Molo (footballer) explained

Molo
Fullname:Manuel Jesús Casas García
Birth Date:14 June 1985
Birth Place:Almería, Spain
Height:1.90 m
Position:Centre back
Youthclubs1:Oriente
Years1:2004–2005
Years2:2005–2007
Years3:2006
Years4:2007
Years5:2007–2008
Years6:2008–2011
Years7:2011–2012
Years8:2012–2016
Years9:2016–2018
Years10:2018
Years11:2018–2019
Clubs1:Comarca Níjar
Clubs6:Osasuna B
Clubs7:Guijuelo
Clubs8:Lleida Esportiu
Clubs9:Lorca
Clubs10:Murcia
Clubs11:El Ejido
Caps2:41
Caps3:4
Caps4:16
Caps5:20
Caps6:24
Caps7:30
Caps8:102
Caps9:28
Caps10:12
Caps11:25
Totalcaps:302
Goals2:8
Goals3:0
Goals4:1
Goals5:1
Goals6:2
Goals7:1
Goals8:4
Goals9:1
Goals10:1
Goals11:1
Totalgoals:20
Manageryears1:2019–2021
Managerclubs1:Lleida Esportiu
Manageryears2:2021
Managerclubs2:Águilas
Manageryears3:2022
Managerclubs3:UCAM Murcia
Manageryears4:2023–2024
Managerclubs4:Tarazona

Manuel Jesús Casas García (born 14 June 1985), known as Molo, is a Spanish former footballer who played as a central defender, and a current manager.

He made five appearances in Segunda División for Almería and Lorca, but spent most of his career in Segunda División B, where he played 256 games in service of eight clubs, mostly Lleida Esportiu.

Playing career

Born in Almería, Andalusia, Molo played for CD Comarca de Níjar before joining UD Almería. He made his professional debut for his hometown club in Segunda División on 22 January 2006 in a 2–1 home win over CD Castellón, coming on for José Ortiz for the last eight minutes,[1] and added three more games over the season.

Molo then moved on to UE Figueres, Villarreal CF B and CA Osasuna B in Segunda División B. In November 2008, while training with the first team of the last of those sides, he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury.[2]

After a year with CD Guijuelo, Molo joined Lleida Esportiu in 2012. Four years later, after being denied promotion in the play-offs by Sevilla Atlético, he became the first signing of the renamed Lorca FC; despite his experience in the third level it was his first experience of Group IV, the one containing clubs from his own region.[3] They gained promotion and he made his only professional appearance since the start of his career on 25 November 2017, playing the last two minutes of a 2–0 win at Gimnàstic de Tarragona.[4]

Molo left Lorca in January 2018, returning to the third tier with Real Murcia.[5] After being eliminated from the playoffs by Elche CF, he cancelled the last 12 months of his contract in June and made his way to CD El Ejido in the same division.[6]

Coaching career

In June 2019, shortly after El Ejido's relegation, Molo returned to Lleida to manage them for the upcoming campaign.[7] He was dismissed by president Albert Esteve on 24 May 2021, following a descent to the fourth tier.[8] In July 2022, he joined UCAM Murcia CF, who had recently been relegated to the fourth tier of Spanish football. He replaced José Manuel Aira.

Managerial statistics

Managerial record by team and tenure
TeamNatFromToRecord
Lleida Esportiu5 June 201924 May 2021[9]
Águilas24 June 20218 November 2021[10]
UCAM Murcia17 June 20224 October 2022[11]
Tarazona6 July 20236 June 2024[12]
Total

Notes and References

  1. News: El 'perico-Almería' doblega al Castellòn. 'Perico-Almería' down Castellòn. Mundo Deportivo. Salva. Rodríguez. Spanish. 23 January 2006. 11 December 2019.
  2. News: El canterano de Osasuna Molo sufre grave lesión de rodilla. Osasuna youth player Molo suffers a serious knee injury. Marca. Spanish. 19 November 2008. 16 November 2019.
  3. Web site: Molo, primera apuesta del nuevo Lorca FC. Molo, first bet by the new Lorca FC. La Segunda B. Javier. Cantero. Spanish. 10 July 2016. 16 November 2019.
  4. News: Oxígeno para el Lorca y Torres. Oxygen for Lorca and Torres. La Verdad. Pedro. Re. Spanish. 25 November 2017. 11 December 2019.
  5. News: Molo: "El Murcia me quiso más que nadie y por eso estoy aquí". Molo: "Murcia wanted me more than anyone else and that's why I'm here". La Opinión de Murcia. Ernesto. Fernández. Spanish. 17 January 2018. 16 November 2019.
  6. News: Molo se desvincula del Murcia y se marcha al CD El Ejido. Molo severs ties with Murcia and moves to CD El Ejido. La Opinión de Murcia. Spanish. 20 June 2018. 16 November 2019.
  7. Web site: ‘Molo’ ja és el nou entrenador del Lleida Esportiu. 'Molo' is now the new manager of Lleida Esportiu. Lleida Ràdio. Sergi. Gulu. Catalan. 5 June 2019. 16 November 2019.
  8. News: Esteve echa a Molo y anuncia que no quiere seguir como presidente del Lleida. Esteve dismisses Molo and announces that he does not want to continue as president of Lleida. 9 June 2021 . . 24 May 2021 . Spanish.
  9. Web site: Molo: Manuel Jesús Casas García. BDFutbol. 20 September 2019.
    Web site: Molo: Manuel Jesús Casas García. BDFutbol. 15 July 2021.
  10. Web site: Molo: Manuel Jesús Casas García. BDFutbol. 15 July 2021.
  11. Web site: Molo: Manuel Jesús Casas García. BDFutbol. 30 March 2024.
  12. Web site: Molo: Manuel Jesús Casas García. BDFutbol. 30 March 2024.