'I believe in the strength of our group' - RCD Mallorca co-owner and former USMNT star Stu Holden confident in club turnaround after early struggles in La Liga

Mallorca had a difficult start to the season, opening against La Liga champions Barcelona before taking on Celta Vigo, Real Madrid and promoted Espanyol, who are off to a surprising start. Outside of a 3-0 loss to Barça, the club drew with Celta and had one-goal losses in the other matches.

Holden, the former USMNT star who co-owns Mallorca with Suns minority owner Andy Kohlberg, Basketball Hall of Famer Steve Nash and NBA title-winning coach Steve Kerr, pointed to that stretch in stressing that better times are ahead.

"We’ve had a tough start," Holden told GOAL. "La Liga is relentless. You don’t get free matches, so I’m excited to see how this team comes together amid early adversity. I believe in the strength of our group and leaders, and in a coach [Jagoba Arrasate], who has set a strong tone from the beginning."

Holden, who starred for the Houston Dynamo and Bolton before retiring due to injury, said the club is entering a new phase. Several veteran players, such as Canada international Cyle Larin, have moved on via loan, and the club recruited promising young players such as former Barcelona youth academy products Pablo Torre and Jan Virgili.

Both have made at least two appearances for Mallorca, and growing pains are to be expected. But Holden says the transition was necessary.

"This is going to be a big season for us," he said. "What you can feel is a squad transition where a number of these players who have been with us and have been such great leaders and stewards for the club and have been there with us through the third division, second division, and first division. Last season was our first season with our new coach, Jagoba Arrasate, and he's a terrific coach. 

"There's a ton of optimism about the squad that we are building. We've got exciting young talents that have come from Barcelona. So we're trying to blend the experience with a youthful group and pull together a team in a very short period." 

Not all of the players on Mallorca have handled that transition well. Dani Rodriguez, who has been with the club since 2018 and was captain at the start of the season, publicly blasted the team following a 2-1 loss to Real Madrid on Aug. 30. He had a critical post on social media after Virgili was given the start ahead of the 37-year-old midfielder, who made 259 appearances for the club.

Rodriguez did not make an appearance in that match despite his family traveling to Madrid to watch him play.  

"It pains me that a player who just arrived, with just one training session, has the opportunity to play ahead of teammates who have spent years defending this jersey with sweat and dedication," he wrote. 

Sporting Director Pablo Ortells stripped Rodriguez of his captaincy and suspended him without pay for the Espanyol match. Holden credited Ortells and Arrasate for their handling of the situation. 

"It’s no secret we had the Dani Rodríguez situation, who has been a really great player for us over the years," Holden said. "But he spoke out after being left on the bench. The club acted strongly, and he accepted his fine and punishment. It's going to be up to him to reintegrate into the coach and prove to his team and his teammates that he can contribute again this season. But it was an important moment for us at a club to set a tone in a moment of difficulty on the field, to show that we are together." 

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With another challenging match ahead in Atletico Madrid - and potentially facing an American star in Johnny Cardoso - Holden said he hopes Mallorca's fan base will rally behind the team.

"My hope is the fans get behind us against Atletico," Holden said. "We need a good result to lay a marker and give the team confidence. But I have full faith in our coach, the squad, and our sporting director Pablo Ortells, who has built a group with real potential."

Holden, who remembers the team's time in the third division, stressed this is a club that can navigate past difficult times. 

"Since 2016, we’ve faced many moments of adversity. This is another one - and it’s a time to trust the process and the foundations we’ve laid. I believe things will turn around," he said. 

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Following their match against Atleti, Mallorca get a slight reprieve against fellow strugglers in Real Sociedad midweek before taking on Alaves on Sept. 27.