José Antonio Morante Gutiérrez (born 6 July 1944), known as Lico, is a Spanish former football player and manager.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | José Antonio Morante Gutiérrez | ||
| Date of birth | 7 June 1944 | ||
| Place of birth | Rafal, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1962–1965 | Elche B | ||
| 1965–1968 | Elche | 72 | (4) |
| 1968–1971 | Español | 89 | (3) |
| 1971–1975 | Valencia | 97 | (2) |
| 1975–1977 | Albacete | ||
| 1977–1978 | Crevillente Deportivo | ||
| 1978–1979 | Alicante | ||
| 1979–1982 | Elche B | ||
| 1982–1983 | Elche | 2 | (0) |
| Total | 260+ | (9+) | |
| International career | |||
| 1972 | Spain | 1 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1989 | Elche (caretaker) | ||
| 1990 | Elche | ||
| 1992–1993 | Elche | ||
| 2003 | Elche (caretaker) | ||
| 2004 | Elche | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
He achieved La Liga totals of 223 games and 7 goals as a midfielder for Elche, Español and Valencia. He played one game for Spain in 1972.
Lico had several brief spells as manager of Elche in each of the top three divisions of the Spanish football league system, spanning 15 years.
Playing career
editBorn in Rafal in the Province of Alicante, Lico played in the youth ranks of nearby Elche. When he was considering emigrating to work in Germany, he was promoted to the first team by manager Otto Bumbel, who gave him his professional debut in La Liga on 19 December 1965 in a 2–0 home win over Pontevedra.[1]
In July 1968, Lico transferred to Español for a fee of 11 million Spanish pesetas and played three seasons at the Barcelona-based club, the last of which in the Segunda División. He then moved to league champions Valencia, managed by Alfredo Di Stéfano, for 5 million, in a deal that saw Manuel Polinario transfer in the other direction.[1][2] Lico played in the 1972 Copa del Generalísimo final, which his team lost 2–1 to Atlético Madrid on 8 July.[3]
After leaving the Mestalla Stadium, Lico played in the lower leagues for Albacete, Crevillente Deportivo, Alicante and a brief return to second-tier Elche before retiring.[1]
Lico was a Spanish international at under-21, under-23, amateur and military level.[1] He earned his only cap for the senior team on 12 January 1972 in a 1–0 friendly win over Hungary in the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.[4]
Managerial career
editLico was assistant manager to László Kubala – who had given him his international debut – at Elche.[5] At the end of March 1989, the Hungarian left the Franjiverdes by mutual consent, and Lico was put in temporary charge alongside reserve team manager Juan Carlos Lezcano.[6] On 2 April, Lico lost on his debut 3–1 away to Atlético Madrid,[7] and Lezcano took over once his paperwork was complete, for the rest of the season that ended in relegation.[8]
In April 1990, Lico was hired as Elche's third manager of the second-tier campaign, after the sacking of Evaristo Carrió. The team were one point above the relegation zone with seven games to play.[9] He kept the team in the league, but was fired at the end of November and replaced by Argentine Gustavo Silva.[10]
On 21 December 2003, Lico oversaw Elche's 2–1 loss at Alavés between the tenures of Carlos García Cantarero and Oscar Ruggeri.[11] The Argentine was sacked in May with the club in a relegation fight, and Lico took over for the last five games.[12] He kept the side in the division, managing to ensure that the last game was a dead rubber.[13]
References
edit- ^ a b c d Ramos, Jesús (9 December 2018). "Lico, un centrocampista incansable" [Lico, a tireless mifielder]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 September 2024.
- ^ Ramos, Jesús (3 February 2018). "Poli, el correcaminos que secó a Bobby Charlton" [Poli, the roadrunner who snuffed out Bobby Charlton]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 August 2024.
- ^ Pardo, C. (8 July 2024). "2-1: El Atlético de Madrid, al contraataque, campeón de Copa" [2-1: Atlético Madrid, on the counter-attack, Cup champions]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 September 2024.
- ^ Rovira, Ramón (13 January 1972). "1-0: A ocho minutos del final llegó el gol de Arieta" [1-0: Arieta's goal arrived eight minutes from the end]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 September 2024.
- ^ "Kubala, en la cuerda floja" [Kubala, hanging by a thread]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 28 March 1989. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
- ^ Romero, Juan Carlos (1 April 1989). "Kubala: Crónica de una marcha anunciada" [Kubala: Timeline of an anticipated departure]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 September 2024.
- ^ Alcaide, Jesús (3 April 1989). "3-1: El "Atléti", sin grandes alardes" [3-1: "Atléti", without putting on a show]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 September 2024.
- ^ "El Elche, agobiado por las tarjetas" [Elche, overwhelmed by cards]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 4 April 1989. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
- ^ "Evaristo Carrió, cesado" [Evaristo Carrió, sacked]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 11 April 1990. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
- ^ "Lleida: Defensa "novedosa"" [Lleida: "New" defence]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 2 December 1990. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
- ^ Lekuoma, Javier (22 December 2003). "Iván Alonso remontó en diez minutos" [Iván Alonso performed a comeback in ten minutes]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 September 2024.
- ^ "Presidente confirma destitución técnico argentino Oscar Ruggeri" [President confirms dismissal of Argentine manager Oscar Ruggeri]. La Nación (in Spanish). EFE. 15 May 2004. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
- ^ Hernández, Monserrate (19 June 2004). "El Elche perdona y el Salamanca gana" [Elche pardon and Salamanca win]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 September 2024.