David Gallego Explained

David Gallego
Fullname:David Gallego Rodríguez
Birth Date:26 January 1972
Birth Place:Súria, Spain
Height:1.65 m
Position:Midfielder
Currentclub:APOEL (manager)
Youthclubs2:Manresa
Years1:1987–1991
Years2:1991–1993
Caps2:28
Goals2:3
Years3:1993–1994
Caps3:33
Goals3:5
Years4:1994–1995
Caps4:42
Goals4:7
Years5:1995–1996
Caps5:17
Goals5:5
Years6:1996–1997
Caps6:55
Goals6:9
Years7:1997–1999
Caps7:69
Goals7:26
Years8:1999–2001
Caps8:55
Goals8:11
Years9:2001–2002
Caps9:42
Goals9:4
Years10:2002–2003
Caps10:10
Goals10:0
Years11:2003–2005
Caps11:55
Goals11:6
Years12:2005–2006
Caps12:12
Goals12:1
Years13:2006–2009
Totalcaps:418
Totalgoals:77
Manageryears1:2010
Managerclubs1:Sant Feliu Sasserra
Manageryears2:2010–2013
Manageryears3:2013–2016
Managerclubs3:Espanyol (youth)
Manageryears4:2016–2018
Managerclubs4:Espanyol B
Manageryears5:2018
Manageryears6:2018–2019
Managerclubs6:Espanyol B
Manageryears7:2019
Managerclubs7:Espanyol
Manageryears8:2020–2022
Managerclubs8:Sporting Gijón
Manageryears9:2022–2023
Managerclubs9:Ponferradina
Manageryears10:2023–2024
Managerclubs10:Anorthosis
Manageryears11:2024–
Managerclubs11:APOEL

David Gallego Rodríguez (born 26 January 1972) is a Spanish professional football manager and former player who played as a midfielder. He is the manager of Cypriot First Division club APOEL.

He played 10 La Liga games for Recreativo, and 97 in Segunda División for Córdoba and Terrassa, scoring 10 goals in the latter. He spent most of his career in Segunda División B.

As a manager, Gallego had two brief spells at Espanyol in the top flight, also leading Sporting Gijón and Ponferradina in the second division.

Playing career

Born in Súria, Barcelona, Catalonia, Gallego made his senior debut for CE Manresa, before joining Segunda División B side CE L'Hospitalet in 1991. He continued to appear in the category in the following years, representing AEC Manlleu, Levante UD, UE Sant Andreu, Córdoba CF, Terrassa FC and Hércules CF; with the Egarenses he scored a career-best 19 goals in the 1997–98 campaign.

Gallego returned to Córdoba in January 2001, with the club now in Segunda División. He made his professional debut on 14 January by starting in a 0–0 away draw against Albacete Balompié, and scored his first professional goal seven days later in a 2–0 home win against Sporting de Gijón.

In 2002 summer Gallego joined La Liga club Recreativo de Huelva.[1] He made his debut in the category on 1 September, coming on as a second half substitute in a 2–3 home loss against Málaga CF.

After Recre's relegation, Gallego returned to Terrassa. After suffering another drop, he moved down to the lower leagues, representing CF Badalona and Manresa before retiring in 2009, aged 37.

Managerial career

Immediately after retiring Gallego worked as a manager, being appointed at the helm of CE Sant Feliu Sasserra on 23 January 2010.[2] In July, he returned to former club, and achieved promotion to Segona Catalana with the latter in 2013.[3]

On 25 June 2013, Gallego was appointed manager of RCD Espanyol's youth setup, being in charge of the Juvenil squad.[4] He was named at the helm of the reserve team in the third division on 16 June 2016.[5]

Gallego was named as the manager of the first team on 20 April 2018 after the sacking of Quique Sánchez Flores.[6] Starting with a 2–0 win at neighbours Girona FC two days later, he won four and drew the other of his five fixtures, with ten goals for and two against; the run included victories at Atlético Madrid and Athletic Bilbao.[7] On 30 May, he returned to his previous role.[8]

On 6 June 2019, Gallego replaced Rubi at the helm of the main squad, after agreeing to a two-year contract.[9] He was sacked on 7 October after a poor run of results.[10]

Gallego was named in charge of Sporting de Gijón in the second division on 21 July 2020.[11] On 22 February 2022, after only achieving three wins in the last 17 matches, he was sacked.[12]

On 20 November 2022, Gallego replaced José Gomes at the helm of SD Ponferradina also in the second level.[13] He was shown the door on 10 April, with the team six points inside the relegation zone with seven games remaining.[14]

Gallego embarked on the first foreign job of his career on 14 June 2023, with Cypriot First Division club Anorthosis Famagusta FC.[15]

