Merino in 2011 |
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Juan Merino Ruiz | ||
| Date of birth | 24 August 1970 | ||
| Place of birth | La Línea, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||
| Playing position | Defender | ||
| 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) | |
| National team | |||
| 1991 | Spain U21 | 1 | (0) |
| 1991–1992 | Spain U23 | 6 | (1) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 2010–2011 | Recreativo (assistant) | ||
| 2011 | Xerez | ||
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals). |
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Juan Merino Ruiz (born 24 August 1970) is a retired Spanish 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, he went on to work extensively as a manager with the former club (although his first head coach experience arrived with precisely the latter).
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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. 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 23 appearances in 2006–07, he retired from football, with more than 500 official matches played - both major divisions combined.
Immediately after retiring, Merino rejoined Betis, as director of football. In 2009, he was named assistant coach, working with two different coaches.[1][2]
In the 2010–11 season, Merino cut ties with Betis and returned to Recre as assistant manager 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 lack of results.[3]
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