Fernando Fernández (Spanish footballer)

Fernando
Personal information
Full name Fernando Miguel Fernández Escribano
Date of birth (1979-06-02) 2 June 1979 (age 45)
Place of birth Málaga, Spain
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Attacking midfielder, second striker
Team information
Current team
Betis (assistant)
Youth career
1988–1997 Málaga
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1996–1997 Málaga 14 (0)
1998–1999 Real Madrid C 3 (1)
1999–2000 Real Madrid B 36 (11)
2000–2002 Real Madrid 1 (0)
2000–2002Valladolid (loan) 58 (20)
2002–2008 Betis 148 (28)
2008–2011 Málaga 69 (7)
2012–2013 Diósgyőr 36 (6)
Total 365 (73)
International career
2001 Spain U21 4 (0)
Managerial career
2014–2015 El Palo (youth)
2015 El Palo
2016 El Palo
2017–2018 Málaga (youth)
2018–2019 Diósgyőr
2020– Betis (assistant)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Fernando Miguel Fernández Escribano, known simply as Fernando (Spanish pronunciation: [feɾˈnando]; born 2 June 1979), is a Spanish former professional footballer who played mainly as an attacking midfielder but also as a supporting striker.

Over 12 seasons, he amassed La Liga totals of 276 matches and 55 goals, mostly at Betis (six years) and Málaga (three). In the competition, he also appeared for Real Madrid and Valladolid.

Playing career

Club

Real Madrid

Fernando was born in Málaga, Andalusia. After starting at hometown's Málaga CF,[1] he finished his football development in the ranks of La Liga giants Real Madrid, going on to appear once for its first team in the 1999–2000 season, against Real Zaragoza (90 minutes, 1–0 home win).[2]

After that, Fernando joined Real Valladolid on loan as many Real Madrid canteranos would move to that club in that timeframe (Alberto Marcos, Víctor, José García Calvo, etc.).[3]

Betis

In the summer of 2002, Fernando signed with Real Betis, scoring 15 goals in his debut campaign,[4] with the team finishing in eighth place thanks greatly to his braces against Málaga (3–0), RCD Espanyol (4–2)[5] and Real Sociedad (3–2). He won the only trophy of his career in 2005, the 2–1 Copa del Rey victory over CA Osasuna.[6]

On 27 June 2008, as his role was a lesser one from 2005 to 2008 – only ten matches in his last season – Fernando signed a four-year contract with Málaga, returning to his first youth club after 11 years.[7]

Málaga and later years

Fernando netted his first league goal for Málaga on 23 September 2009 against Espanyol, more than one year after arriving; however, this happened in a 2–1 away loss.[8] Sparingly used in his debut season, he became a starter in 2009–10, scoring on five occasions.[9]

Fernando continued in the starting lineups in the 2010–11 campaign, under new manager Jesualdo Ferreira. In the second matchday, he scored twice in a 5–3 win at Zaragoza, the first goal coming after just 73 seconds.[10] Rarely used by the following coach, Manuel Pellegrini, he still contributed 21 games as the Boquerones finally avoided relegation.[9]

On 21 August 2011, the 32-year-old Fernando was released from his contract.[9] He moved abroad for the first time on 4 February of the following year, joining several compatriots at Hungarian side Diósgyőri VTK.[11] He retired from football in June 2013.

International

Fernando won four caps for Spain at under-21 level in six months. His first arrived on 27 February 2001, when he played the second half of the 4–0 friendly defeat of England in Birmingham.[12]

Coaching career

Fernando started working as a full-time manager in 2016, with amateurs CD El Palo[13] which he had already coached briefly the previous year[14] after starting out with their youths.[15] Early into the season in Tercera División, he resigned.[16]

On 23 April 2018, Fernando was appointed at former club Diósgyőr with the purpose of avoiding relegation from the Nemzeti Bajnokság I,[17] which was finally achieved.[18] On 3 September 2019, with his team placed last in the standings and following a 1–0 defeat against Ferencvárosi TC at the Groupama Arena, he was dismissed.[19]

Fernando returned to Betis in summer 2020, reuniting with Pellegrini as part of the newly signed manager's staff.[20]

Honours

Málaga

Betis

References

  1. ^ "Los doce malaguistas que debutaron siendo menores de edad" [The twelve Málaga players who made their debut under 18] (in Spanish). El Desmarque. 12 September 2018. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  2. ^ Cuéllar, José Manuel (16 April 2000). "El Madrid lanza su catapulta: Anelka" [Madrid throw their catapult: Anelka]. ABC (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 July 2014.
  3. ^ "Los ex madridistas del Valladolid: un poco de blanco y mucho de violeta" [Valladolid's former Madrid men: a little white and a lot of violet]. ABC (in Spanish). 6 February 2002. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  4. ^ "El perfil: Fernando" [The profile: Fernando] (in Spanish). Real Betis. 3 June 2017. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  5. ^ "Espanyol 2–4 Betis Sevilla: FT Report". ESPN Soccernet. 8 December 2002. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  6. ^ a b "Dani delivers for Betis". UEFA. 11 June 2005. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
  7. ^ "Fernando deja el Betis para fichar por el Málaga" [Fernando leaves Betis to sign with Málaga]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 28 June 2008. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  8. ^ "El Málaga acaba perdiendo un partido que se puso de cara" [Málaga finally lose match that started well] (in Spanish). Málaga CF. 23 September 2009. Archived from the original on 28 September 2009. Retrieved 24 September 2009.
  9. ^ a b c "Fernando se desvincula del Málaga Club de Fútbol" [Fernando cuts ties with Málaga Club de Fútbol] (in Spanish). Málaga CF. 22 August 2011. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  10. ^ "Five star Malaga romp home in thriller". ESPN Soccernet. 12 September 2010. Archived from the original on 24 October 2012. Retrieved 20 February 2011.
  11. ^ Fernández, Emilio (30 December 2012). "El fútbol español habla andaluz" [Spanish football speaks Andalusian]. La Opinión de Málaga (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  12. ^ Brodkin, Jon (28 February 2001). "Predatory Pablo punishes England". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
  13. ^ Marín, Dani (26 May 2016). "Fernando sustituye a Tello en el banquillo de El Palo" [Fernando replaces Tello on the bench of El Palo] (in Spanish). El Desmarque. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
  14. ^ Marín, Dani (4 May 2015). "Fernando se hace cargo de El Palo tras la dimisión de Rafa Muñoz" [Fernando takes charge of El Palo after resignation of Rafa Muñoz] (in Spanish). El Desmarque. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
  15. ^ Marín, Dani (29 May 2014). "El Palo ficha a Fernando para entrenar a su juvenil" [El Palo sign Fernando to coach its youths] (in Spanish). El Desmarque. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
  16. ^ "Fernando dimite como entrenador de El Palo" [Fernando resigns as El Palo manager] (in Spanish). El Desmarque. 31 October 2016. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
  17. ^ "DVTK: a klub exjátékosa követi Bódogot a kispadon – hivatalos" [DVTK: former club player succeeds Bódog on the bench – official]. Nemzeti Sport (in Hungarian). 23 April 2018. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  18. ^ Manchón, Martín (5 June 2018). "Escribano obra el milagro en Hungría" [Escribano works miracle in Hungary]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 June 2018.
  19. ^ "DVTK: Fernando Fernández és Tajti József is távozik – hivatalos" [DVTK: Fernando Fernández and József Tajti depart – official]. Nemzeti Sport (in Hungarian). 3 September 2019. Retrieved 7 September 2019.
  20. ^ "This will be Manuel Pellegrini's technical staff". Real Betis. 31 July 2020. Retrieved 29 January 2021.