Víctor Muñoz Explained

Víctor
Fullname:Víctor Muñoz Manrique
Birth Date:15 March 1957
Birth Place:Zaragoza, Spain
Height:1.72 m
Position:Midfielder
Youthclubs1:Zaragoza
Years1:1976–1981
Caps1:127
Goals1:12
Years2:1981–1988
Caps2:224
Goals2:14
Years3:1988–1990
Caps3:48
Goals3:2
Years4:1990–1991
Caps4:18
Goals4:1
Years5:1991
Caps5:4
Goals5:0
Totalcaps:421
Totalgoals:29
Nationalyears1:1979–1980
Nationalcaps1:7
Nationalgoals1:2
Nationalyears2:1979–1983
Nationalcaps2:11
Nationalgoals2:1
Nationalyears3:1980–1981
Nationalcaps3:3
Nationalgoals3:0
Nationalyears4:1981–1988
Nationalcaps4:60
Nationalgoals4:3
Manageryears1:1996–1997
Managerclubs1:Mallorca
Manageryears2:1997
Managerclubs2:Logroñés
Manageryears3:1999–2000
Managerclubs3:Lleida
Manageryears4:2000–2002
Managerclubs4:Villarreal
Manageryears5:2004–2006
Managerclubs5:Zaragoza
Manageryears6:2006–2007
Managerclubs6:Panathinaikos
Manageryears7:2007–2008
Managerclubs7:Recreativo
Manageryears8:2008–2009
Managerclubs8:Getafe
Manageryears9:2010–2011
Managerclubs9:Terek Grozny
Manageryears10:2011–2012
Managerclubs10:Neuchâtel Xamax
Manageryears11:2012–2013
Managerclubs11:Sion
Manageryears12:2014
Managerclubs12:Zaragoza

Víctor Muñoz Manrique (born 15 March 1957), known simply as Víctor as a player, is a Spanish retired football midfielder and manager.

He spent most of his professional career with Barcelona, winning six titles and achieving La Liga totals of 332 games and 25 goals. In the competition, he also represented Zaragoza.[1]

A Spain international during the 1980s, Víctor represented the country at the 1986 World Cup and two European Championships. He later became a manager, leading four top-division teams and winning the Copa del Rey for Zaragoza in 2004.

Playing career

Club

Víctor was born in Zaragoza, Aragon. After starting off with hometown club Real Zaragoza and being relegated in his first professional season,[2] he was purchased by La Liga powerhouse FC Barcelona, being a very important element for the Catalans in a seven-year spell; on 4 June 1983, he scored his team's first goal in a 2–1 win against Real Madrid in the final of the Copa del Rey.[3]

Víctor was also one of the first Spaniards to ever play in Serie A, with two seasons with UC Sampdoria. Following a quick stint at St Mirren where he teamed up with his former Barça teammate Steve Archibald, he returned to Zaragoza to see out his career aged 34.[4]

International

Víctor was a regular for Spain for most of the 1980s, making his debut on 25 March 1981 in a 2–1 friendly win over England and going on to earn a further 59 caps with three goals.[5] He played for the nation at the 1986 FIFA World Cup as well as the UEFA Euro 1984 (in a final runner-up position to hosts France) and 1988 tournaments, retiring from international duty immediately after that group-stage exit.[6] [7]

International goals

! Goal !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Score !! Result !! Competition
1. 24 February 1982 1–0 3–0 Friendly
2. 17 November 1982 1–3 3–3 Euro 1984 qualifying
3. 24 September 1986 El Molinón, Gijón, Spain 3–0 3–1 Friendly

Style of play

An all-around midfield unit, Víctor was best known for his great physical strength that helped him tire his opponents in the early stages of the match.[7]

Coaching career

Muñoz started working as a manager in the mid-1990s, being successively at the helm of RCD Mallorca, CD Logroñés, UE Lleida, Villarreal CF and Zaragoza.[8] With the last of those teams, he won the 2003–04 domestic cup with a 3–2 extra time victory over Real Madrid's Galácticos.[9]

On 8 October 2006, Muñoz signed a two-year contract with Greece's Panathinaikos FC, becoming their 18th coach in ten years.[10] However, he returned to Spain in June 2007 to take over at Recreativo de Huelva,[11] from where he was sacked the following February.[12]

For the 2008–09 campaign, Muñoz was appointed at Getafe CF. Following a string of seven losses in nine games that left the team from the outskirts of Madrid one point above the relegation zone, he was dismissed in April 2009, making way for former Real Madrid player Míchel.[13]

In late December 2010, after more than one year out of football, Muñoz was named head coach of Russian Premier League side FC Terek Grozny.[14] He left his post in Chechnya after less than one month due to failed contract negotiations, being replaced by Ruud Gullit.[15]

Muñoz returned to active in early September 2011, when he became Neuchâtel Xamax FCS's third manager of the season, replacing his compatriot Joaquín Caparrós.[16] He continued his career in the Swiss Super League, with a brief stint at FC Sion from December 2012 until the following February.[17]

On 19 March 2014, Muñoz returned to Zaragoza, succeeding Paco Herrera at a club at risk of relegation to Segunda División B.[18] He was dismissed on 24 November with the side in 8th, one point off the play-offs.[19]

Managerial statistics

Managerial record by team and tenure
TeamNatFromToRecord
Mallorca28 January 199621 April 1997 [20]
Logroñés24 June 199718 December 1997[21]
Lleida 9 March 199915 June 2000[22]
Villarreal15 June 200011 September 2002 [23]
Zaragoza20 January 200415 May 2006 [24]
Panathinaikos10 October 200616 May 2007
Recreativo4 July 20074 February 2008 [25]
Getafe17 June 200827 April 2009 [26]
Terek Grozny22 December 201015 January 2011
Neuchâtel Xamax2 September 201126 January 2012
Sion12 December 201225 February 2013
Zaragoza19 March 201424 November 2014 [27]
Career Total

