Zigor Aranalde
 Aranalde in 2021 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Zigor Aranalde Sarasola | ||
| Date of birth | 28 February 1973 | ||
| Place of birth | Ibarra, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Left-back | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1991–1992 | Hernani | 33 | (3) |
| 1992–1994 | Eibar | 45 | (1) |
| 1994–1996 | Atlético Marbella | 56 | (0) |
| 1996–1997 | Sevilla | 22 | (0) |
| 1997–1999 | Albacete | 51 | (2) |
| 1999–2000 | Logroñés | 39 | (1) |
| 2000–2005 | Walsall | 195 | (5) |
| 2005 | Sheffield Wednesday | 2 | (0) |
| 2005–2008 | Carlisle United | 109 | (6) |
| 2008–2009 | Almansa | ||
| 2009–2010 | La Gineta | ||
| Total | 552 | (18) | |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2011–2013 | Albacete (assistant) | ||
| 2018–2019 | Watford (assistant) | ||
| 2020–2021 | Valencia (assistant) | ||
| 2021–2023 | Al Sadd (assistant) | ||
| 2023 | Leeds United (assistant) | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Zigor Aranalde Sarasola (born 28 February 1973) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a left-back.
Playing career
[edit]Early years
[edit]Born in Ibarra, Gipuzkoa, Aranalde began his career at lowly Hernani, going on to spend eight of his nine professional seasons in his country in the Segunda División.[1]
In 1996–97, he was first choice at Sevilla in La Liga, but the Andalusians finished third-bottom so they were relegated.[2]
England
[edit]Aranalde joined Football League Second Division club Walsall on a two-year contract, just before the start of 2000–01.[3] He spent just under five seasons at the Bescot Stadium, winning promotion via the play-off final in his first year and being a regular member until he was surprisingly released by manager Paul Merson, in March 2005; he moved on to Sheffield Wednesday immediately following his release, but was sent off in only his second game for the side and never appeared for them again.[4]
In the summer of 2005, Aranalde signed for Carlisle United,[5] who went on to win the championship and promote from League Two. He scored five goals during the campaign, and was part of a squad which included two other former Walsall players, striker Karl Hawley and future Preston North End manager Paul Simpson; on 1 October he netted Bristol Rovers' 5000th ever goal in a 1–3 loss, in his own net.[6]
Coaching career
[edit]On 16 May 2008, it was announced that Aranalde was being released from Carlisle alongside Paul Arnison and Grant Carson.[7] Two years later, after playing some amateur football in his country,[8] he returned to England in April 2010 when he was named chief scout at Brighton & Hove Albion in League One.[9] He subsequently held the same position at West Bromwich Albion, later being part of the coaching staff of Albacete.[10]
Aranalde was named assistant manager at Premier League team Watford in January 2018, following the appointment of his compatriot Javi Gracia.[10] Both were fired on 8 September 2019,[11] continuing to work together at Valencia,[12] Al Sadd[13] and Leeds United.[14]
Honours
[edit]Walsall
Carlisle United
- Football League Two: 2005–06
- Football League Trophy runner-up: 2005–06[15]
References
[edit]- ^ El futbolista olvidado (The forgotten footballer); El País, 18 November 2007 (in Spanish)
- ^ ¿Qué pasó con Zigor Aranalde? (What happened to Zigor Aranalde?); Estadio Deportivo, 13 August 2017 (in Spanish)
- ^ Walsall sign Spaniard; BBC Sport, 10 August 2000
- ^ Owls not contesting Aranalde card; BBC Sport, 5 April 2005
- ^ Carlisle sign Spaniard Aranalde; BBC Sport, 5 July 2005
- ^ Carlisle 1–3 Bristol Rovers; BBC Sport, 1 October 2005
- ^ Ward releases three at Carlisle; BBC Sport, 16 May 2008
- ^ La Gineta está a punto de cerrar la contratación de Zigor Aranalde (La Gineta about to close Zigor Aranalde deal); El Digital Castilla-La Mancha, 16 June 2009 (in Spanish)
- ^ Brighton appoint Zigor Aranalde as new chief scout; BBC Sport, 14 April 2010
- ^ a b Coaching staff confirmed; Watford FC, 23 January 2018
- ^ Watford fired head coach Javi Gracia amid fears Spaniard had 'gone flat'; The Daily Telegraph, 8 September 2019
- ^ El Valencia destituye a Javi Gracia, el entrenador que quiso irse en octubre y se va siete meses tarde (Valencia dismiss Javi Gracia, the manager who wanted to go in October and leaves seven months later); El País, 3 May 2021 (in Spanish)
- ^ Ex-Blues: Former Carlisle United star Zigor Aranalde now assistant boss at Qatar club Al Sadd; News and Star, 31 March 2022
- ^ Leeds confirm Javi Gracia’s backroom staff as head coach’s visa approved; The Athletic, 24 February 2023
- ^ "Carlisle 1–2 Swansea". BBC Sport. 2 April 2006. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
External links
[edit]- Zigor Aranalde at BDFutbol
- Zigor Aranalde at Soccerbase
- 1973 births
- Living people
- People from Tolosaldea
- Spanish men's footballers
- Footballers from Gipuzkoa
- Men's association football fullbacks
- La Liga players
- Segunda División players
- Segunda División B players
- Tercera División players
- CD Hernani players
- SD Eibar footballers
- CA Marbella footballers
- Sevilla FC players
- Albacete Balompié players
- CD Logroñés footballers
- UD Almansa players
- English Football League players
- Walsall F.C. players
- Sheffield Wednesday F.C. players
- Carlisle United F.C. players
- Spanish expatriate men's footballers
- Expatriate men's footballers in England
- Spanish expatriate sportspeople in England
- Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. non-playing staff
- West Bromwich Albion F.C. non-playing staff
- Watford F.C. non-playing staff
- Leeds United F.C. non-playing staff
- Valencia CF non-playing staff
- Spanish expatriate sportspeople in Qatar