Spanish footballer and manager (born 1970)
In this
Spanish name , the first or paternal
surname is
García and the second or maternal family name is
Casañas .
Alejandro "Álex " García Casañas (born 14 January 1970) is a Spanish retired professional footballer who played as a central defender , and the current assistant manager of UD Las Palmas .
He was associated to Barcelona during his early years – although he appeared rarely for the first team – but spent most of his career in the lower leagues, representing Rayo Vallecano in La Liga .
Subsequently, García worked as a manager, including with his first club (youth only).
Playing career
Born in Barcelona , Catalonia , García joined FC Barcelona 's youth system at the age of 14. He played two full seasons in Segunda División with their reserves , after having appeared in one game in that tier in 1988–89 .
In the 1990–91 campaign , García played three matches for the Blaugrana' s main squad, both legs in the season 's Supercopa de España against Real Madrid (0–1 home loss, 1–4 defeat at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium , playing the full 90 minutes on both occasions)[ 1] [ 2] [ 3] and 28 minutes in a 3–2 away win over FC Dynamo Kyiv in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup , after coming on as a second-half substitute for Michael Laudrup ;[ 4] after leaving in 1993 he resumed his career with Rayo Vallecano and Palamós CF , suffering team relegation with both clubs, the former being his first and only experience in the top level, in 1993–94 .[ 5]
Until his retirement in 2001 at the age of 31, García spent five seasons in Segunda División B , with Cádiz CF , Granada CF and Gimnàstic de Tarragona , returning to his native region for one final year with amateurs UE Cornellà .
Coaching career
García begun working as a manager immediately after retiring, first being in charge of youth sides at Barcelona.[ 6] In late June 2011, nearly two years after leaving, he was appointed at FC Dinamo Tbilisi , replacing the fired Kakha Kacharava .[ 7]
In January 2012, the board of directors of the Georgian club decided to dismiss García after a friendly loss with BSC Young Boys .[ 8] He then returned to the Camp Nou , working as a scout for the first team under Tito Vilanova and Gerardo Martino .[ 9]
On 24 November 2014, García signed a contract until the end of the season at CE Sabadell FC .[ 10] The following February, however, after only one win in nine second-tier matches, he resigned.[ 11]
In June 2020, García returned to Barcelona after being named head scout.[ 12] He left the club roughly one year later,[ 13] and became García Pimienta 's assistant at UD Las Palmas on 24 January 2022.[ 14]
References
^ Alex, ¿sucesor de Alex...anco? (Alex, after Alex...anco?) ; Mundo Deportivo , 5 December 1990 (in Spanish)
^ Otra noche para la leyenda negra (Another night for the dark legend) ; Mundo Deportivo , 6 December 1990 (in Spanish)
^ Cuando el Barça va de “picnic” (When Barça are on a “picnic”) ; Mundo Deportivo , 13 December 1990 (in Spanish)
^ El Barça también golea en Europa (Barça also rout in Europe) ; Mundo Deportivo , 7 March 1991 (in Spanish)
^ Pineda decide para el Racing (Pineda decides for Racing) ; Mundo Deportivo , 6 September 1993 (in Spanish)
^ Bandera rojiblanca en Can Barça (Red-and-white flag at Can Barça ) Archived 28 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine ; Ideal , 26 September 2009 (in Spanish)
^ Alex Garcia:" I want to attract fans with our playing" ; World Sport , 23 June 2011
^ Alex Garcia dismissed from FC Dinamo Tbilisi ; Rustavi2, 30 January 2012
^ Los pesos pesados deciden (Heavyweights decide) ; Mundo Deportivo , 29 May 2014 (in Spanish)
^ Álex García, de entrenar a Messi a nuevo tècnico del CE Sabadell (Álex García, from coaching Messi to new manager of CE Sabadell) ; Sport , 24 November 2014 (in Spanish)
^ El entrenador del Sabadell Álex García dimite como técnico arlequinado (Sabadell manager Álex García resigns as harlequin coach) ; Mundo Deportivo , 5 February 2015 (in Spanish)
^ "El entrenador de Messi y Piqué en el cadete, nuevo jefe de scouting del Barça" [The manager of Messi and Piqué in the cadete squad, new head scout of Barça ] (in Spanish). Diario AS . 15 June 2020. Retrieved 24 January 2022 .
^ "Laporta's first revolution: To clean out the B team" . Marca . 11 June 2021. Retrieved 24 January 2022 .
^ "García Pimienta, nuevo entrenador de la UD Las Palmas" [García Pimienta, new manager of UD Las Palmas] (in Spanish). UD Las Palmas. 24 January 2022. Retrieved 24 January 2022 .
External links