Ángel Oliva Explained

Ángel Oliva
Fullname:Ángel Oliva Beltrán
Birth Date:8 August 1961
Birth Place:Zaragoza, Spain
Position:Defender
Years1:1980–1981
Caps1:29
Goals1:1
Years2:1981–1987
Caps2:190
Goals2:12
Years3:1987–1994
Caps3:209
Goals3:8
Years4:1994–1995
Caps4:24
Goals4:0
Totalcaps:452
Totalgoals:21
Manageryears1:1997–1998
Managerclubs1:Cádiz B
Manageryears2:2001–2002
Managerclubs2:Cádiz B
Manageryears3:2005–2008
Managerclubs3:Arcos
Manageryears4:2008–2009
Managerclubs4:Ronda
Manageryears5:2009–2010
Managerclubs5:Cádiz B
Manageryears6:2011–2012
Managerclubs6:Arcos
Manageryears7:2013–2015
Managerclubs7:Ronda
Manageryears8:2017–2018
Managerclubs8:Sariñena

Ángel Oliva Beltrán (born 8 August 1961) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a defender,[1] and later worked as a manager.

Playing career

Oliva was born in Zaragoza, capital of the province of the same name and of the autonomous community of Aragon, but began his career in 1980 with FC Andorra. Despite its name, and location in the principality of the same name, Andorra play in the Spanish league system, and were in Segunda División B during Oliva's sole season with the club. He joined fellow third tier side Lleida in 1981, and spent the next six seasons with the Catalan club. They won promotion to the Segunda División in 1986 - 87, and Oliva's part in this success earned him a move to La Liga side Cádiz. He left Lleida after 216 appearances and twelve goals in all competitions.[2]

Cádiz flirted with relegation throughout Oliva's time with the club, needing a playoff to stay up on two occasions. Oliva scored in the shoot-out as they beat Málaga on penalties in 1990 - 91,[3] and also helped them triumph over Figueres the following year.[4] They finally were relegated in 1992 - 93, and Oliva stayed for one season in the second tier, in which they suffered a second consecutive relegation.[2]

He left Cádiz in 1994 with 243 appearances and nine goals in all competitions, including seven goals in 194 top flight matches. His final club was San Fernando, with whom he spent one season in Segunda División B, before retiring in 1995 as he approached his 34th birthday.[2]

Coaching career

After his retirement, Oliva returned to Cádiz as head coach of their B team during the 1997 - 98 Tercera División season, at the end of which they were relegated. He returned for a somewhat more successful second season in charge of Cádiz B in 2001 - 02, leading them to the Primera Regional de Andalusia title. In 2005, he was appointed as head coach of Arcos in the Tercera División, a post he held for three years. He left the club after they were relegated in 2007 - 08. For 2008 - 09, he joined newly promoted Ronda, and lead them to a 12th-place finish, which was good enough to keep their place in the Tercera División. In the 2009 - 10 season, Oliva had a third spell at Cádiz B, guiding them to 10th in the Tercera División.

After a year away from management, Oliva returned for a second spell with Arcos, who had just returned to the Tercera División, in 2011. Under his guidance, they avoided relegation in 15th place. He revisited another former club by rejoining Ronda in 2013, guiding them to Tercera División safety in the next two seasons. In the summer of 2017, Oliva was appointed as head coach of Tercera División side Sariñena. He was dismissed in February 2018 with the club ninth in the table, twelve points shy of the promotion play-off places.[5]

Honours

Manager

Cádiz B

2001 - 02

Career statistics

As a player

[2]

ClubSeasonLeagueCupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Andorra1980 - 81Segunda División B29110 - 301
Lleida1981 - 8226200 - 262
1982 - 83341 - 20361
1983 - 842412060321
1984 - 853544040434
1985 - 863418000421
1986 - 8737300 - 373
Total1901214012021612
Cádiz1987 - 88La Liga25240 - 292
1988 - 8928060 - 340
1989 - 9034070 - 410
1990 - 913618120462
1991 - 923601010380
1992 - 9335410 - 364
1993 - 94Segunda División15140 - 191
Total2098311302439
San Fernando1994 - 95Segunda División B24030 - 270
Career total4522149115051622

1. Appearances in the 1983 Copa de la Liga Segunda División B

2. Appearances in the 1984 Copa de la Liga Segunda División B

3. Appearances in the 1985 Copa de la Liga Segunda División B

4. Appearances in the 1990 - 91 La Liga relegation playoff

5. Appearance in the 1991 - 92 La Liga relegation playoff

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Oliva . worldfootball.net . 15 March 2021.
  2. Web site: Oliva . BDFutbol . 15 March 2021.
  3. Web site: El Cádiz consuma el milagro . Mundo Deportivo . 15 March 2021.
  4. Web site: El Figueres se queda sin ascenso . Mundo Deportivo . 15 March 2021.
  5. Web site: El Sariñena destituye a su técnico Ángel Oliva . heraldo.es . 15 March 2021.