Aitor Iru

Aitor Iruarrizaga Amarika (born 29 July 1968), known as Aitor Iru, is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a goalkeeper, and is the goalkeeping coach of Athletic Bilbao.[1]

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Iruarrizaga and the second or maternal family name is Amarika.
Aitor Iru
Personal information
Full name Aitor Iruarrizaga Amarika
Date of birth (1968-07-29) 29 July 1968
Place of birth Bilbao, Spain
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 Athletic Bilbao (goalkeeping coach)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1989–1991 Barakaldo 57 (0)
1991–1993 Bilbao Athletic 45 (0)
1993–1995 Compostela 75 (0)
1995–1996 Mérida 0 (0)
1996–1998 Almería 41 (0)
1998–2002 SD Eibar 47 (0)
2002–2006 Amurrio 18 (0)
Total 283 (0)
Managerial career
2008–2009 Bilbao Athletic (goalkeeping coach)
2011–2017 Athletic Bilbao (goalkeeping coach)
2017–2018 Bilbao Athletic (goalkeeping coach)
2018– Athletic Bilbao (goalkeeping coach)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Playing career

Iru was born in Bilbao in the province of Biscay, in the Basque Country, and began his career with Biscayan club Barakaldo. After two seasons with Barakaldo in Segunda División B, he joined local giants Athletic Bilbao in 1991. He spent two seasons playing for the B team in the Segunda División, but never appeared for the first team, and left to sign for second tier rivals Compostela in 1993. In his first season, Compostela achieved promotion to La Liga for the first time in their history after winning a playoff. He continued to be first choice in 1994–95, making 37 top flight appearances as Compostela avoided relegation. He joined fellow first division club Mérida in the summer of 1995, but made only 4 appearances during his sole season with the club, all in the Copa del Rey.[2]

Mérida were relegated in 1996, and Iru left the club that summer to sign for Almería in the Segunda División. He spent two seasons with Almería, in the first of which they were relegated to Segunda División B. He joined Eibar in 1998, where he played in the second tier for four seasons before signing for Segunda División B side Amurrio in 2002, where he finished his career.[2]

Coaching career

Iru returned to Bilbao Athletic in 2008, becoming their goalkeeping coach,[3] a position he held for one season. He made another return to the club in 2011, this time becoming goalkeeping coach for the first team, replacing Luis Llopis.[1][4] In July 2017, Cuco Ziganda, who had until then been coaching the B team, replaced Ernesto Valverde as Athletic manager.[5] Ziganda brought Imanol Etxeberria with him as goalkeeping coach so he and Etxeberria swapped places, Iru returning to the B team.[6]

In December 2018, B team coach Gaizka Garitano followed Ziganda's path by being promoted to first team manager, replacing Eduardo Berizzo.[7][8] Like Ziganda, he chose to bring his goalkeeping coach with him, meaning Iru was promoted to the first team once again, replacing Carlos Kisluk.[1][9] As of March 2021, Iru remains in post,[1] now working under Marcelino, who replaced Garitano in January of that year.[10]

Personal life

Iru's son Ander is also a goalkeeper, who has played for Bilbao Athletic since 2016.[11][12] Ander was coached by his father during the latter's tenure as Bilbao Athletic goalkeeping coach in 2017–18. Aitor's brother Patxi Iru, older by almost six years, was also a goalkeeper, representing both Athletic Bilbao and Osasuna in La Liga.[13][14] Patxi's son Jon is a midfielder,[15] currently playing for Haro Deportivo in Segunda División B.[16]

Career statistics

[2]

Club Season League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Barakaldo 1989–90 Segunda División B 190––190
1990–91 38060–440
Total 5706000630
Athletic Bilbao B 1991–92 Segunda División 80––80
1992–93 370––370
Total 4500000450
Compostela 1993–94 Segunda División 3800030410
1994–95 La Liga 37040–410
Total 7504030820
Mérida 1995–96 La Liga 0040–40
Almería 1996–97 Segunda División 35020–370
1997–98 Segunda División B 6000–60
Total 4102000430
SD Eibar 1998–99 Segunda División 24000–240
1999–2000 13030–160
2000–01 2010–30
2001–02 8010–90
Total 4705000520
Amurrio 2002–03 Segunda División B 17000–170
2003–04 10––10
Total 1800000180
Career total 2830210303070
1.^ Appearances in the 1993–94 Segunda División promotion playoff

References
  1. "Iru". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  2. "Iru". BDFutbol. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  3. "El Athletic contrata a Aitor Iru para entrenar a los porteros del filial". El Correo. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  4. "Aitor Iru será el entrenador de porteros del Athletic". AS.com (in Spanish). 13 July 2011. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  5. "José Ángel Ziganda, Athletic Club's new manager". Athletic Bilbao. 24 May 2017. Retrieved 25 May 2017.
  6. "Athletic. El nuevo nido de Kuko". Mundo Deportivo. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  7. "Replacement of Eduardo Berizzo". Athletic Bilbao. 4 December 2018. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
  8. Lowe, Sid (11 December 2018). "Athletic Bilbao would rather be relegated than compromise their values as battle at bottom looms". ESPN. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  9. "Arranca la era Garitano en el Athletic". Mundo Deportivo. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  10. "Marcelino García Toral: Athletic Club's new head coach". Athletic Bilbao. 4 January 2021. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  11. "Ander Iru". BDFutbol. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  12. "Jon Iru Busca Protagonismo en el Barakaldo". eldesmarque.com. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  13. "Iru". BDFutbol. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  14. "Es un partido para disfrutar" [It is a match to enjoy] (in Spanish). Diario Información. 17 May 2015. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  15. "Jon Iru: "Mi madre tuvo la culpa de que no fuera portero"" [Jon Iru: "My mother is to blame for me not being a goalie"] (in Spanish). El Desmarque. 24 February 2017. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  16. "Jon Iru". BDFutbol. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
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