Álex García (footballer, born 1970)

Alejandro 'Álex' García Casañas (born 14 January 1970) is a Spanish retired professional footballer who played as a central defender, and the current assistant manager of UD Las Palmas.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is García and the second or maternal family name is Casañas.

Álex García
Personal information
Full name Alejandro García Casañas
Date of birth (1970-01-14) 14 January 1970
Place of birth Barcelona, Spain
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Centre back
Team information
Current team
 Las Palmas (assistant)
Youth career
1984–1988 Barcelona
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1987–1989 Barcelona C 36 (3)
1988–1995 Barcelona B 118 (5)
1993–1994 → Rayo Vallecano (loan) 22 (0)
1994–1995 → Palamós (loan) 32 (0)
1995–1998 Cádiz 68 (0)
1998–1999 Granada 31 (0)
1999–2000 Gimnàstic 6 (0)
2000–2001 Cornellà
Total 313 (8)
International career
1987–1988 Spain U18 5 (0)
1988–1989 Spain U19 3 (0)
1989–1990 Spain U20 2 (0)
1990–1992 Spain U21 5 (0)
1991–1992 Spain U23 3 (0)
Managerial career
2001–2003 Barcelona (youth)
2003–2005 Catalonia U18
2005–2009 Barcelona (youth)
2011–2012 Dinamo Tbilisi
2014–2015 Sabadell
2022– Las Palmas (assistant)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

He was associated to Barcelona during his early years – although he appeared rarely for the first team – but spent most of his career in the lower leagues, representing Rayo Vallecano in La Liga.

Subsequently, García worked as a manager, including with his first club (youth only).

Playing career

Born in Barcelona, Catalonia, García joined FC Barcelona's youth system at the age of 14. He played two full seasons in Segunda División with their reserves, after having appeared in one game in that tier in 1988–89.

In the 1990–91 campaign, García played three matches for the Blaugrana's main squad, both legs in the season's Supercopa de España against Real Madrid (0–1 home loss, 1–4 defeat at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, playing the full 90 minutes on both occasions)[1][2][3] and 28 minutes in a 3–2 away win over FC Dynamo Kyiv in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, after coming on as a second-half substitute for Michael Laudrup;[4] after leaving in 1993 he resumed his career with Rayo Vallecano and Palamós CF, suffering team relegation with both clubs, the former being his first and only experience in the top level, in 1993–94.[5]

Until his retirement in 2001 at the age of 31, García spent five seasons in Segunda División B, with Cádiz CF, Granada CF and Gimnàstic de Tarragona, returning to his native region for one final year with amateurs UE Cornellà.

Coaching career

García begun working as a manager immediately after retiring, first being in charge of youth sides at Barcelona.[6] In late June 2011, nearly two years after leaving, he was appointed at FC Dinamo Tbilisi, replacing the fired Kakha Kacharava.[7]

In January 2012, the board of directors of the Georgian club decided to dismiss García after a friendly loss with BSC Young Boys.[8] He then returned to the Camp Nou, working as a scout for the first team under Tito Vilanova and Gerardo Martino.[9]

On 24 November 2014, García signed a contract until the end of the season at CE Sabadell FC.[10] The following February, however, after only one win in nine second-tier matches, he resigned.[11]

In June 2020, García returned to Barcelona after being named head scout.[12] He left the club roughly one year later,[13] and became García Pimienta's assistant at UD Las Palmas on 24 January 2022.[14]

References
  1. Alex, ¿sucesor de Alex...anco? (Alex, after Alex...anco?); Mundo Deportivo, 5 December 1990 (in Spanish)
  2. Otra noche para la leyenda negra (Another night for the dark legend); Mundo Deportivo, 6 December 1990 (in Spanish)
  3. Cuando el Barça va de “picnic” (When Barça are on a “picnic”); Mundo Deportivo, 13 December 1990 (in Spanish)
  4. El Barça también golea en Europa (Barça also rout in Europe); Mundo Deportivo, 7 March 1991 (in Spanish)
  5. Pineda decide para el Racing (Pineda decides for Racing); Mundo Deportivo, 6 September 1993 (in Spanish)
  6. Bandera rojiblanca en Can Barça (Red-and-white flag at Can Barça) Archived 28 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine; Ideal, 26 September 2009 (in Spanish)
  7. Alex Garcia:" I want to attract fans with our playing"; World Sport, 23 June 2011
  8. Alex Garcia dismissed from FC Dinamo Tbilisi; Rustavi2, 30 January 2012
  9. Los pesos pesados deciden (Heavyweights decide); Mundo Deportivo, 29 May 2014 (in Spanish)
  10. Álex García, de entrenar a Messi a nuevo tècnico del CE Sabadell (Álex García, from coaching Messi to new manager of CE Sabadell); Sport, 24 November 2014 (in Spanish)
  11. El entrenador del Sabadell Álex García dimite como técnico arlequinado (Sabadell manager Álex García resigns as harlequin coach); Mundo Deportivo, 5 February 2015 (in Spanish)
  12. "El entrenador de Messi y Piqué en el cadete, nuevo jefe de scouting del Barça" [The manager of Messi and Piqué in the cadete squad, new head scout of Barça] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 15 June 2020. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  13. "Laporta's first revolution: To clean out the B team". Marca. 11 June 2021. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  14. "García Pimienta, nuevo entrenador de la UD Las Palmas" [García Pimienta, new manager of UD Las Palmas] (in Spanish). UD Las Palmas. 24 January 2022. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
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