Place of birth San Pedro, Spain Name Fabriciano Gonzalez 1986–1988 Lugo | Years Team Playing position Role Football player | |
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Full name Fabriciano Gonzalez Penelas Date of birth (1955-04-25) 25 April 1955 (age 60) | ||
Fabriciano González Penelas (born 25 April 1955), commonly known as Fabri, is a Spanish football manager.
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Playing career
Born in San Pedro de Santa Comba, Lugo, Fabri played as a right winger, and his career was spent exclusively in the lower leagues of his country and his native Galicia: he represented CD Lugo, Viveiro CF and RC Villalbés.
Coaching career
Fabri started coaching in the mid-80's, his beginnings also being in amateur football. From ages 37–39 he worked with CP Mérida in Segunda División and, in the 1994–95 season, was one of five managers for CD Logroñés as the team suffered La Liga relegation with an all-time low 13 points: he was in charge of the La Rioja club for only three games, and did not look back on the experience with pleasure later.
In the following years, Fabri worked in Segunda División B and lower, also returning to Lugo for a second spell as a manager. He also coached three teams in Portugal, all in the second level.
Fabri only returned to his country's division two in the 2004–05 campaign, working with UD Almería which he helped lead to the 14th position after registering one win, two draws and four losses in his seven games in charge. He met the same fate in his following experience in the category, with Deportivo Alavés in 2006–07.
In 2008–09, Fabri achieved promotion to the second division with FC Cartagena, even though he did not finish the season after being fired in February 2009. On 22 March 2010 he was appointed at Granada CF also in the third level, helping the Andalusians win their group and finish as overall champions, with the subsequent promotion.
After renewing his contract with Granada, Fabri led the club to a second consecutive promotion, finishing fifth in the regular season and eliminating Celta de Vigo and Elche CF in the play-offs. On 28 June 2011 he once again renewed his link to the Nazarí, for one year.
Fabri was fired on 22 January 2012 following a 0–3 away loss at RCD Espanyol, even though Granada were still out of the relegation zone. He started 2012–13 at the helm of Racing de Santander in division two, being fired after less than four months in charge.
On 8 January 2013, Fabri was appointed at Panathinaikos F.C. in Greece. He was relieved of his duties on 31 March.
Other activities
Apart from his football career, Fabri worked as a teacher on several occasions, collaborating with the Castile-La Mancha School of Coaching in 1989, and teaching tactics and skills in the Balearic Islands School of Coaching the following year.
Additionally, he served as main teacher at the Galicia School of Coaching, in the field of tactics.