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Javier Iruretagoyena Amianó (born April 1 1948, Irún, Guipúzcoa) is a Spanish footballer and coach. Irureta played for Atlético Madrid, Atlético Bilbao and Spain. He has also managed several La Liga clubs, most notably Deportivo de La Coruña. Irureta guided Deportivo to five top three La Liga finishes and also established them as UEFA Champions League regulars. He is the only person to have coached both the two major Basque clubs, Athletic Bilbao and Real Sociedad, and the two major Galician sides, Celta de Vigo and Deportivo la Coruna. He was contracted to coach Seville side Real Betis on 10 June 2006.
Irureta was manager of Deportivo between 1999 and 2005. In 2000 he led Deportivo to their first ever La Liga title. They were also runners-up in 2001 and 2002 and finished third in 2003 and 2004. They were UEFA Champions League quarter-finalists in 2001 and 2002 and semi-finalists in 2005. In 2002 they also won the Copa del Rey, beating Real Madrid at the Bernabéu.
As a player Irureta made his senior debut for Real Unión in 1965 before joining Atlético Madrid in 1967. During the early 1970s, he was a member of the Atletico Madrid team that won two La Liga titles, a Copa del Rey and the Intercontinental Cup. They also reached the European Cup final in 1974. He played 208 La Liga games, scoring 48 goals for Atlético between 1967 and 1975. He then returned to the Basque Country, signing for Atlético Bilbao. Between 1975 and 1980 he played 139 La Liga games for Atlético, scoring 22 goals and helping the club reach the UEFA Cup final in 1977. Irureta also won 6 caps for Spain between 1972 and 1975.
As a coach he was employed by several clubs, including Sestao (1984-88), CD Logroñés (1988-89), Real Oviedo (1989-93), Racing Santander (1993-94), Athletic Bilbao (1994-95), Real Sociedad (1995-97) and Celta de Vigo (1997-98) before joining Deportivo. In 1991 he led Real Oviedo to 6th in La Liga and UEFA Cup qualification. He repeated the feat with Celta de Vigo in 1998.
Honours
Player
Atlético Madrid
- Spanish Champions: 2
- 1970 1973
- Copa del Rey: 1
- 1972
- Intercontinental Cup : 1
- 1974
Manager
Deportivo La Coruna
- Spanish Champions: 1
- 2000
- Copa del Rey: 1
- 2002
- Supercopa de España: 1
- 2002
External links
1948 births | Living people | Basque footballers | Spanish football managers | Spanish footballers | La Liga footballers | Athletic Bilbao managers | Athletic Bilbao footballers | Atlético de Madrid footballers | La Liga managers | Deportivo de La Coruña managers | Celta de Vigo managers | Racing de Santander managers | Real Sociedad managers
"Javier Irureta"