Abraham Paz Cruz (born 29 June 1979) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a central defender, currently manager of St Joseph's in the Gibraltar National League.

Abraham Paz
Paz celebrates La Liga promotion with Hércules
Personal information
Full name Abraham Paz Cruz[1]
Date of birth (1979-06-29) 29 June 1979 (age 45)[1]
Place of birth El Puerto de Santa María, Spain[1]
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[2][1]
Position(s) Centre-back
Team information
Current team
St Joseph's (manager)
Youth career
1991–1996 Safa San Luis
1996–1997 Cádiz
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1997–1999 Cádiz B
1999–2008 Cádiz 218 (31)
1999–2000Portuense (loan)
2008–2011 Hércules 91 (8)
2011–2012 Cartagena 34 (3)
2012–2013 Sabadell 31 (3)
2013–2018 Bnei Sakhnin 139 (8)
2015Maccabi Haifa (loan) 13 (0)
2019 St Joseph's 11 (2)
Total 537 (55)
Managerial career
2020–2022 Sanluqueño (assistant)
2022– St Joseph's
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Playing career

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Born in El Puerto de Santa María, Province of Cádiz, Paz began his career his professional with the reserves of local club Cádiz CF, his stint then also being punctuated by a loan to hometown's Racing Club Portuense. He was definitely reinstated in the first team in 2000, going on to represent them in all three major divisions (including 22 games and one goal in 2005–06's La Liga).[3][4]

Paz joined Hércules CF of the Segunda División in the summer of 2008.[5] He contributed 31 matches and two goals[6][7] in his second season, as the Alicante side returned to the top division after a 13-year absence.[8]

On 12 December 2010, during a 4–1 home win against Málaga CF, Paz became the first Spanish scorer for Hércules in 2010–11,[9] as the campaign ended in immediate relegation. From 2011 to 2013 he competed in the second tier, representing FC Cartagena[10] and CE Sabadell FC and suffering relegation with the former.[11]

On 16 July 2013, aged 34, Paz moved abroad for the very first time, signing a two-year contract with Israeli club Bnei Sakhnin FC[12]– he had just been banned from playing in his country while investigations were carried out to determine whether or not he was involved in match fixing when he represented Hércules.[13] During his spell in the Holy Land, he was also loaned to fellow Premier League team Maccabi Haifa FC; ultimately, he was acquitted of any wrongdoing.[14]

In January 2019, Paz joined St Joseph's F.C. of the Gibraltar Premier Division on a short-team deal.[15]

Coaching career

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Shortly after retiring, Paz became assistant manager at Atlético Sanluqueño CF.[16] He had his first head coach job on 8 June 2022, being appointed at former side St Joseph's.[17]

Career statistics

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As of 15 May 2016
Club Season League Cup Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Cádiz 1998–99[18] Segunda División B 0 0 1 0 1 0
1999–2000[18] Segunda División B 0 0 0 0 0 0
2000–01[18] Segunda División B 13 2 0 0 2[a] 1 15 3
2001–02[18] Segunda División B 26 1 2 0 28 1
2002–03[18] Segunda División B 36 5 0 0 6[a] 3 42 8
2003–04[18] Segunda División 35 4 1 0 36 4
2004–05[18] Segunda División 39 5 2 0 41 5
2005–06[18] La Liga 22 1 3 0 25 1
2006–07[18] Segunda División 14 5 1 3 15 8
2007–08[18] Segunda División 26 3 1 0 27 3
Total 211 26 11 3 8 4 230 33
Hércules 2008–09[18] Segunda División 31 4 4 0 35 4
2009–10[18] Segunda División 31 2 1 0 32 2
2010–11[18] La Liga 29 2 0 0 29 2
Total 91 8 5 0 96 8
Cartagena 2011–12[18] Segunda División 34 3 0 0 34 3
Sabadell 2012–13[18] Segunda División 31 3 0 0 31 3
Bnei Sakhnin 2013–14[19] Israeli Premier League 35 1 1 0 36 1
2014–15[19] Israeli Premier League 20 1 6 1 26 2
2015–16[19] Israeli Premier League 31 0 8 1 39 1
Total 60 2 11 1 71 3
Maccabi Haifa (loan) 2014–15[19] Israeli Premier League 13 0 0 0 13 0
Career total 440 42 27 4 8 4 475 50
  1. ^ a b Appearances in Segunda División B play-offs

Honours

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Cádiz

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "ABRAHAM PAZ Cruz". El Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 September 2019.
  2. ^ Abraham Paz at AS.com (in Spanish)  
  3. ^ a b "Oli, Paz y después gloria" [Oli, Paz then glory]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 19 June 2005. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
  4. ^ Palazón, Miguel (5 August 2018). "Abraham Paz: entre Cádiz y Hércules, con ese penalti de por medio…" [Abraham Paz: between Cádiz and Hércules, with that penalty lurking…] (in Spanish). Cadena COPE. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  5. ^ Penadés, José Manuel (18 July 2008). "El Hércules ficha a Abraham Paz" [Hércules sign Abraham Paz]. La Verdad (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 January 2011.
  6. ^ "Un solitario gol hunde al Celta" [Lone goal sinks Celta]. Diario de Cádiz (in Spanish). 27 September 2009. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  7. ^ "1–1. Nástic y Hércules dan por buenas las tablas" [1–1. Nástic and Hércules shake hands on draw]. El Economista (in Spanish). 24 October 2009. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  8. ^ Badallo, Óscar (19 June 2010). "El Hércules vuelve a Primera y condena al Real Unión" [Hércules return to Primera and condemn Real Unión]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  9. ^ Estepa, Javier (12 December 2010). "El Hércules ya tiene un goleador español 15 jornadas después" [Hércules have Spanish scorer after 15 rounds]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 January 2011.
  10. ^ "El Cartagena ficha al defensa central Abraham Paz" [Cartagena sign central defender Abraham Paz]. La Opinión de Murcia (in Spanish). 7 July 2011. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  11. ^ "Abraham Paz ficha por el Sabadell al dejar el Cartagena" [Abraham Paz signs for Sabadell after leaving Cartagena]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 16 July 2012. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  12. ^ Emergui, Sal (18 February 2016). "El central español triunfa en Israel" [Spanish stopper makes it big in Israel]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  13. ^ Gallardo, Juan Ignacio (26 July 2013). "Abraham Paz es acusado de 'venderse' en dos partidos" [Abraham Paz is accused of 'selling out' in two matches]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 August 2013.
  14. ^ Ramírez, Álvaro (6 October 2015). "Abraham Paz: "Ha quedado acreditada mi conducta intachable como profesional"" [Abraham Paz: "My irreproachable demeanour as a professional has been proven"] (in Spanish). El Desmarque. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  15. ^ "El St Joseph (Gibraltar) firma al ex cadista Abraham Paz" [St Joseph's (Gibraltar) sign former Cádiz man Abraham Paz] (in Spanish). Al Sol de la Costa. 4 January 2019. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  16. ^ "El Sanluqueño, una prueba más exigente" [Sanluqueño, a more demanding test]. Diario de Cádiz (in Spanish). 16 July 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  17. ^ "Breaking: Welcome Abraham Paz". St Joseph's F.C. 8 June 2022. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
  18. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "Paz: Abraham Paz Cruz". BDFutbol. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
  19. ^ a b c d "Abraham Paz". Soccerway. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
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