Andoni Elizondo

Andoni Elizondo
Personal information
Full nameAndoni Elizondo Mendiola
Date of birth5 August 1932
Place of birthSan Sebastián, Spain
Date of death23 March 1986 (aged 53)
Place of deathSan Sebastián, Spain
Playing positionDefender
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1952–1964Real Sociedad241
Teams managed
1966–1970Real Sociedad
1971–1972Real Sociedad
1974–1976Real Sociedad
1979Basque Country
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Andoni Elizondo Mendiola (5 August 1932[1] - 23 February 1986[2][3]) was a Spanish football defender and coach.

Playing career

A product of the academy system, he played for Real Sociedad between 1952 and 1964.[4] His last two seasons were in the second level after suffering relegation in 1962. Elizondo played a total of 241 matches for Real Sociedad.[3] He played a single game for his national team's B side in 1958 against Portugal.[2][5]

Coaching career

It was Elizondo himself who took Real Sociedad up in his first year in charge as a manager. Elizondo intermintently managed the club over the span of a decade that transformed the club. Under his reign Real Sociedad stabilized in the top division and played in the Uefa cup twice, in his last two seasons.[6] This was the first time in the club's history it played in a European competition. He also took Real Sociedad to the semifinals of the Copa del Generalísimo twice, in 1969 and 1976. Elizondo coached the team for a total of 234 matches.[3]

He was part of a managing team that in 1979 led the Basque Country in a friendly against Ireland.[7]

His brother, Joseba, managed Real sociedad in 1961.[8]

Honours

Manager

Real Sociedad

References

  1. Date of birth is unclear as several sources indicate he was 52 years old when he died in 1986
  2. 2.0 2.1 Fallecio Andoni Elizondo (Andoni Elizondo Died); El Mundo Deportivo, 24 February 1986 (Spanish)
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 El testamento de Andoni Elizondo (Andoni Elizondo's will); El Diario Vasco, 2 July 2011 (Spanish)
  4. Elizondo as a player; Bdfutbol.com
  5. Portugal(B),0-España(B),0; El Mundo Deportivo, 13 April 1958 (Spanish)
  6. Elizondo as a manager; Bdfutbol.com
  7. Cuarenta años después, vuelve la selección de Euskadi (40 years later the Euskadi team is back); El País, 16 August 1979 (Spanish)
  8. Joseba Elizondo as a manager; Bdfutbol.com

External links