Marcelino puts on the board the passion he had as a player

On The Cartuja are measured two coaches that have previously covered an interesting stage as footballers. A lot of brighter in Koeman's case. But it is not advisable to despise Marcelino. He participated in the Youth World Cup (U-20) in Russia in 1985. La Rojita, directed by Chus Pereda, was runner-up after falling in extra time against Brazil (1-0). There, to early 80's is when the success chain which led to the Euro 2008 and everything that came after. Right inside, small (1.70), very dynamic, quality, slim, with restless eyes, parted hair, good punch… It remains the same.

Garcia Toral tanned for five seasons at Sporting of Quini, Ablanedo, Joaquín, Mesa, Esteban and Eloy (85-89), but never curdled in ownership. The latter knows the current Athletic coach perfectly. That's why he thought of him as technical when he took the reins in seasickness after hanging up the boots, for him subsidiary of Sporting. Born in 1965 in Careñes, in the municipality of Villaviciosa, Marcelino fulfilled his dream like many others of forging himself in Mareo. In the 1984-85 season made the leap to Sporting first team. “Was a light midfielder, although with a head to read football “, Eloy details. “It was a very good mix of hard work and technical quality“.

I didn't see continuity and he went to Racing. “He was a good teammate, a footballer with good game vision“, describes the exporter Ceballos. “He was thinking about football 24 hours a day. He was meticulous. I'm not surprised to see him succeed as a coach.” But the club was bad.

Nor is it that he did much better in his next stage, in the Levante, where descended to Second B. “There was many playerss and had a pair of Yugoslavs in front. We had many problems, although the desire to ascend was very great “, recalls Luis Costa, coach at that time. His last stage as a player covered her in Elche, between 1992 and 1994. Jesús de Huerta was one of his companions. “He was a boy with character, he loved football.”