Juanito (footballer, born 1965)

Juan Francisco Rodríguez Herrera (born 10 May 1965), known as Juanito, is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a central defender.

Juanito
Personal information
Full name Juan Francisco Rodríguez Herrera
Date of birth (1965-05-10) 10 May 1965
Place of birth Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Centre-back
Youth career
UD Güimar
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1984–1987 Las Palmas 100 (4)
1987–1990 Zaragoza 95 (14)
1990–1994 Atlético Madrid 120 (12)
1994–1996 Sevilla 42 (4)
1996–2000 Extremadura 105 (5)
Total 462 (39)
International career
1989–1991 Spain 5 (1)
Managerial career
2006–2007 Las Palmas
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

Juanito was born in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands. He made his professional debut in the 1984–85 season with UD Las Palmas, appearing in 30 Segunda División matches en route to a La Liga promotion.[1]

During a 16-year senior career, Juanito amassed totals of 462 games and 39 goals, 385 in the top division alone, scoring in every campaign but two and also representing Real Zaragoza (13 goals for the Aragonese over two seasons, mainly through his main asset, a powerful shot), Atlético Madrid, Sevilla FC and CF Extremadura. With Atlético, he was a relatively important defensive unit as they won back-to-back Copa del Rey tournaments in the early 1990s.[2]

After retiring in 2000, Juanito acted as both chairman and general manager for last club Extremadura.[3] Subsequently, he returned to Las Palmas as director of football[4] but, in late March 2006, was appointed interim coach after the dismissal of Josip Višnjić, with the Canary Islands side eventually returning to the second tier after an absence of two years.[5]

On 14 June 2009, after a further 46 matches as a manager and one full season as sporting director – the team finished in 18th position, just one above the relegation zone – Juanito left Las Palmas.[6][7]

International career

Juanito made his debut for Spain on 15 November 1989, starting in a 4–0 home win against Hungary for the 1990 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in a match played in Seville. He scored the third goal from a free kick,[8] being eventually overlooked for the squad that contested the final stages in Italy by manager Luis Suárez and earning a total of five caps.[1]

Honours

Las Palmas

Atlético Madrid

References
  1. "Juanito Rodríguez: De Taco a la gloria (1989–1991)" [Juanito Rodríguez: From Taco to glory (1989–1991)]. El Diario (in Spanish). 29 April 2020. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  2. Bobed, Alberto (20 March 2017). "Juanito: "Zaragoza me ayudó a crecer como persona y como futbolista"" [Juanito: "Zaragoza helped to grow as a person and a footballer"]. El Periódico de Aragón (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 August 2020.
  3. Borasteros, Daniel (13 December 2001). "Juanito se pone la corbata" [Juanito puts his tie on]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 August 2020.
  4. "Las Palmas baraja algunos nombres para sustituir a Visnjic" [Las Palmas thinking of some names to replace Visnjic]. ABC (in Spanish). 21 March 2006. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
  5. Llago, Ricardo (30 November 2007). "El ´devora-entrenadores´" [The 'coach-eater']. El Periódico Mediterráneo (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 August 2020.
  6. Borrego, Manuel (28 October 2007). "Juanito se despide de la UD como entrenador" [Juanito says goodbye to UD as manager]. La Provincia (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 August 2020.
  7. "Las Palmas: Destituido el director deportivo Juanito" [Las Palmas: Sporting director Juanito dismissed] (in Spanish). Goal. 14 June 2009. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
  8. Astruells, Andrés (16 November 1989). "El remate de una gran faena" [Icing on tasty cake]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 May 2014.
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