at Elland Road."

Such affection should not come as a surprise. Lasting bonds were formed in Yorkshire and Hernandez hopes to catch up with Marcelo Bielsa, who 'knows my new role'.

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Hernandez has even reached out to his former boss' staff to ask if they could send him some training exercises so is murderball coming to Castellon? Well, Hernandez was the first to admit he has already used 'some tips that Marcelo taught me'.

"I worked with a lot of great managers, but maybe Marcelo is the best one I had in my career," Hernandez revealed. "I learnt a lot from him. He taught me a lot. He gave me the chance to improve a lot as a player in the last part of my career."

That is saying something. Hernandez was 33 when he first started working with Bielsa and previously represented Spain in a golden era; played for Valencia in the Champions League; and tasted life in the Premier League with Swansea. However, the veteran hit new individual heights at Leeds and became the first man to win the club's player of the year award three times in a row.

"I always say it was the best chapter in my career," he explained. "My five years in Leeds was a very special time for me.

"The four years in the Championship and the last year in the Premier League were amazing for me and my family. I received a lot of love from the Leeds fans. I tried to always give my best for them and I just have good memories from Leeds.

"The fans love the club and the players. If you give 100%, you know they are always behind you supporting you and the team.

"From the first day, I felt this love - not just at Elland Road but at away games, too. It was unbelievable when we went to play in London and five or six thousand fans went to watch the game to support the team. It was amazing."

It was rather telling that Hernandez spent longer at Leeds than at any other club and the Spaniard certainly left his mark. Not least on a summer's day at the Liberty Stadium in 2020 when he fired his side to a priceless win.

Hernandez may have previously spent a couple of years at Swansea, but this was not the time for muted celebrations; the emotional midfielder could not help but wheel away as he ripped off his shirt in the 90th minute after bringing joy to sitting rooms across Leeds during lockdown.

Finally, after a crippling wait, Leeds were on the verge of returning to the Premier League. No wonder Hernandez still blows out his cheeks when asked to recall the significance of that afternoon.

"I can't describe the feeling that I have in this moment," he admitted. "It's very special because everyone knows the importance of this goal. We knew that the Premier League was very close with these three points.

"It's difficult to explain because in this type of game, this type of goal is different with the fans in the stands but we were playing without fans in COVID. It's difficult to express the feeling that you're feeling, but you can see with my celebration that I am very excited because I know the importance of this goal.

"I can say how important this goal is not just for me as a player. I felt happier for the fans than for me because I know all the years they suffered.

"They never stopped supporting the team in the lower leagues and coming back to the Premier League was the place Leeds deserved to play after 16 years because they are a big club in England. They have the best fans and they deserve to stay in the Premier League. It was an amazing feeling."

Hernandez's wife, Mar, amusingly received messages on social media from supporters in tears telling her that her other half was, in fact, god and the celebration has since been immortalised with a superb fan-funded mural in the city centre, which the 39-year-old showed his family during a visit to Leeds last year.

Hernandez admitted it was a 'difficult decision' to eventually leave the club after making just 17 appearances in his final campaign in the top-flight - the veteran's frustration showed after being substituted against Leicester City - but 'sometimes life gives you some signals'.

With his family based in Spain, ahead of the birth of daughter Nia, Hernandez felt it was time to return home to Castellon and 'everyone understood', including those he left behind in a tight-knit dressing room, who wore thank you t-shirts before his final game in 2021.

"When I arrived at Leeds, they were my team-mates," he smiled. "When I left, they were my friends. I said this to them."