Paco Gallardo Explained

Paco Gallardo
Full Name:Francisco Gallardo León
Birth Date:13 January 1980
Birth Place:Seville, Spain
Position:Midfielder
Years1:1998–2000
Caps1:32
Goals1:2
Years2:2000–2007
Caps2:118
Goals2:8
Years3:2004–2005
Clubs3:Getafe (loan)
Caps3:22
Goals3:1
Years4:2006
Clubs4:Vitória Guimarães (loan)
Caps4:2
Goals4:0
Years5:2006
Clubs5:Deportivo La Coruña (loan)
Caps5:7
Goals5:0
Years6:2006–2007
Clubs6:Murcia (loan)
Caps6:20
Goals6:2
Years7:2007–2009
Caps7:16
Goals7:1
Years8:2009–2011
Caps8:35
Goals8:0
Years9:2011–2013
Caps9:40
Goals9:3
Years10:2013–2014
Caps10:20
Goals10:1
Totalcaps:312
Totalgoals:18
Nationalyears1:1997–1998
Nationalcaps1:4
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:1998–1999
Nationalcaps2:9
Nationalgoals2:1
Nationalyears3:2000–2001
Nationalcaps3:5
Nationalgoals3:0
Manageryears1:2015–2017
Managerclubs1:Sevilla (youth)
Manageryears2:2017–2018
Managerclubs2:Sevilla C
Manageryears3:2019–2021
Managerclubs3:Sevilla B
Manageryears4:2023
Managerclubs4:Leeds United (co-interim)
Manageryears5:2023

Francisco "Paco" Gallardo León (born 13 January 1980) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a midfielder, currently a manager.

Playing career

Sevilla

Born in Seville, Andalusia, and a product of hometown club Sevilla's youth system, Gallardo made his first-team debut aged 20, being instrumental in their 2001 return to La Liga[1] and proceeding to have a further two solid seasons with the main squad. In November of that year, he was fined and suspended by the Royal Spanish Football Federation for violating standards of "sporting dignity and decorum" after he congratulated teammate José Antonio Reyes, who had just scored, by bending down and biting on his penis.[2] [3]

After a relatively successful loan at Getafe,[4] helping the Madrid side to retain their newly acquired top-division status,[5] Gallardo's career would be very irregular: he served two unassuming loans in early 2006, starting with Vitória de Guimarães from Portugal,[6] [7] then moved in the 2006–07 campaign to Real Murcia in the Segunda División, still on contract to Sevilla.[8]

Murcia

Gallardo signed on a permanent basis prior to the start of 2007–08,[9] but could only appear in ten league matches in an eventual relegation from the top flight. In the following season he was ousted from the squad alongside José María Movilla by manager Javier Clemente, and spent several months without a team, being reinstated in March 2009 after the coach's dismissal; he was finally released in June.[10]

Later years

On 12 November 2009, Gallardo joined another club in the second tier, Huesca, after a successful week's trial.[11] He finished his career at the age of 34, after three years in Hungary with two teams.[12]

Coaching career

Gallardo returned to the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium in the summer of 2015, first being in charge of the academy and later being appointed at the helm of the amateur team in the Tercera División, with Carlos Marchena as his assistant.[13] For three seasons, he then managed Sevilla Atlético in the Segunda División B (renamed Primera División RFEF for the 2021–22 season).[14] [15]

In November 2022, Gallardo joined Premier League side Leeds United as first-team coach in Jesse Marsch's staff. Following the latter's dismissal, he was named co-interim alongside Chris Armas and Michael Skubala;[16] shortly after, he was appointed their under-21 manager.[17]

Managerial statistics

Managerial record by team and tenure
TeamNatFromToRecord
Sevilla C 7 June 201728 April 2018 [18]
Sevilla B28 May 201913 October 2021[19]
Total

Honours

Sevilla

2000–01[1]

Notes and References

  1. News: El Sevilla asciende a lo campeón. Sevilla promote like a champion. El País. Daniel. Gil. Spanish. 4 June 2001. 2 April 2023.
  2. Web site: The Year in Sex & Sports. ESPN. Jeff. Merron. 2001. 14 February 2009.
  3. News: Man bites sportsman. The Guardian. Rob. Bagchi. 22 November 2010. 22 November 2010.
  4. Web site: El sevillista Gallardo jugará un año cedido en el Getafe. Sevilla's Gallardo will play one year on loan at Getafe. Cadena SER. Spanish. 13 July 2004. 13 December 2018.
  5. News: Rebelión en Getafe. Mutiny in Getafe. El País. José. Marcos. Spanish. 20 May 2005. 13 December 2018.
  6. News: Gallardo se va cedido al Vitoria. Gallardo goes on loan to Vitória. Diario Córdoba. Spanish. 5 January 2006. 13 December 2018.
  7. Web site: Fútbol.– Gallardo: "Ahora mismo quiero lo mejor para el Deportivo y eso significa ganarle al Sevilla". Football.– Gallardo: "I want the best for Deportivo right now and that means beating Sevilla". Europa Press. Spanish. 12 April 2006. 13 December 2018.
  8. Web site: Fútbol.– El Sevilla confirma la cesión por una temporada al Murcia del defensa Pablo Ruiz. Football.– Sevilla confirm one-season loan of defender Pablo Ruiz to Murcia. Europa Press. Spanish. 31 August 2006. 14 December 2018.
  9. News: Paco Gallardo deja el Sevilla y firma por el Murcia. Paco Gallardo leaves Sevilla and signs for Murcia. Marca. Spanish. 5 July 2007. 14 December 2018.
  10. News: La limpieza de Clemente llega ya a su tercera fase. Clemente's cleansing reaches stage three. Diario AS. Javier. Jaén. Spanish. 24 August 2008. 19 September 2013.
  11. News: El centrocampista Francisco Gallardo se incorpora hoy a la S.D. Huesca. Midfielder Francisco Gallardo joins S.D. Huesca today. Diario del AltoAragón. Rafa. Díaz. Spanish. 12 November 2009. 21 November 2009.
  12. News: El fútbol modesto hace las maletas. Modest football gets packing. El País. Spanish. 28 January 2014. 14 December 2018.
  13. Web site: Marchena y Gallardo vuelven a ejercer como sevillistas. Marchena and Gallardo work as sevillistas again. El Desmarque. Spanish. 26 July 2017. 14 December 2018.
  14. News: Paco Gallardo: "Julen le viene muy bien a la cantera". Paco Gallardo: "Julen fits the youth system like a glove". Diario de Sevilla. Eduardo. Florido. Spanish. 10 June 2019. 2 April 2023.
  15. News: Paco Gallardo es relevado como entrenador del Sevilla Atlético. Paco Gallardo is replaced as manager of Sevilla Atlético. Diario de Sevilla. Spanish. 13 October 2021. 2 April 2023.
  16. News: Michael Skubala to stay in caretaker role at Leeds as manager search continues. The Guardian. 14 February 2023. 2 April 2023.
  17. News: Leeds United man reveals intimate details of new coaching relationship and Javi Gracia presence. Yorkshire Evening Post. Joe. Donnohue. 7 March 2023. 2 April 2023.
  18. Web site: Sevilla C. Resultados Fútbol. Spanish. 30 May 2019.
  19. Web site: Gallardo: Francisco Gallardo León: Matches 2019–20. BDFutbol. 7 October 2019.
    Web site: Gallardo: Francisco Gallardo León: Matches 2020–21. BDFutbol. 6 April 2021.
    Web site: Gallardo: Francisco Gallardo León: Matches 2021–22. BDFutbol. 6 December 2021.