Koldo Aguirre

Koldo Aguirre
Personal information
Full name Luis María Aguirre Vidaurrázaga
Date of birth 27 April 1939 (1939-04-27) (age 72)
Place of birth Sondika, Spain
Playing position Midfielder
Youth career
Sondika
Getxo
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1957–1969 Athletic Bilbao 224 (43)
1969–1970 Sabadell 3 (0)
1970 Alicante ? (?)
Total 227 (43)
National team
1961 Spain B 1 (1)
1961–1965 Spain 7 (0)
Teams managed
1970–1971 Erandio
1971–1972 Villosa
1972–1973 Alavés
1974–1975 Basque Country (youth)
1975–1976 Bilbao Athletic
1976–1979 Athletic Bilbao
1979–1982 Hércules
1983 Valencia
1983 Mallorca
1985–1986 Logroñés
1988 Lleida
1993–1994 Bilbao Athletic
1995–1996 Barakaldo
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Luis María Aguirre Vidaurrázaga (born 27 April 1939), better known as Koldo Aguirre, is a retired Spanish football midfielder and coach.

He played 12 years for Athletic Bilbao, appearing in 297 official games (61 goals scored) and winning two major titles.

Contents

Club career

Born in Sondika, Biscay, Aguirre joined Athletic Bilbao in 1957 at the age of 18, from Basque neighbours CD Getxo, being immediately promoted to the first team. He made his La Liga debut on 19 January 1958 in a 1–2 away loss against Real Zaragoza, and finished his first season with only three matches played; the campaign ended with Copa del Generalísimo conquest.

In the following years, Aguirre was regularly played by Athletic, scoring a career-best 11 goals in 29 games in 1961–62 as the club finished in fifth position. Ironically, towards the end of his spell with the Lions, when he was again only a fringe player, he won his second domestic cup, against Elche CF.

In the 1969 summer, aged 30, Aguirre transferred to fellow top-divisioner CE Sabadell FC, retiring at the end of the season after only 115 minutes of action. He still played some amateur football with Alicante CF.

Aguirre began his coaching career in the lower divisions. He returned to his main club Athletic Bilbao as an assistant manager, after having been in charge of the reserves and also of neighbouring Deportivo Alavés. He was promoted to head coach for 1976–77 and, during his three-year spell, the team finished twice in third position, reaching the Spanish Cup final once.

Aguirre then worked three seasons with Hércules CF - also in the top flight - being relegated in his last year, 1981–82. In the following campaign, he was one of three managers for Valencia CF, being in charge for seven games (three wins, two draws and two losses) as the Che ranked in 15th position, being the first team above the relegation zone.

After another brief spell in the top division, with RCD Mallorca, Aguirre returned to the lower leagues, and again managed Bilbao Athletic, amongst other teams.

International career

Aguirre played seven games for Spain during four years. His debut was on 19 April 1961 in a 2–1 away win against Wales for the 1962 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

Honours

Player

Athletic Bilbao

Manager

Athletic Bilbao

External links