Josep Gombau

Josep Gombau

Personal information
Full name	Josep Gombau Balague
Date of birth	(1976-06-05) June 5, 1976
Place of birth	Amposta, Spain
Club information
Current club	Adelaide United
Youth career
Years	Team
0000–1992	Amposta
Teams managed
Years	Team
1993–2003	Amposta
2003–2009	Barcelona (youth)
2009–2013	Kitchee
2013–	Adelaide United

Josep Gombau Balague (born 5 June 1976) is a Spanish football manager in charge of A-League club Adelaide United.^[1] He is a former FC Barcelona youth team coach and has held multiple positions at Barcelona academies.^[2] Gombau holds the highest coaching license in Spain with the equivalent of the UEFA Pro Diploma attained at the Catalan Football Federation.^[3]

Early career

Josep Gombau was a goalkeeper, but switched to coaching at the age of 16.^[4][5] After coaching youth teams in C.F. Amposta and R.C.D. Espanyol, he was signed by FC Barcelona in 2003 as a youth academy coach.^[6][7] In 2008, he became the technical director of FCB Escola, a Barcelona youth football academy opened at the Raffles International School in Jumeirah, Dubai.^[8][9]

Kitchee

Gombau moved to Hong Kong to join Kitchee as the club's head coach in 2009.^[10] Under Gombau, Kitchee won two league titles, two FA Cups and one League Cup.^[11] Before the 2012 AFC Cup away match to Tampines Rovers, Kitchee captain Chu Siu Kei applauded the contribution of Gombau to the team, saying: "The coach understands that the players might be smaller than those in the other teams, but using the ball more on the ground gives us an advantage over our opponents. We have more control of the game now".^[12]

Adelaide United

On 30 April 2013, it was announced that Gombau will leave Kitchee to coach Adelaide United in the A-League. He signed a deal for the next two seasons, and arrived at the club in July 2013.^[13] Gombau stated that he wants to implement the Barcelona football style at Adelaide.^[14][15] His first two signings were compatriots and Barcelona youth products Sergio Cirio and Isaías Sánchez. Gombau also brought his long-time assistant coach Pau Marti.^[16]

Honours

Club

Kitchee SC

• Hong Kong First Division League
  • Winner (2) 2010-11, 2011-12
• Hong Kong FA Cup
  • Winner 2011-12, 2012-13
• Hong Kong League Cup
  • Winner 2011-12

Personal

• Hong Kong First Division League
  • Best coach (2) 2010-11, 2011-12

Managerial statistics

As of 11 January 2014.

Team	Nat	From	To	Record
				G	W	D	L	Win %
Kitchee SC		2009	2013	700193000000000000093	700157000000000000057	700118000000000000018	700118000000000000018	700161290000000000061.29
Adelaide United		2013	Present	700115000000000000015	70005000000000000005	70005000000000000005	70005000000000000005	700133330000000000033.33
Total				7002106000000000000106	700160000000000000060	700123000000000000023	700123000000000000023	700156600000000000056.60

References