Antonio Hidalgo (footballer, born 1979) explained

Antonio Hidalgo
Fullname:Antonio Hidalgo Morilla
Birth Date:6 February 1979
Birth Place:Granollers, Spain
Position:Midfielder
Currentclub:Huesca (manager)
Youthyears1:1989–1993
Youthclubs1:Granollers
Youthyears2:1993–1997
Youthclubs2:Barcelona
Years1:1997–1999
Caps1:43
Goals1:10
Years2:1998–2000
Caps2:66
Goals2:4
Years3:2000–2005
Caps3:91
Goals3:8
Years4:2005–2008
Caps4:109
Goals4:28
Years5:2008–2009
Caps5:16
Goals5:0
Years6:2009
Clubs6:Osasuna (loan)
Caps6:12
Goals6:0
Years7:2009–2010
Caps7:33
Goals7:9
Years8:2010–2011
Caps8:29
Goals8:3
Years9:2012–2015
Caps9:114
Goals9:11
Years10:2015
Caps10:5
Goals10:0
Totalcaps:518
Totalgoals:73
Nationalyears1:1997
Nationalcaps1:4
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:1997
Nationalcaps2:2
Nationalgoals2:0
Manageryears1:2016
Managerclubs1:Granollers
Manageryears2:2016–2019
Managerclubs2:AEK Larnaca (assistant)
Manageryears3:2019–2021
Managerclubs3:Sabadell
Manageryears4:2022–2023
Managerclubs4:Sevilla B
Manageryears5:2023–
Managerclubs5:Huesca

Antonio Hidalgo Morilla (born 6 February 1979) is a Spanish former footballer who played as a central midfielder, currently manager of SD Huesca.

Over 17 seasons as a professional, he appeared in 412 games in the Segunda División, scoring 57 goals for six clubs, mainly Tenerife (five years) and Sabadell (four). In La Liga, he represented Tenerife, Málaga and Osasuna.

Playing career

Born in Granollers, Barcelona, Catalonia, Hidalgo began starting professionally with FC Barcelona's reserves, then went on to represent CD Tenerife for five seasons. After being an important element during the team's 2001 promotion, he played ten games in the following campaign's La Liga.

Hidalgo moved to Málaga CF in the summer of 2005, appearing in 35 matches in his first year as the Andalusia side finished bottom and were relegated. On 15 June 2008, he scored two goals in a 2–1 victory over former club Tenerife, granting top-flight promotion after a two-year absence at the expense of Real Sociedad;[1] he finished the season with 14 league goals, best in the squad.[2]

Hidalgo stayed in the Segunda División, however, signing a two-year deal with Real Zaragoza.[3] In late January 2009, he joined struggling CA Osasuna on loan until the end of the campaign,[4] and appeared regularly although very rarely as a starter as the Navarrese eventually stayed in the top division.

Upon his return to Aragon, Hidalgo was deemed surplus to requirements. In the dying minutes of the August 2009 transfer window he arranged a 1+1 deal with second-tier club Albacete Balompié; at the end of his only season, the 31-year-old was one of 14 players who were not given a contract extension, being released.[5]

Hidalgo then had a spell at CD Tenerife, suffering relegation in his sole season before joining CE Sabadell FC of his native region in January 2012, shortly before turning 33.[6] In March 2014, the captain extended his stay with the Arlequinats for another year.[7] When his contract ended, he played for several weeks with UE Cornellà in the Segunda División B before retiring in November 2015, immediately becoming a youth team coach.[8]

Coaching career

In April 2016, Hidalgo assumed his first senior management job at EC Granollers.[9] After avoiding the drop, he left the Tercera División side at the end of the campaign a month later, joining his compatriot Imanol Idiakez's staff at AEK Larnaca FC in the Cypriot First Division.[10] [11]

Hidalgo left his Larnaca contract a year early in April 2019, tasked with keeping former club Sabadell in the third level with seven games to go.[12] He achieved it and, the following season, he ended a five-year exile from the second tier on 26 July 2020 with a 2–1 playoff final win over Barcelona B.[13]

Sabadell were relegated back to division three at the end of the 2020–21 campaign by the margin of a single point. Hidalgo kept his job, but on 20 November 2021, with the team in the Primera División RFEF relegation places, he was dismissed.[14]

On 19 October 2022, Hidalgo was appointed manager of Sevilla Atlético, bottom in the Segunda Federación,[15] eventually managing to avoid relegation.[16] He returned to the second tier one year later, signing for SD Huesca.[17]

Managerial statistics

Managerial record by team and tenure
TeamFromToRecord
Granollers12 April 201625 May 2016 [18]
Sabadell2 April 201920 November 2021 [19]
Sevilla Atlético19 October 202211 October 2023 [20]
Huesca11 October 2023Present
Career total