Honours

Player

Zaragoza

1977–78[28]

Barcelona

1984–85

1982–83, 1987–88

1983

1983

1981–82

Sampdoria

1988–89

Spain

Manager

Zaragoza

Notes and References

  1. Web site: When Bryan Robson tamed Barca. BBC Sport. Jonathan. Stevenson. Chris. Bevan. 22 April 2008. 24 April 2014.
  2. News: El sexto ascenso del Real Zaragoza (I). Real Zaragoza's sixth promotion (I). Diario AS. Pedro Luis. Ferrer. es. 13 April 2020. 29 May 2023.
  3. News: 2–1: ¡Que final!. 2–1: What a final!. Mundo Deportivo. Juan José. Castillo. es. 5 June 1983. 24 April 2014.
  4. News: Víctor ficha por el Saint Mirren escocés. Víctor signs for Scotland's Saint Mirren. El País. es. 10 November 1990. 29 May 2023.
  5. Web site: Víctor Muñoz Manrique – International Matches. RSSSF. Emilio. Pla Díaz. 6 November 2009.
  6. News: 1984: Los 'bleus' se coronan tras el error de Arconada. 1984: 'Blues' crowned after Arconada's mistake. Mundo Deportivo. Imma. Mentruit. es. 13 April 2016. 29 May 2023.
  7. News: 1980 * 1990 Los mejores jugadores. 1980 * 1990 The best players. Diario AS. Ana Beatriz. Micó. es. 24 August 2020. 29 May 2023.
  8. Web site: Zaragoza get more of Muñoz. UEFA. 14 June 2005. 29 May 2023.
  9. Web site: Beckham misses out on Cup. BBC Sport. 17 March 2004. 24 April 2014.
  10. Web site: Muñoz to lead Panathinaikos bid. UEFA. 10 October 2006. 7 June 2010.
  11. Web site: Muñoz steps in at Recreativo. UEFA. 4 July 2007. 29 May 2023.
  12. Web site: Muñoz makes way at lowly Recre. UEFA. 4 February 2008. 29 May 2023.
  13. Web site: Muñoz makes way at struggling Getafe. UEFA. 27 April 2009. 29 May 2023.
  14. Web site: Soccer-Spain's Munoz named coach of Chechen club Terek Grozny. Reuters. 22 December 2010. 27 January 2020.
  15. Web site: Gullit named coach of Russian club Terek Grozny. Reuters. Gennady. Fyodorov. 18 January 2011. 27 January 2020.
  16. News: Víctor Muñoz dirigirá al Neuchatel de Suiza. Víctor Muñoz to be in charge of Switzerland's Neuchatel. El Periódico Mediterráneo. es. 5 September 2011. 22 September 2011.
  17. News: Gennaro Gattuso named player-coach at FC Sion in Switzerland. The Guardian. 25 February 2013. 27 February 2013.
  18. News: Víctor Muñoz, nuevo entrenador del Real Zaragoza. Víctor Muñoz, new manager of Real Zaragoza. Libertad Digital. es. 19 March 2014. 27 January 2020.
  19. News: El Zaragoza despide a Víctor Muñoz. Zaragoza dismiss Víctor Muñoz. El Correo. es. 24 November 2014. 27 January 2020.
  20. Web site: Víctor Muñoz: Víctor Muñoz Manrique. BDFutbol. 21 February 2016.
    Web site: Víctor Muñoz: Víctor Muñoz Manrique. BDFutbol. 21 February 2016.
  21. Web site: Víctor Muñoz: Víctor Muñoz Manrique. BDFutbol. 21 February 2016.
  22. Web site: Víctor Muñoz: Víctor Muñoz Manrique. BDFutbol. 21 February 2016.
    Web site: Víctor Muñoz: Víctor Muñoz Manrique. BDFutbol. 21 February 2016.
  23. Web site: Víctor Muñoz: Víctor Muñoz Manrique. BDFutbol. 21 February 2016.
    Web site: Víctor Muñoz: Víctor Muñoz Manrique. BDFutbol. 21 February 2016.
    Web site: Víctor Muñoz: Víctor Muñoz Manrique. BDFutbol. 21 February 2016.
  24. Web site: Víctor Muñoz: Víctor Muñoz Manrique. BDFutbol. 21 February 2016.
    Web site: Víctor Muñoz: Víctor Muñoz Manrique. BDFutbol. 21 February 2016.
    Web site: Víctor Muñoz: Víctor Muñoz Manrique. BDFutbol. 21 February 2016.
  25. Web site: Víctor Muñoz: Víctor Muñoz Manrique. BDFutbol. 21 February 2016.
  26. Web site: Víctor Muñoz: Víctor Muñoz Manrique. BDFutbol. 21 February 2016.
  27. Web site: Víctor Muñoz: Víctor Muñoz Manrique. BDFutbol. 21 February 2016.
    Web site: Víctor Muñoz: Víctor Muñoz Manrique. BDFutbol. 21 February 2016.
  28. News: Aquel ascenso del Real Zaragoza el Día de San Jorge de 1978.... That Real Zaragoza promotion on Saint George's Day in 1978.... Heraldo de Aragón. Paco. Giménez. es. 23 April 2016. 29 May 2023.
  29. News: El Zaragoza sorprende al Valencia y logra su primera Supercopa. Zaragoza surprise Valencia and get their first Supercup. Diario de Mallorca. Mónica. Collado. es. 25 August 2004. 29 May 2023.