Ramón Blanco (footballer)

Ramón Blanco Rodríguez (20 February 1952 – 9 May 2013) was a Spanish football defensive midfielder and manager.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Blanco and the second or maternal family name is Rodríguez.
Ramón Blanco
Personal information
Full name Ramón Blanco Rodríguez[1]
Date of birth (1952-02-20)20 February 1952[1]
Place of birth Vimianzo, Spain[1]
Date of death 9 May 2013(2013-05-09) (aged 61)
Place of death Cádiz, Spain
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)[1]
Position(s) Defensive midfielder
Youth career
1965–1969 Sportivo Italiano
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1969–1971 Sportivo Italiano
1972–1974 Mallorca 34 (0)
1974–1976 Betis 14 (0)
1976–1980 Cádiz 98 (16)
1980–1981 Recreativo 21 (0)
1981–1984 Portuense 87 (7)
1984–1985 Chiclana
1985–1986 Sanluqueño
1986–1987 CD Moguer
Total 254 (23)
Managerial career
1990 Cádiz
1991–1992 Cádiz
1993 Cádiz
1993–1995 Marbella
1996–1998 Cádiz
1998–1999 Almería
1999–2000 San Fernando
2001–2002 Granada
2002–2003 Torredonjimeno
2003–2004 San Fernando
2012 Cádiz
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

His professional career was closely associated to Cádiz, as both a player and manager.

Playing career

Born in Vimianzo, Province of A Coruña, Blanco moved to Argentina at an early age, as his parents were in search of better working opportunities. He joined Sportivo Italiano at the age of 13, making his senior debut with the first team in Primera B Nacional only four years later.[2][3]

Again in his country of birth, Blanco signed for RCD Mallorca in Segunda División, moving to La Liga with Real Betis in 1974.[4] He saw out his two-year contract with the latter, in spite of limited playing opportunities. He made his debut in the Spanish top flight on 5 January 1975, coming on as a late substitute in a 3–0 home win against Hércules CF.[5]

Blanco joined Andalusia neighbours Cádiz CF in summer 1976, achieving promotion in his first year and being part of the squad that reached the top division for the first time ever. Under manager Enrique Mateos, other than in his natural position, he played also as a right winger and a centre forward.

On 29 January 1978, Blanco scored his first and only goal in the top tier, in a 1–2 home loss to Valencia CF.[6] The season ended in immediate relegation and, after a further two years with the club in division two, he left after a contract dispute to Recreativo de Huelva.

Blanco retired in 1987 at the age of 35, after several spells in lower league and amateur football, mainly with Racing Club Portuense as he wanted to remain close to Cádiz.[7]

Coaching career

Blanco started working as a coach immediately after retiring, beginning with Cádiz's youth teams and occasionally aiding first-team manager Víctor Espárrago. After being in charge of the reserves and also assisting several coaches, he was appointed at the helm of the main squad late into the 1990–91 campaign, and managed to save the side from top-flight relegation in the playoffs, with a penalty shootout win over CD Málaga. The feat was repeated again the following year, after disposing of UE Figueres 3–1 on aggregate.

After the Gaditanos eventually suffered relegation in 1993, Blanco left and signed with CA Marbella of the second division, being sacked early into the 1995–96 season. He returned to Cádiz the following campaign, with the team now in Segunda División B. He left in June 1998 after not being able to help them promote, going on to work in the same league with UD Almería, CD San Fernando (two spells), Granada CF and Torredonjimeno CF.[8]

After an extended period away from football, and also working as a sports commentator,[9] Blanco returned to his beloved Cádiz 14 years later, with the club still in the third tier.[10] He left after only three games in charge, however, for medical reasons.[11]

Death

Blanco died on 9 May 2013 in Cádiz at the age of 61, after not being able to overcome a stroke.[12][13]

References
  1. "Blanco". BDFutbol. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
  2. Ferreiro, José Manuel (11 May 2013). "Luto en el fútbol por la muerte del vimiancés Ramón Blanco" [Football mourns death of Vimianzo's own Ramón Blanco]. La Voz de Galicia (in Spanish). Retrieved 29 September 2017.
  3. "Ramón Blanco, un jugador querido y un técnico respetado" [Ramón Blanco, beloved player and respected coach] (in Spanish). Cádiz CF. 9 May 2016. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
  4. Ríos, Ricardo (10 August 1974). "El Betis, a Barcelona" [Betis, to Barcelona]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 February 2014.
  5. Ríos, Ricardo (6 January 1975). "3–0: Festival goleador de Rogelio" [3–0: Rogelio scoring festival]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 February 2014.
  6. "1–2: El Cádiz se lo puso en bandeja al Valencia" [1–2: Cádiz handed it to Valencia]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 30 January 1978. Retrieved 22 February 2014.
  7. "Ramón Blanco" (in Spanish). Cadistas 1910. Retrieved 22 February 2014.
  8. "Ramón Blanco" (in Spanish). Cadistas 1910. Retrieved 22 February 2014.
  9. "Hasta siempre, Ramón" [See you always, Ramón] (in Spanish). La Voz Digital. 10 May 2013. Retrieved 22 February 2014.
  10. "Ramón Blanco vuelve al Cádiz... ¡14 años después!" [Ramón Blanco returns to Cádiz... 14 years later!]. Marca (in Spanish). 21 November 2012. Retrieved 22 February 2014.
  11. "Ramón Blanco deja de ser entrenador del Cádiz CF por recomendación médica" [Ramón Blanco leaves as Cádiz CF manager due to medical recommendation]. Ideal (in Spanish). 10 December 2012. Retrieved 22 February 2014.
  12. "Muere a los 61 años Ramón Blanco, exentrenador del Cádiz" [Ramón Blanco, ex-Cádiz manager, dies at the age of 61]. La Información (in Spanish). 9 May 2013. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
  13. "Ramón Blanco fallece a los 61 años" [Ramón Blanco dies at the age of 61]. Diario de Cádiz (in Spanish). 10 May 2013. Retrieved 22 February 2014.
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