Paco Fortes Explained

Paco Fortes
Fullname:Francisco Fortes Calvo
Birth Date:4 January 1955
Birth Place:Barcelona, Spain
Height:1.680NaN0
Position:Forward
Youthclubs1:Barcelona
Years1:1974–1975
Caps1:26
Goals1:1
Years2:1975–1979
Caps2:44
Goals2:5
Years3:1976–1977
Clubs3:Málaga (loan)
Caps3:17
Goals3:1
Years4:1979–1982
Caps4:66
Goals4:1
Years5:1982–1984
Caps5:48
Goals5:7
Years6:1984–1989
Caps6:116
Goals6:29
Totalcaps:317
Totalgoals:44
Nationalyears1:1975
Nationalcaps1:1
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:1976
Nationalcaps2:1
Nationalgoals2:0
Manageryears1:1989–1999
Managerclubs1:Farense
Manageryears2:1999–2001
Managerclubs2:Imortal
Manageryears3:2001
Managerclubs3:União Lamas
Manageryears4:2002
Managerclubs4:Farense
Manageryears5:2003–2005
Managerclubs5:Pinhalnovense
Manageryears6:2006–2007
Managerclubs6:Raja Casablanca
Manageryears7:2007–2008
Managerclubs7:Pinhalnovense

Francisco "Paco" Fortes Calvo (born 4 January 1955) is a Spanish former football forward and manager.

Even though he also played for Barcelona, his career was mainly associated with Farense in Portugal, either as a player or manager.[1]

Playing career

Born in Barcelona, Catalonia, Fortes emerged through local FC Barcelona's youth ranks, going on to spend four years with the first team and also being loaned one season to CD Málaga. He only featured regularly for the former in 1975–76 – 23 matches, three goals – adding 11 UEFA Cup appearances with three goals in two separate spells. He made his La Liga debut on 5 October 1975 at the age of 20, in a 3–0 home win against Granada CF.[2]

Fortes signed for neighbours RCD Español in 1979 after being released by Barcelona, staying three seasons with the club.[3] Subsequently, he joined Real Valladolid still in the top flight, going on to appear in 175 games and score 14 goals in the competition.[4] He earned his only cap for Spain on 16 November 1975, playing 15 minutes in the 2–2 draw in Romania for the UEFA Euro 1976 qualifiers.[5]

In summer 1984, the 29-year-old Fortes moved to S.C. Farense in Portugal, being relegated from the Primeira Liga in his first year but winning immediate promotion. He appeared in more than 100 official matches for the Algarve side in his five-year stint.[6]

Coaching career

In late 1988, aged 33, Fortes retired from football and immediately started coaching Farense. He was in charge of eight games that season, winning four and drawing two, but the team eventually could not escape relegation after ranking 18th. Promotion befell the following campaign, as champions.[7]

Fortes remained at the helm of the club for one decade, managing four consecutive top-eight finishes from 1991 to 1995, including a best-ever fourth in 1994–95 as Farense qualified for the UEFA Cup for the first time in their history.[8] He was dismissed after the 21st round in 1998–99, moving to neighbouring Imortal D.C. of the Segunda Liga.[9]

Early into 2001–02, after only six games with C.F. União de Lamas (also second tier), Fortes returned to his beloved Farense, in the midst of a severe financial crisis. He was one of four coaches during the season – this included his former player Hajry Redouane – as the team were eventually relegated.[10] After leaving midway through the following campaign, he spent two full seasons and part of a third with C.D. Pinhalnovense in division three.[11]

After reuniting with Redouane at Raja CA,[12] Fortes returned to Pinhalnovense for one final year, then lost all connection with the football world. Undergoing serious financial problems, he contacted former club Barcelona's Agrupació Barça Veterans, who arranged for him to work as a controller in the Port of Barcelona.[13]

Honours

Player

Barcelona

1977–78[14]

Valladolid

1984[15]

Farense

1985–86

Manager

Farense

Notes and References

  1. News: Cromos, episódio 13: a raça e o "bigodão" de Paco Fortes, a alma de um Farense histórico. Football cards, episode 13: the heart and the "thick moustache" of Paco Fortes, the soul of an historic Farense. O Jogo. Luís. Freitas Lobo. pt. 31 January 2019. 13 August 2019.
  2. News: 3–0: Pudieron ser seis. 3–0: It could have been six. Mundo Deportivo. es. 6 October 1975. 9 March 2014.
  3. News: Anecdotario de una presentación. Anecdotes in presentation. Mundo Deportivo. es. 28 July 1979. 30 May 2023.
  4. Web site: Hoy recordamos... las vidas paralelas de Fortes y Díez. Today we remember... the parallel lives of Fortes and Díez. Real Valladolid. es. 27 February 2019. 30 May 2023.
  5. News: 2–2: A España le bastó el empate, aunque mereció ganar. 2–2: Spain had enough with draw, but deserved to win. Mundo Deportivo. Ramón. Rovira. es. 17 November 1975. 9 March 2014.
  6. Web site: Cava catalão, lágrimas marroquinas, 'tiros' sérvios: o Farense em festa. Catalan cava, Moroccan tears, Serbian 'shots': Farense party. Mais Futebol. Pedro Jorge. Cunha. pt. 6 May 2020. 30 May 2023.
  7. Web site: Futebol dos 90. O Farense de 1997/98. 90s football. 1997/98 Farense. É Desporto. Rui Pedro. Silva. pt. 10 January 2019. 30 May 2023.
  8. News: Farense vai vender Estádio S. Luís para recuperar passado glorioso. Farense to sell Estádio S. Luís to recover glorious past. Público. pt. 4 May 2009. 13 August 2019.
  9. News: Paco Fortes é o novo treinador do Imortal. Paco Fortes is the new manager of Imortal. Record. pt. 15 September 1999. 30 May 2023.
  10. News: Farense em risco de sobrevivência. Farense at risk of folding. Público. Jorge. Anjinho. pt. 17 April 2003. 13 August 2019.
  11. Web site: Este fim de semana foi negativo para as equipas açorianas na segunda divisão. Negative weekend for Azorean teams in the second division. RTP Açores. pt. 28 January 2008. 13 August 2019.
  12. Web site: El español Paco Fortes es el nuevo entrenador del Raja de Casablanca. Spaniard Paco Fortes is new Raja Casablanca coach. Terra. es. 6 December 2006. 16 November 2011.
  13. News: Fortes, de dormir en una furgoneta a trabajar en el puerto. Fortes, from sleeping in a van to working in the port. Sport. David. Salinas. es. 1 July 2009. 13 August 2019.
  14. News: Victoria clara en una final de poca categoría. Clear win in final of little class. Mundo Deportivo. es. 20 April 1978. 30 May 2023.
  15. News: 25 años de la Copa de la Liga. 25 years from the League Cup. El Norte de Castilla. Antonio. G. Encinas. Rodrigo. Ucero. es. 2009. 20 May 2016. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150219142836/http://realvalladolid.elnortedecastilla.es/especial-25-aniversario/. 19 February 2015.