Full name Oscar Garcia Junyent Years Team Place of birth Sabadell, Spain Name Oscar Junyent | Role Footballer 1984–1991 Barcelona Height 1.84 m | |
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Date of birth (1973-04-26) 26 April 1973 (age 42) Siblings Roger Garcia Junyent, Genis Garcia Junyent Similar People Roger Garcia Junyent, Genis Garcia Junyent, Pako Ayestaran, Slavisa Jokanovic, Luis Fernando Suarez Profiles | ||
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Óscar García Junyent by Contacto Táctico & Crazymike
Óscar García Junyent (born 26 April 1973), known simply as Óscar as a player, is a Spanish retired footballer, and the current manager of Austrian club FC Red Bull Salzburg.
Contents
- scar Garca Junyent by Contacto Tctico Crazymike
- Playing career
- Coaching career
- Personal life
- Managerial statistics
- Club
- Country
- Manager
- References
As a player he was a versatile offensive option, able to play as an attacking midfielder or a second striker. He played most of his 14-year professional career with Barcelona, with relative impact, appearing for four other clubs.
In La Liga Óscar amassed totals of 169 games and 31 goals over the course of 12 seasons, also representing Espanyol (four seasons), Albacete, Lleida and Valencia (one apiece). In 2009, he started working as a manager, winning league titles in Israel and Austria.
Playing career
Born in Sabadell, Barcelona, Catalonia, Óscar made his professional debut with FC Barcelona, his local team. Between 1992 and 1994 he played in five La Liga matches for Barça who were champions each year and, after a loan at fellow top division club Albacete Balompié, he returned and was often used (with good results) in a variety of offensive roles: during the 1995–96 season he scored ten league goals, the most in the squad, even though he only started 11 of his 28 appearances; the team came out empty in silverware, however.
With his role gradually diminishing, Óscar joined Valencia CF for one season, finishing off with Barcelona neighbours RCD Espanyol (teaming up again with brother Roger, for three seasons) and UE Lleida and retiring in June 2005 at the age of 32. On 7 January 2001, whilst playing for the second club against CD Numancia, he was taken to hospital after swallowing his tongue; in the following summer, he nearly signed for West Ham United, but an eventual deal fell through after a one week's trial and he returned to Espanyol, with whom he never scored more than one goal per season, during four years.
For Spain, Óscar appeared for the nation at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, netting twice for the eventual quarter-finalists.
Coaching career
In late 2009, Óscar joined former Barcelona coach Johan Cruyff's coaching staff in the Catalonia national team, as the Dutchman had just been appointed. On 22 May 2012 he had his first head coach appointment, signing a two-year contract with Israeli team Maccabi Tel Aviv FC. Exactly one year later, after leading the club to the national championship after a ten-year drought, he resigned from his post, citing personal reasons.
On 26 June 2013, Óscar was unveiled as the new head coach of Football League Championship club Brighton & Hove Albion. His first win came on 17 August, 1–0 at Birmingham City. On 12 May 2014, following Brighton's play off semi-final defeat to Derby County, his offer of resignation was accepted by the board.
On 2 June 2014, Óscar returned to Maccabi by signing a two-year contract, but left the club on 26 August due to political tensions. Three months later he was appointed at Watford, replacing Giuseppe Sannino.
On 15 September 2014, Óscar was admitted to hospital with minor chest pains, forcing him to miss Watford's upcoming match with Blackpool. These health problems eventually led to him stepping down, two weeks later.
On 28 December 2015, Austrian double holders FC Red Bull Salzburg hired Óscar following the dismissal of Peter Zeidler. His team, for which fellow Spaniard Jonathan Soriano was the main striker, ended the season as national champions; on 19 May the latter scored a hat-trick in a 5–0 cup final win over FC Admira Wacker Mödling to seal a double.
Personal life
Óscar's brothers, Roger and Genís, were also footballers. All youth products of Barcelona, they had however different fates as professionals (especially the latter).
On 17 June 1997, during the final of the Copa Catalunya, all three appeared with the first team in a 1–3 loss to CE Europa.