Name Antonio Fernendez | ||
Antonio fern ndez
Antonio Fernández (Guadalcacín, Jerez de la Frontera, 27 August 1970) is a Spanish football manager. Throughout his career he has worked as scout and analyst for the Spanish Football Federation, technical director for Sevilla FC and Valencia CF as well as director of football at clubs such as Xerez CD and Malaga CF.
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Sevilla FC
In 2000 he joins Sevilla FC as scout for the club's academy and reserves team, also known as Sevilla Atlético. He quickly becomes part of the first team scouting staff and is subsequently designated head of international football recruitment. At this stage, he forges a great reputation for personally discovering Dani Alves, a young talented player who he insists in signing after seeing him in action in the U20 tournament of Alcudia and the South American tournament U20 (Uruguay 2003). Soon after, Monchi, Sevilla FC's sports director, appoints him technical director of the club. In the next three seasons, he recommends and oversees the signing of players such as Julio Baptista, Renato, Adriano Correia and Luis Fabiano among others. His career at Sevilla culminates with the achievement of the 2006 UEFA Cup, the European Super Cup 2006, and the proclamation 'best club in the world' by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS)
Xerez CD
Season 2006/07 he takes over as director of football of Xerez, a club of the Spanish Segunda División league. The team leads the league table for fourteen weeks but at the end must give way to rivals with greater financial budget rivals and have to settle for the 8th position.
Valencia CF
Still, Antonio Fernandez's good job leading the Andalusian club does not go unnoticed and in July 2007 he receives a call from Miguel Angel Ruiz, football director of Valencia CF, who offers him the role of technical director of the club. In his first and only year in the team he recommends and oversees the signings of Edwiges Maduro, Manuel Fernandes and Ever Banega among others, and the season culminates with the celebration of the Copa del Rey 2008 title.
Spanish National Team
That same summer, Fernando Hierro, sports director of the Spanish football federation (RFEF) presents him with truly exciting offer: becoming a member of the coaching staff of the Spanish national team as scout and analyst of the senior team. With the 2010 World Cup challenge as his main target, Antonio Fernandez accepts the proposal and for the next two and a half years he tracks the top Spanish players to be called up by Vicente del Bosque for his team. He also produces reports and analysis of the opponents Spain encounters during the path towards the end stages of the World Cup tournament. On July 11, 2010 the Spanish national team defeats The Netherlands (1-0) and for the first time in history, becomes world champion.
Málaga CF
Following this success, Abdullah ben Nasser Al Thani, sheik owner of Málaga CF, signs him as director of football. Led by Antonio Fernandez the club announces the signings of Toulalan, Monreal, Van Nistelrooy, Cazorla, Caballero, Camacho, Demichelis, Buonanotte, Baptista, Joaquin, Isco and Kameni among others. His spell at the club ends in August 2012, with the Andalusian team having qualified for the Champions League groupe stage for the first time in its history.
Tribute
July 2010, the neighborhood board of Guadalcacín approved the naming of the local stadium "Estadio Municipal Antonio Fernández Marchán", in recognition of his distinguished work in the Spanish national team.