Managerial statistics

Managerial record by team and tenure
TeamNatFromToRecord
Sant Feliu Sasserra23 January 20101 July 2010
1 July 201025 June 2013
Espanyol B16 June 201620 April 2018[16]
20 April 201830 May 2018[17]
Espanyol B30 May 20186 June 2019[18]
Espanyol6 June 20197 October 2019[19]
Sporting Gijón21 July 202022 February 2022[20]
Ponferradina20 November 202210 April 2023[21]
Anorthosis14 June 2023Present[22]
Total

Notes and References

  1. Web site: El surienc David Gallego, a la final de la Copa del Rei amb el Recreativo de Huelva. David Gallego, to the final of the Copa del Rey with Recreativo de Huelva. La Xarxa. ca. 6 March 2003. 24 October 2016.
  2. Web site: David Gallego relleva David Molina a la banqueta del Sant Feliu Sasserra. David Gallego relieves David Molina at Sant Feliu Sasserra's bench. Regió 7. ca. 23 January 2010. 24 October 2016.
  3. Web site: El tècnic va ser l'artífex de l'ascens del CE Súria a Segona Catalana. The manager would be the architect of CE Súria to Segona Catalana. El Setmanari de Súria. ca. 22 March 2015. 24 October 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161025052436/http://www.elsetmanaridesuria.cat/article/22718/futbol-el-surienc-david-gallego-campio-de-lliga-amb-el-juvenil-a-del-rcd-espanyol. 25 October 2016. dead.
  4. Web site: David Gallego: ´És un luxe poder entrenar l´Espanyol juvenil´. David Gallego: 'It is a luxury to train Espanyol juvenil '. Regió 7. ca. 25 June 2013. 24 October 2016.
  5. Web site: David Gallego, presentado como nuevo entrenador del Espanyol B. David Gallego, presented as new manager of Espanyol B. Sport. es. 16 June 2016. 24 October 2016.
  6. News: David Gallego toma las riendas del primer equipo. David Gallego takes the reins of the first team. Mundo Deportivo. es. 20 April 2018.
  7. Web site: El Espanyol de Gallego, de tres en tres. Gallego's Espanyol, three wins in three. Marca. es. 20 May 2018. 2 August 2023.
  8. Web site: David Gallego se queda en el Espanyol. David Gallego remains at Espanyol. Sport. es. 30 May 2018. 3 June 2018.
  9. Web site: Gallego, nou entrenador del RCD Espanyol de Barcelona. Gallego, new manager of RCD Espanyol de Barcelona. RCD Espanyol. ca. 6 June 2019. 6 June 2019.
  10. Web site: End of David Gallego's stage. RCD Espanyol. 7 October 2019. 25 October 2019.
  11. Web site: David Gallego, nuevo entrenador del Sporting. David Gallego, new manager of Sporting. Sporting de Gijón. es. 21 July 2020. 25 July 2020. 25 July 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200725175432/https://www.realsporting.com/noticia/david-gallego-nuevo-entrenador-del-sporting. dead.
  12. Web site: David Gallego no continúa como entrenador del Sporting. David Gallego will not continue as manager of Sporting. Sporting Gijón. es. 22 February 2022. 23 February 2022. 22 February 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220222090112/https://www.realsporting.com/noticia/david-gallego-no-continua-como-entrenador-del-sporting. dead.
  13. Web site: David Gallego, nuevo entrenador de la SD Ponferradina. David Gallego, new manager of SD Ponferradina. SD Ponferradina. es. 20 November 2022. 20 November 2022.
  14. Web site: La Ponferradina destituye a David Gallego. Ponferradina dismiss David Gallego. Diario AS. es. 10 April 2023. 2 August 2023.
  15. Web site: David Gallego entrenará en Chipre. David Gallego will manage in Cyprus. El Desmarque. es. 15 June 2023. 2 August 2023.
  16. Web site: Gallego: David Gallego Rodríguez. BDFutbol. 1 March 2018.
    Web site: Espanyol B. Futbolme. es. 1 March 2018.
  17. Web site: Gallego: David Gallego Rodríguez. BDFutbol. 25 April 2018.
  18. Web site: Gallego: David Gallego Rodríguez. BDFutbol. 29 November 2018.
  19. Web site: Gallego: David Gallego Rodríguez. BDFutbol. 6 June 2019.
  20. Web site: Gallego: David Gallego Rodríguez. BDFutbol. 29 September 2020.
    Web site: Gallego: David Gallego Rodríguez. BDFutbol. 4 September 2021.
  21. Web site: Gallego: David Gallego Rodríguez. BDFutbol. 16 December 2022.
  22. Web site: Στελέχωση προπονητικού επιτελείου 2023-24 . 14 June 2023 .