Romerito (footballer, born 1977)

Antonio Manuel Ruiz Fernández (born 20 February 1977), commonly known as Romerito, is a Spanish retired footballer who played mainly as a defensive midfielder, and is the manager of Xerez Deportivo FC.

This article is about the Spanish footballer. For the Brazilian footballer, see Romero Mendonça Sobrinho. For the Paraguayan footballer, see Julio César Romero.
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Ruiz and the second or maternal family name is Fernández.
Romerito
Personal information
Full name Antonio Manuel Ruiz Fernández
Date of birth (1977-02-20) 20 February 1977
Place of birth Seville, Spain
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Defensive midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Cabecense
1997–1999 Xerez 59 (0)
1999–2001 Mallorca B 50 (4)
2000 Mallorca 3 (1)
2001–2002 Recreativo 7 (0)
2002 Hércules 10 (3)
2002–2003 Extremadura 24 (1)
2003–2004 Compostela 10 (0)
2004–2005 Écija 45 (3)
2005–2008 Linares 96 (11)
2008–2009 Águilas 30 (1)
2009–2010 Alavés 27 (2)
2010–2011 Lucena 33 (2)
2011–2012 Linense 31 (2)
2012–2013 Sanluqueño 29 (4)
2013–2016 Xerez Deportivo 80 (31)
Total 534 (65)
Managerial career
2016–2017 Xerez Deportivo (youth)
2017–2020 Rota
2020–2021 Sanluqueño
2021–2022 Linense
2023– Xerez Deportivo
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Playing career

Born in Seville, Andalusia, Romerito started his career with local side CD Cabecense before moving to Xerez CD in 1997.[1][2] Initially assigned to the reserves, he was exclusively used in the main squad, making his professional debut on 14 September 1997 by coming on as a half-time substitute for Fernando Román in a 0–0 Segunda División away draw against CD Logroñés.[3]

In 1999, Romerito signed for RCD Mallorca, and was assigned to the B-team in Segunda División B. He made his first team – and La Liga – debut on 17 January 2000, starting and scoring the opener in a 1–2 loss at Real Madrid.[4]

In 2001, Romerito agreed to a deal with Recreativo de Huelva in the second division, but left for Hércules CF in the following January after being rarely used. He would resume his career mainly in the third level in the following years, representing CF Extremadura, SD Compostela,[5] Écija Balompié, Linares CF, Águilas CF, Deportivo Alavés,[6] Lucena CF,[7] Real Balompédica Linense[8] and Atlético Sanluqueño CF.[9]

In August 2013, Romerito joined Xerez Deportivo FC,[10] and helped the club in three consecutive promotions to Primera Andaluza before retiring in June 2016, aged 39.[2][11]

Coaching career

Immediately after retiring, Romerito started working as a youth manager at his last club Xerez Deportivo. On 4 November 2017, he was named manager of CD Rota in the fifth division,[12] and achieved promotion to Tercera División with the club in 2019.

On 10 March 2020, Romerito left Rota to take over third division side Atlético Sanluqueño,[13] and helped the side to avoid relegation. The following 7 April, however, he was sacked.[14]

On 20 May 2021, Romerito was appointed at the helm of another club he represented as a player, Linense.[15]

Managerial statistics
As of match played 18 February 2022
Managerial record by team and tenure
Team Nat From To Record Ref
G W D L GF GA GD Win %
Rota Spain 4 November 2017 10 March 2020 88 44 18 26 152 125 +27 050.00 [16]
Sanluqueño Spain 10 March 2020 7 April 2021 19 9 4 6 18 18 +0 047.37 [17]
Linense Spain 20 May 2021 19 February 2022 24 8 8 8 19 24 −5 033.33 [18]
Total 131 61 30 40 189 167 +22 046.56 —

References
  1. "Romerito, un sevillano en el ascenso del Xerez Deportivo FC" [Romerito, a sevillano in the promotion of Xerez Deportivo FC] (in Spanish). El Correo de Andalucía. 26 February 2015. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
  2. "Romerito, el adiós de un nómada del fútbol" [Romerito, the goodbye of a football nomad] (in Spanish). Diario de Jerez. 1 June 2016. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
  3. "Sigue sin dar la talla el Logroñés" [Logroñés remain unconvincing] (PDF) (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 15 September 1997. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
  4. "Al borde del escándalo" [Too close to a scandal] (PDF) (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 18 January 2000. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
  5. "Compostela y Zamora abren la Liga con muchas incógnitas" [Compostela and Zamora start the league with many doubts] (in Spanish). La Voz de Galicia. 30 August 2003. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
  6. "Romerito cierra el centro del campo" [Romerito completes the midfield] (in Spanish). El Correo. 18 July 2009. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
  7. "Álex Cruz y Romerito ya son celestes" [Álex Cruz and Romerito are already celestes] (in Spanish). El Día de Córdoba. 13 August 2010. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
  8. "La Balona apalabra el fichaje de Romerito y tienta a Ryan Harper" [La Balona agree the signing of Romerito and try Ryan Harper] (in Spanish). Europa Sur. 3 July 2011. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
  9. "Romerito y Diego, fichajes del Sanluqueño para la próxima campaña" [Romerito and Diego, signings of Sanluqueño for the following campaign] (in Spanish). Sport Cartagena. 30 July 2012. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
  10. "Edu Villegas y Romerito, presentados en Chapín" [Edu Villegas and Romerito, presented at the Chapín] (in Spanish). La Voz de Cádiz. 14 August 2014. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
  11. "Romerito cuelga las botas" [Romerito hangs up his boots] (in Spanish). Andalucía Información. 30 May 2016. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
  12. "Antonio Ruiz Fernández "Romerito" es el nuevo entrenador del CD Rota" [Antonio Ruiz Fernández "Romerito" is the new manager of CD Rota] (in Spanish). Rota al Día. 4 November 2017. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
  13. "Romerito, nuevo entrenador del Sanluqueño" [Romerito, new manager of Sanluqueño] (in Spanish). Europa Sur. 10 March 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
  14. "El Sanluqueño destituye a Romerito" [Sanluqueño sack Romerito] (in Spanish). Diario de Jerez. 7 April 2021. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
  15. "Romerito, nuevo entrenador de la RBL" [Romerito, new manager of RBL] (in Spanish). Real Balompédica Linense. 20 May 2021. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
  16. "CD Rota" (in Spanish). Futbolme. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
    "CD Rota" (in Spanish). Futbolme. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
    "CD Rota" (in Spanish). Futbolme. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  17. "Romerito: Antonio Manuel Ruiz Fernández". BDFutbol. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  18. "Romerito: Antonio Manuel Ruiz Fernández". BDFutbol. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
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