Notes and References

  1. News: El Málaga vuelve al jardín de los ricos. Málaga return to garden of Eden. Diario AS. Juan. Jiménez. es. 16 June 2008. 8 August 2024.
  2. News: Un gran bloque con el estilete de Antonio Hidalgo. A solid block with Antonio Hidalgo's signature mark. Málaga Hoy. C.. Pastor. José Luis. Malo. es. 22 June 2008. 18 May 2011.
  3. News: Antonio Hidalgo ficha por el Zaragoza para las dos próximas temporadas. Antonio Hidalgo signs with Zaragoza for the following two seasons. Diario AS. es. 1 July 2008. 8 August 2024.
  4. News: Antonio Hidalgo llega cedido a Osasuna. Antonio Hidalgo arrives at Osasuna on loan. Marca. es. 27 January 2009. 18 May 2011.
  5. News: El Albacete da la baja a 14 jugadores, entre ellos a Salva. Albacete release 14 players, Salva included. Diario AS. Luis. Castelo. es. 23 June 2010. 8 August 2024.
  6. News: El Sabadell hace oficial el fichaje de Antonio Hidalgo. Sabadell make official the signing of Antonio Hidalgo. Marca. es. 9 January 2012. 11 November 2019.
  7. News: El Sabadell renova el seu capità, Antonio Hidalgo. Sabadell renew their captain, Antonio Hidalgo. Ara. ca. 21 March 2014. 11 November 2019.
  8. Web site: Se retira Antonio Hidalgo. Antonio Hidalgo retires. La Segunda B. José Raúl. González. es. 9 November 2015. 11 November 2019.
  9. Web site: Antonio Hidalgo asume las riendas del Granollers. Antonio Hidalgo takes the reins at Granollers. Diario La Grada. Roger. Macías. es. 15 April 2016. 11 November 2019.
  10. Web site: Antonio Hidalgo no dirigirá al Granollers. Antonio Hidalgo will not manage Granollers. Be Soccer. es. 25 May 2016. 11 November 2019.
  11. News: ¿Qué fue de Antonio Hidalgo?. ¿Qué fue de Antonio Hidalgo?. La Opinión de Málaga. Manu. Puga. es. 10 February 2019. 19 March 2020.
  12. News: Antonio Hidalgo és el nou entrenador del Centre d'Esports Sabadell. Antonio Hidalgo is the new manager of Centre d'Esports Sabadell. Diari de Sabadell. Pere. Figueras. ca. 2 April 2019. 11 November 2019.
  13. News: Antonio Hidalgo: "Para algunos jugadores esto es como ganar la Champions". Antonio Hidalgo: "For some players this is like winning the Champions". Mundo Deportivo. Manel. Montilla. es. 26 July 2020. 14 November 2020.
  14. News: El Sabadell destituye a Antonio Hidalgo. Sabadell dismiss Antonio Hidalgo. Sport. Joan. Blanch. es. 20 November 2021. 17 December 2021.
  15. News: Antonio Hidalgo será el nuevo entrenador del Sevilla Atlético, que echó al malagueño Acejo. Antonio Hidalgo will be the new manager of Sevilla Atlético, who sacked Málaga-born Acejo. Málaga Hoy. P.. Pérez. es. 19 October 2022. 8 August 2024.
  16. News: La 'paliza' de Del Nido Carrasco y la "tranquilidad" de Antonio Hidalgo. Del Nido Carrasco's 'beating' and Antonio Hidalgo's "tranquility". Estadio Deportivo. Fernando. Ruiz. es. 14 May 2023. 8 August 2024.
  17. Web site: Antonio Hidalgo, nuevo entrenador de la SD Huesca. Antonio Hidalgo, new manager of SD Huesca. SD Huesca. es. 11 October 2023. 11 October 2023.
  18. Web site: EC Granollers. Resultados Fútbol. es. 3 April 2019.
  19. Web site: Antonio Hidalgo: Antonio Hidalgo Morilla: Matches 2018–19. BDFutbol. 9 April 2019. 9 April 2019.
    Web site: Antonio Hidalgo: Antonio Hidalgo Morilla: Matches 2019–20. BDFutbol. 20 September 2019. 20 September 2019.
    Web site: Antonio Hidalgo: Antonio Hidalgo Morilla: Matches 2020–21. BDFutbol. 8 February 2021. 8 February 2021.
    Web site: Antonio Hidalgo: Antonio Hidalgo Morilla: Matches 2021–22. BDFutbol. 29 November 2021. 29 November 2021.
  20. Web site: Antonio Hidalgo: Antonio Hidalgo Morilla: Matches 2022–23. BDFutbol. 31 August 2023. 31 August 2023.