Delfín Álvarez

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Álvarez and the second or maternal family name is Yáñez.
Delfín Álvarez
Personal information
Full name Delfín Álvarez Yáñez
Date of birth (1936-07-14)14 July 1936
Place of birth A Veiga, Spain
Date of death 29 August 2015(2015-08-29) (aged 79)
Place of death Madrid, Spain
Height 1.66 m (5 ft 5 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
–1956 Banco Obrero
1956–1960 Plus Ultra 43 (0)
1960–1962 Granada 41 (2)
1962–1965 Real Murcia 44 (2)
1965–1966 Espanyol 22 (0)
1966–1968 Pontevedra 17 (0)
Total 167 (4)
Managerial career
1977–1979 Ourense
1980 Badajoz
1980–1981 Racing Ferrol
1981–1982 Pontevedra
1982–1983 Guadalajara
1983–1986 Logroñés
1986–1987 Elche
1987–1988 Racing Santander
1989 Alzira
1989–1990 Celta
1990 Ourense
1992–1994 Xerez
1995 Atlético Marbella
1998 Elche
1998–1999 Guadalajara
1999–2000 Pontevedra
2000–2001 Pontevedra
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Delfín Álvarez Yáñez (14 September 1936 – 29 August 2015) was a Spanish football manager and midfielder.

Álvarez amassed 74 matches and only one goal in La Liga, including 91/3 in Segunda División. As a manager, he only reached the top tier while in charge of Celta de Vigo, but spent seven seasons with clubs in the second level.

Playing career

Born in A Veiga, Ourense, Galicia, Álvarez made his senior debut at Venezuelan club Banco Obrero, after moving to the country at the age of 15. In 1956 he moved to Real Madrid, being assigned to farm team AD Plus Ultra; he made his professional debut on 15 September 1957, in a Segunda División 1–3 away loss against Real Betis.[1]

In 1960 Álvarez moved to La Liga side Granada CF, making his debut in the competition on 11 September in a 0–1 loss at Real Sociedad.[2] He scored his first goal as a professional on 23 April 1961, netting his team's second in a 5–1 home routing of Racing de Santander.[3]

After suffering relegation, Álvarez moved to Real Murcia in the second level in 1962, and achieved promotion back to the top tier at first attempt. He left the Murcians in 1965, after suffering another drop.

Shortly after leaving Murcia Álvarez joined RCD Espanyol also in the main category, but left the club in 1966. He subsequently represented Pontevedra CF before retiring at the age of 31, in 1968.[4]

Managerial career

Álvarez started his managerial career with lower clubs in his native region, had a spell at CD Guadalajara,[5] taking the side back to Tercera División at first attempt. He was subsequently appointed at CD Logroñés in 1983, winning promotion to the second level in his first season and nearly repeating the feat in his second.[6]

Álvarez was subsequently appointed in charge of second tier clubs Elche CF, Racing de Santander[7] and UD Alzira in the following campaigns, suffering relegation with the latter. In December 1989 he was named manager of top level club Celta de Vigo, only winning one match out of 12 before being sacked.

After subsequent spells at CD Ourense and Xerez CD, Álvarez was appointed at the helm of CA Marbella in April 1995, only lasting three matches (all defeats). After another short period at Elche (two matches) and a second spell at Guadalajara,[5] he was appointed manager of Pontevedra in October 1999.

After resigning in July 2000, Álvarez returned to the Granotes on 16 October of that year.[8] He resigned in January 2001, and subsequently retired from football due to a recurrent back injury.[9]

Death

On 29 August 2015, Álvarez died due to a long illness, aged 79.[10]

References

  1. ^ "Betis, 3 Plus Ultra, 1" (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 16 September 1957. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  2. ^ "R. Sociedad, 1 – Granada, 0" (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 12 September 1960. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  3. ^ "Granada, 5 – Santander, 1" (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 24 April 1961. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  4. ^ "Fallece el técnico Delfín Álvarez" [Dies the manager Delfín Álvarez] (in Spanish). Diario de Pontevedra. 2 September 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  5. ^ a b "Falleció Delfín Álvarez, ex entrenador del Deportivo" [Died Delfín Álvarez, former Deportivo manager] (in Spanish). Guadalajara Diario. 3 September 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  6. ^ "Delfín Álvarez, adiós a un histórico del Logroñés" [Delfín Álvarez, farewell to a Logroñés' historical] (in Spanish). La Rioja. 3 September 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  7. ^ "Delfín Álvarez quiere revolucionar al Santander" [Delfín Álvarez wants to revolutionize Santander] (PDF) (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 2 August 1987. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  8. ^ "Delfín Álvarez sustituye a Rafa Sáez en Pontevedra" [Delfín Álvarez replaces Rafa Sáez at Pontevedra] (in Spanish). La Voz de Galicia. 16 October 2000. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  9. ^ "Delfín Álvarez, entrenador racinguista de la temporada 1987–88, murió el pasado sábado" [Delfín Álvarez, manager racinguista in the 1987–88 season, died past Saturday] (in Spanish). El Diario Montañés. 1 September 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  10. ^ "Adiós a Delfín Álvarez" [Farewell to Delfín Álvarez] (in Spanish). Murcia's official website. 1 September 2015. Archived from the original on 7 September 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2016.