Félix Sarriugarte Explained

Félix Sarriugarte
Fullname:Félix Sarriugarte Montoya
Birth Date:6 November 1964
Birth Place:Durango, Spain
Position:Forward
Youthyears1:1981–1982
Youthclubs1:Athletic Bilbao
Years1:1982–1986
Caps1:102
Goals1:28
Years2:1984–1989
Caps2:68
Goals2:13
Years3:1989–1994
Caps3:91
Goals3:15
Years4:1994–1995
Caps4:27
Goals4:11
Years5:1995
Caps5:5
Goals5:2
Years6:1995–1996
Caps6:11
Goals6:3
Totalcaps:304
Totalgoals:72
Manageryears1:2000–2003
Managerclubs1:Athletic Bilbao (youth)
Manageryears2:2003–2004
Managerclubs2:Basconia
Manageryears3:2005–2006
Managerclubs3:Bilbao Athletic
Manageryears4:2006
Managerclubs4:Athletic Bilbao
Manageryears5:2007–2008
Managerclubs5:Varea
Manageryears6:2009
Managerclubs6:Logroñés
Manageryears7:2011–2012
Managerclubs7:Sestao
Manageryears8:2012–2013
Managerclubs8:Oviedo
Manageryears9:2015
Managerclubs9:Sestao
Manageryears10:2019–2020
Managerclubs10:Charlotte Independence (assistant)

Félix Sarriugarte Montoya (born 6 November 1964) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a forward, currently a manager.

Playing career

Born in Durango, Biscay, Sarriugarte represented Athletic Bilbao for five seasons – having arrived at the San Mamés Stadium at age 16 – but only started featuring regularly for the first team in 1986–87, after a lengthy spell with the reserves where he scored regularly. He then spent another five years in La Liga with Asturias' Real Oviedo, where he was also never relegated (but totalled only three appearances in his last two seasons).

Sarriugarte retired in 1996 at the age of 31 after playing one season with UD Las Palmas and splitting his last year with local Barakaldo CF and UDA Gramenet, with all the sides competing in the lower leagues. In the top flight, he amassed totals of 159 matches and 28 goals; his debut in the latter competition came on 9 September 1984 in a 3–0 away loss against Sevilla FC,[1] due to a strike from the professional footballers.[2]

Coaching career

Sarriugarte took up coaching in the early 2000s, with the various sides of his first club Athletic. On 8 July 2006, following the dismissal of Javier Clemente, he was appointed first-team manager by president Fernando Lamikiz. Just four months later, however, he was relieved of his duties after a 1–3 home defeat to Sevilla which saw them drop into the 18th position,[3] and eventually again barely avoiding relegation.[4]

In June 2009, Sarriugarte signed at CD Varea – soon to be named UD Logroñésrecently promoted to Segunda División B, but stepped down before the campaign began.[5] On 16 July 2012, after having led Sestao River Club to safety in that level, he joined another team in the same tier, Oviedo.[6]

Charlotte Independence announced on 17 January 2019 that Sarriugarte had joined the technical staff of the club as an assistant manager, under Jim McGuinness.[7]

Notes and References

  1. News: 3–0: El Sevilla encontró un ariete. 3–0: Sevilla found a battering ram. Mundo Deportivo. Ricardo. Ríos. es. 10 September 1984. 12 July 2018.
  2. News: La Liga en pañales de 1984. League wearing diapers in 1984. El Norte de Castilla. Santiago. Hidalgo Chacel. es. 30 March 2011. 12 July 2018.
  3. Web site: Athletico Bilbao appoint Esnal as new coach. ESPN Soccernet. 29 November 2006. 24 March 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20121024131147/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/print?id=394070&type=story&cc=null. 24 October 2012.
  4. News: El Athletic enlaza tres temporadas seguidas fuera de Europa, doce años después. Third season out of Europe for Athletic in a row, twelve years later. Mundo Deportivo. Alberto. García. es. 21 July 2020. 28 April 2022.
  5. News: El Varea descarta a Félix Sarriugarte como técnico. Varea release Félix Sarriugarte as coach. El Correo. es. 21 June 2009. 12 July 2018.
  6. News: Sarriugarte será el nuevo entrenador del Oviedo. Sarriugarte to be new Oviedo coach. Marca. F.. Fernández. es. 16 July 2012. 30 July 2012.
  7. Web site: McGuinness appoints former La Liga manager to assistant coach. Charlotte Independence. James. Thomas. 17 January 2019. 26 April 2019.