Eusebio Ríos

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Ríos and the second or maternal family name is Fernández.
Eusebio Ríos
Personal information
Full name Eusebio Ríos Fernández
Date of birth (1935-03-30)30 March 1935
Place of birth Portugalete, Spain
Date of death 10 May 2008(2008-05-10) (aged 73)
Place of death Portugalete, Spain
Position(s) Defender
Youth career
Galindo Sestao
Ortuella
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1955–1956 Arenas Getxo
1956–1958 Indautxu 52 (0)
1958–1968 Betis 218 (1)
Total 270 (1)
International career
1964 Spain 1 (0)
Managerial career
1970–1972 Jaén
1972–1975 Barakaldo
1976–1979 Recreativo
1979–1980 Valladolid
1981–1985 Murcia
1986–1987 Deportivo La Coruña
1988 Betis
1990–1992 Rayo Vallecano
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Eusebio Ríos Fernández (30 March 1935 – 10 May 2008) was a Spanish football defender and manager.

Playing career

Born in Portugalete, Biscay, Ríos started his career in his native Basque Country, representing two teams. In 1958 he moved to Andalusia after signing with Real Betis, going on to play ten seasons with the club (nine in La Liga) before retiring in 1968 at 33; his debut in the top flight occurred on 21 September 1958 in a 4–2 win against Sevilla FC, in what was the first official match held at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium.[1]

Ríos earned one cap for Spain, featuring the second half of the 2–1 friendly loss to Portugal in Porto, on 15 November 1964.[2]

Coaching career

Ríos began coaching in 1970, shortly after retiring. After two years with Real Jaén in the Tercera División and three with Barakaldo CF in the Segunda División, he signed with Recreativo de Huelva in the latter level, achieving the oldest club in Spain's first-ever top flight promotion, followed by immediate relegation.[3]

In the following years, Ríos helped another two teams promote to the top division, Real Valladolid and Real Murcia, spending three seasons with the latter. After one and a half campaigns with Deportivo de La Coruña in the second tier he was appointed at his former side Betis, being sacked on 30 November 1988 following a 6–2 away loss against Atlético Madrid, in a relegation-ending season;[4] he later worked with the club as director of football.[5]

Ríos' last job was with Rayo Vallecano (two seasons), being one of two managers in 1991–92 – the other was a young José Antonio Camacho – as the Madrid outskirts team returned to the top flight. He was part of Athletic Bilbao's coaching staff in two separate seasons (1997–98 and 2001–02).[6][1]

Personal life

Ríos' son, Roberto, was also a footballer and a defender. He played his entire career with Betis and Athletic Bilbao, also going on to represent the national team.[7]

Death

Ríos died in his hometown of Portugalete on 10 May 2008, at the age of 73.[1]

Honours

Murcia

References

  1. ^ a b c Fallece el ex entrenador del Deportivo Eusebio Ríos (Former Deportivo coach Eusebio Ríos dies); La Voz de Galicia, 11 May 2008 (in Spanish)
  2. ^ Eusebio Ríos, futbolista y entrenador (Eusebio Ríos, footballer and manager); El País, 12 May 2008 (in Spanish)
  3. ^ Ríos recuerda su ascenso (Ríos remembers his promotion); Diario AS, 15 May 2002 (in Spanish)
  4. ^ El último set en contra le costó el puesto a Eusebio Ríos hace 20 años (The last set against cost Eusebio Ríos his job 20 years ago); El Desmarque, 22 February 2009 (in Spanish)
  5. ^ La familia del fútbol despide a Eusebio Ríos (The football family says goodbye to Eusebio Ríos); Mundo Deportivo, 13 May 2008 (in Spanish)
  6. ^ Josete: "Con el Rayo encadenamos seis o siete victorias seguidas y ascendimos" (Josete: "We got six or seven wins in a row with Rayo and promoted"); Cadena SER, 16 February 2022 (in Spanish)
  7. ^ Fallece a los 73 años Eusebio Ríos (Eusebio Ríos dies at the age of 73); Diario de Sevilla, 12 May 2008 (in Spanish)
  8. ^ El Murcia se aferra a la estadística para creer en el ascenso (Murcia cling on to statistics to believe in promotion); La Verdad, 25 September 2018 (in Spanish)