José Ramón Alexanko
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | José Ramón Alexanko Ventosa | ||
Date of birth | 19 May 1956 | ||
Place of birth | Barakaldo, Spain | ||
Height | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
Position(s) | Centre back | ||
Youth career | |||
Llodio | |||
Athletic Bilbao | |||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1973–1976 |
Bilbao Athletic | 97 | (9) |
1976–1980 | Athletic Bilbao | 91 | (8) |
1976 | → Alavés (loan) | 5 | (0) |
1980–1993 | Barcelona | 274 | (26) |
Total | 440 | (43) | |
International career | |||
1977 | Spain U21 | 2 | (0) |
1978–1982 | Spain | 34 | (4) |
1979 | Basque Country | 1 | (0) |
Managerial career | |||
1997–1998 |
FC U Craiova | ||
1998–1999 |
Naţional București | ||
2000–2002 | Barcelona (assistant) | ||
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
José Ramón Alexanko Ventosa (Spanish pronunciation: [xo'se ra'mon aleɣ'saŋko βen'tosa]; born 19 May 1956), also known as Alexanko or Alesanco, is a Spanish retired footballer and manager, who later served as director of football of Valencia.
During his career the central defender played with success for both Athletic Bilbao and Barcelona, winning several accolades for the latter – 16 in total – and appearing in 367 La Liga games over the course of 17 seasons (34 goals).[1]
A Spanish international on more than 30 occasions, Alexanko represented the nation in one World Cup and one European Championship.
Club career
Athletic Bilbao
Born in
An undisputed starter from his second season onwards, Alexanko's highlights at Athletic were winning two runners-up medals, one in the Copa del Rey and one in the UEFA Cup, both in 1977. Among his teammates were veterans José Ángel Iribar and Javier Irureta.
Barcelona
In 1980, Alexanko signed for
Among his most memorable moments during his 13 seasons at the
International career
Alexanko made his debut for Spain on 15 November 1978, playing in the 1–0 home win against Romania for the UEFA Euro 1980 qualifiers. He represented the nation at both Euro 1980 and the 1982 FIFA World Cup, retiring from the international scene at only 26 after the second group stage draw against England in the latter competition, with a total of 34 caps; he also appeared in one game for the Euskadi XI, in 1979.
Managerial career
After retiring as a player in 1993, Alexanko started a coaching career as he managed Romanian sides
In August 2015, Alexanko held the position of director of the
In January 2018, he became a commentator for beIN Sports until the end of the 2017–18 La Liga season.[10]
In September 2019, Alexanko was appointed academy and scouting director at South African club Mamelodi Sundowns.[11] In November 2020, he left his position at Sundowns following the departure of coach Pitso Mosimane.[12]
In March 2021, he returned to his position as youth football director at Barcelona, after Joan Laporta's victory in the presidential elections.[13]
Controversy
Alexanko was accused of raping a maid in a hotel at Papendal, the Netherlands, in 1988. Eventually, all of the charges were dropped.[14]
Honours
Player
Athletic Bilbao
Barcelona[17]
- La Liga: 1984–85, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93
- Copa del Rey: 1980–81, 1982–83, 1987–88, 1989–90
- Copa de la Liga: 1982–83, 1985–86
- Supercopa de España: 1983, 1991, 1992
- European Cup: 1991–92
- UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1981–82, 1988–89
- UEFA Super Cup: 1992
Manager
Universitatea Craiova
- Cupa României: Runner-up 1997–98[18]
References
- ^ Jonathan Stevenson and Chris Bevan (22 April 2008). "When Bryan Robson tamed Barca". BBC Sport. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
- ^ "Naufragó el Español en el centro del campo" [Español adrift in midfield]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 13 December 1976. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
- ^ "El día que volvieron a ser campeones" [The day they were champions again] (PDF). Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 31 March 1988. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
- ^ "Duckadam inspires Steaua". UEFA.com. 18 April 2006.
- ^ Alexanco: "Todo ha cambiado, ahora los niños ya vienen con representante" (Alexanco: "Everything has changed, now even kids come with agent") Archived 28 December 2009 at the Wayback Machine; El Entorno, 17 July 2005 (in Spanish)
- ^ "José Ramón Alexanco, nuevo director de cantera del VCF" (in Spanish). plazadeportiva.com. 28 August 2015.
- ^ "Comunicado oficial: Dimisión irrevocable del director deportivo, Jesús García Pitarch" [Official announcement: Irreversible resignation of sporting director, Jesús García Pitarch] (in Spanish). Valencia CF. 7 January 2017. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
- ^ "Alesanco, nuevo director deportivo y Vicente Rodríguez, secretario técnico" (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 27 February 2017.
- ^ "El AlexanKO, paso a paso" (in Spanish). Superdeporte. 23 September 2017.
- ^ "José Ramón Alexanko, nuevo comentarista de beIN LaLiga" (in Spanish). beIN Sports. 4 January 2018.
- ^ "Alexanko: Barcelona legend appointed Mamelodi Sundowns academy director". Goal.com. 9 September 2019.
- ^ "Jose Alexanko: Mamelodi Sundowns part ways with FC Barcelona legend". Goal.com. 6 November 2020.
- ^ "Los miembros de la junta de Laporta y sus responsables deportivos" (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 8 March 2021.
- ^ "Alexanco será procesado por presunta violación" [Alexanko to be charged with alleged rape] (in Spanish). El País. 14 January 1989.
- RSSSF. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
- ^ "Athletic 2–1 Juventus". UEFA.com. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
- ^ "Legends – José Ramón Alexanko". FC Barcelona. Archived from the original on 4 September 2014. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
- ^ "Rapid Bucureşti 1–0 Universitatea Craiova (1998)". Romanian Soccer. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
External links
- José Ramón Alexanko at BDFutbol
- José Ramón Alexanko at Athletic Bilbao
- José Ramón Alexanko at National-Football-Teams.com
- José Ramón Alexanko – FIFA competition record (archived)
- José Ramón Alexanko at EU-Football.info