Juan Merino

Juan Merino

220px Merino in 2016
Personal information
Full name	Juan Merino Ruiz
Date of birth	(1970-08-24) 24 August 1970
Place of birth	La Línea, Spain
Height
Position(s)	Centre back
Team information
Current team	Betis B (coach)
Youth career
	Betis
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1989–1990	Betis B
1990–2002	Betis	315	(3)
2002–2007	Recreativo	137	(1)
Total		452	(4)
International career
1991	Spain U21	1	(0)
1991–1992	Spain U23	6	(1)
Managerial career
2010–2011	Recreativo (assistant)
2011	Xerez
2014–	Betis B
2014	Betis (caretaker)
2016	Betis
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Merino and the second or maternal family name is Ruiz.

Juan Merino Ruiz (born 24 August 1970) is a Spanish retired footballer who played mainly as a central defender.

During his 17-year professional career he played solely in Andalusia, with Betis and Recreativo, appearing in more than 200 matches in both the first and second divisions of Spanish football.

Subsequently, Merino went on to work extensively as a manager with the former club (although his first head coach experience arrived with precisely the latter).

Playing career

Born in La Línea de la Concepción, Province of Cádiz, Merino joined Real Betis's first team in 1990, becoming club captain in later years. Out of his twelve years at the club eight were in La Liga, and he appeared in 203 games in that division, scoring two goals and surpassing overall 300 appearances; in the 1996–97 season, he contributed with 36 matches as Betis finished fourth.

In 2002–03, staying in Andalusia, Merino joined Recreativo de Huelva. In his first season the club was relegated, regaining top flight status in 2006. After featuring in 23 games in the 2006–07 campaign he retired from football, with more than 500 official matches played – both major divisions combined.

Coaching career

Immediately after retiring, Merino rejoined Betis as director of football. He was named assistant coach in 2009, going on to work with two different managers.

In the 2010–11 season, Merino cut ties with Betis and returned to Recre as assistant to Pablo Alfaro – a former Sevilla FC defender – with the club in the second division. In mid-October, after only eight games (four draws and four losses), Alfaro was sacked but he stayed with his successor Carlos Ríos, in the same predicament.

On 14 June 2011, Merino was named manager of Xerez CD. He was sacked on 5 December, due to poor results.

External links

• Juan Merino profile at BDFutbol
• Juan Merino manager profile at BDFutbol
• Beticopedia profile (Spanish)