José María Amorrortu

José María Amorrortu Prieto (born 22 July 1953) is a Spanish former football forward and manager.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Amorrortu and the second or maternal family name is Prieto.
José María Amorrortu
Personal information
Full name José María Amorrortu Prieto
Date of birth (1953-07-22) 22 July 1953
Place of birth Bilbao, Spain
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1971–1972 Indautxu
1972–1973 Getxo ? (18)
1973–1978 Athletic Bilbao 99 (7)
1978–1983 Zaragoza 122 (17)
Total 221 (42)
National team
1977 Spain U21 1 (0)
Teams managed
1983–1984 Balsas Picarral
1984 Zaragoza (youth)
1984–1985 Iturrigorri
1985–1987 Amorebieta
1987–1989 Barakaldo
1989–1990 Durango
1991–1992 Athletic Bilbao (youth)
1992–1994 Biscay
1994–1995 Bilbao Athletic
1995 Athletic Bilbao
2003–2004 Eibar
2004–2006 Real Sociedad
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Playing career

Born in Bilbao, Biscay, Amorrortu signed with Athletic Bilbao in the summer of 1973 from neighbouring amateurs CD Getxo. He went on to spend five seasons in La Liga with the former club, making his debut on 2 September 1973 in a 1–2 away loss against RC Celta de Vigo.[1] He added 11 appearances in the runner-up run in the 1976–77 edition of the UEFA Cup, featuring in the 2–1 home win over Juventus F.C. in the second leg of the final.[2]

After only 13 games in the 1977–78 campaign, Amorrortu signed with Real Zaragoza also in the top division. He scored a career-best (at the professional level) ten goals in his first year, but his team could only finish in 14th position; until his retirement in 1983, aged only 30, he competed solely in that tier.

Coaching career

Amorrortu began working as a coach immediately after retiring, spending his first decade in Segunda División B or lower and also working at youth level, notably with Athletic Bilbao, where he was credited for bringing Fernando Llorente to the club.[3] His first season at the professional level was 1994–95, when he was in charge of Bilbao Athletic in Segunda División. Additionally, he had short spells as caretaker manager for their senior team in 1995 and 1996.

After leaving Athletic, Amorrortu became manager of SD Eibar also from the Basque Country (second tier), signing a two-year contract with Real Sociedad on 3 June 2004[4] and being fired in late January 2006.[5] From 2006 until 2011 he acted as director of Atlético Madrid's academy[6] before returning to the same role at Athletic Bilbao,[7] departing at the end of 2018 when Aitor Elizegi was elected president and implemented personnel changes.[8][9]

Amorrortu also spent time as coach of the unofficial Basque Country regional side, for which he also featured and scored as a player.[10][11]

Honours

Player

Athletic Bilbao

Manager

Barakaldo

References
  1. "2–1: El Celta presionó mucho más que el Bilbao" [2–1: Celta pressed much more than Bilbao]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 3 September 1973. Retrieved 9 April 2017.
  2. Castillo, José Javier (19 May 1977). "2–1: Al Athletic le faltó una chispa de inspiración" [2–1: Athletic lacked spark of inspiration]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 April 2017.
  3. "Amorrortu: "Llorente es más que un jugador del Athletic"" [Amorrortu: "Llorente is more than an Athletic player"]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 25 August 2012. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
  4. Isasa, Xabier (3 June 2004). "Amorrortu, nuevo técnico tras el cese de Denoueix" [Amorrortu, new manager after sacking of Denoueix] (PDF). Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 April 2017.
  5. "Gonzalo Arconada sustituye a Amorrotu como entrenador de la Real Sociedad" [Gonzalo Arconada replaces Amorrotu as Real Sociedad manager]. El Correo (in Spanish). 30 January 2006. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
  6. "García Pitarch, nuevo director deportivo del At.Madrid y Amorrortu, responsable del fútbol base" [García Pitarch, new At.Madrid sporting director and Amorrortu, head of youth football] (in Spanish). Cadena SER. 28 May 2006. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
  7. Velasco, Juanma (9 June 2015). "Amorrortu coge fuerza cuando hacía las maletas" [Amorrortu gets stronger just when he was packing]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 April 2017.
  8. "Amorrortu, a life in red and white". Athletic Bilbao. 2 January 2019. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
  9. Zaballa, Carlos (2 January 2019). "Amorrortu llega a un acuerdo "amistoso" para salir del Athletic" [Amorrortu reaches a "friendly" agreement to leave Athletic]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 January 2019.
  10. "Amorrortu, nuevo seleccionador de Euskadi" [Amorrortu, new manager of Euskadi]. Marca (in Spanish). 26 October 2011. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
  11. "Catalunya 0–1 Euskal Selekzioa" [Catalonia 0–1 Basque XI] (in Spanish). Basque Football Federation. 26 December 2015. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
  12. Rovira, Ramón (26 June 1977). "2–2: Los andaluces remontaron dos ventajas vascas" [2–2: The Andalusians countered Basques' advantage twice]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 April 2017.
  13. "Athletic 2–1 Juventus". UEFA. Archived from the original on 19 November 2015. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
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