Antonio Manuel Ruiz Fernández (born 20 February 1977), commonly known as Romerito, is a Spanish retired footballer who played mainly as a defensive midfielder, and is the manager of Linares Deportivo.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Antonio Manuel Ruiz Fernández | ||
| Date of birth | 20 February 1977 | ||
| Place of birth | Seville, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Defensive midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Linares (manager) | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| Cabecense | |||
| 1997–1999 | Xerez | 59 | (0) |
| 1999–2001 | Mallorca B | 50 | (4) |
| 2000 | Mallorca | 3 | (1) |
| 2001–2002 | Recreativo | 7 | (0) |
| 2002 | Hércules | 10 | (3) |
| 2002–2003 | Extremadura | 24 | (1) |
| 2003–2004 | Compostela | 10 | (0) |
| 2004–2005 | Écija | 45 | (3) |
| 2005–2008 | Linares | 96 | (11) |
| 2008–2009 | Águilas | 30 | (1) |
| 2009–2010 | Alavés | 27 | (2) |
| 2010–2011 | Lucena | 33 | (2) |
| 2011–2012 | Linense | 31 | (2) |
| 2012–2013 | Sanluqueño | 29 | (4) |
| 2013–2016 | Xerez Deportivo | 80 | (31) |
| Total | 534 | (65) | |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2016–2017 | Xerez Deportivo (youth) | ||
| 2017–2020 | Rota | ||
| 2020–2021 | Sanluqueño | ||
| 2021–2022 | Linense | ||
| 2023 | Xerez Deportivo | ||
| 2024– | Linares | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Playing career edit
Born in Seville, Andalusia, Romerito started his career with local side CD Cabecense before moving to Xerez CD in 1997.[1][2] Initially assigned to the reserves, he was exclusively used in the main squad, making his professional debut on 14 September 1997 by coming on as a half-time substitute for Fernando Román in a 0–0 Segunda División away draw against CD Logroñés.[3]
In 1999, Romerito signed for RCD Mallorca, and was assigned to the B-team in Segunda División B. He made his first team – and La Liga – debut on 17 January 2000, starting and scoring the opener in a 1–2 loss at Real Madrid.[4]
In 2001, Romerito agreed to a deal with Recreativo de Huelva in the second division, but left for Hércules CF in the following January after being rarely used. He would resume his career mainly in the third level in the following years, representing CF Extremadura, SD Compostela,[5] Écija Balompié, Linares CF, Águilas CF, Deportivo Alavés,[6] Lucena CF,[7] Real Balompédica Linense[8] and Atlético Sanluqueño CF.[9]
In August 2013, Romerito joined Xerez Deportivo FC,[10] and helped the club in three consecutive promotions to Primera Andaluza before retiring in June 2016, aged 39.[2][11]
Coaching career edit
Immediately after retiring, Romerito started working as a youth manager at his last club Xerez Deportivo. On 4 November 2017, he was named manager of CD Rota in the fifth division,[12] and achieved promotion to Tercera División with the club in 2019.
On 10 March 2020, Romerito left Rota to take over third division side Atlético Sanluqueño,[13] and helped the side to avoid relegation. The following 7 April, however, he was sacked.[14]
On 20 May 2021, Romerito was appointed at the helm of another club he represented as a player, Linense.[15] Sacked on 19 February 2022,[16] he spent nearly a year unemployed before returning to Xerez Deportivo, now as first team manager;[17] he left the latter on 19 May 2023.[18]
On 16 April 2024, Romerito became Linares Deportivo's third manager of the campaign, after Óscar Fernández and David Campaña.[19]
Managerial statistics edit
- As of match played 14 May 2023
| Team | Nat | From | To | Record | Ref | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % | |||||
| Rota | 
|
4 November 2017 | 10 March 2020 | 88 | 44 | 18 | 26 | 152 | 125 | +27 | 50.00 | [20] |
| Sanluqueño |
|
10 March 2020 | 7 April 2021 | 19 | 9 | 4 | 6 | 18 | 18 | +0 | 47.37 | [21] |
| Linense |
|
20 May 2021 | 19 February 2022 | 25 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 20 | 27 | −7 | 32.00 | [22] |
| Xerez Deportivo |
|
6 February 2023 | 19 May 2023 | 14 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 14 | 15 | −1 | 35.71 | [23] |
| Linares |
|
16 April 2024 | present | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +0 | — | [24] |
| Total | 146 | 66 | 34 | 46 | 204 | 185 | +19 | 45.21 | — | |||
References edit
- ^ "Romerito, un sevillano en el ascenso del Xerez Deportivo FC" [Romerito, a sevillano in the promotion of Xerez Deportivo FC] (in Spanish). El Correo de Andalucía. 26 February 2015. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
- ^ a b "Romerito, el adiós de un nómada del fútbol" [Romerito, the goodbye of a football nomad] (in Spanish). Diario de Jerez. 1 June 2016. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
- ^ "Sigue sin dar la talla el Logroñés" [Logroñés remain unconvincing] (PDF) (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 15 September 1997. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
- ^ "Al borde del escándalo" [Too close to a scandal] (PDF) (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 18 January 2000. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
- ^ "Compostela y Zamora abren la Liga con muchas incógnitas" [Compostela and Zamora start the league with many doubts] (in Spanish). La Voz de Galicia. 30 August 2003. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
- ^ "Romerito cierra el centro del campo" [Romerito completes the midfield] (in Spanish). El Correo. 18 July 2009. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
- ^ "Álex Cruz y Romerito ya son celestes" [Álex Cruz and Romerito are already celestes] (in Spanish). El Día de Córdoba. 13 August 2010. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
- ^ "La Balona apalabra el fichaje de Romerito y tienta a Ryan Harper" [La Balona agree the signing of Romerito and try Ryan Harper] (in Spanish). Europa Sur. 3 July 2011. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
- ^ "Romerito y Diego, fichajes del Sanluqueño para la próxima campaña" [Romerito and Diego, signings of Sanluqueño for the following campaign] (in Spanish). Sport Cartagena. 30 July 2012. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
- ^ "Edu Villegas y Romerito, presentados en Chapín" [Edu Villegas and Romerito, presented at the Chapín] (in Spanish). La Voz de Cádiz. 14 August 2014. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
- ^ "Romerito cuelga las botas" [Romerito hangs up his boots] (in Spanish). Andalucía Información. 30 May 2016. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
- ^ "Antonio Ruiz Fernández "Romerito" es el nuevo entrenador del CD Rota" [Antonio Ruiz Fernández "Romerito" is the new manager of CD Rota] (in Spanish). Rota al Día. 4 November 2017. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
- ^ "Romerito, nuevo entrenador del Sanluqueño" [Romerito, new manager of Sanluqueño] (in Spanish). Europa Sur. 10 March 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
- ^ "El Sanluqueño destituye a Romerito" [Sanluqueño sack Romerito] (in Spanish). Diario de Jerez. 7 April 2021. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
- ^ "Romerito, nuevo entrenador de la RBL" [Romerito, new manager of RBL] (in Spanish). Real Balompédica Linense. 20 May 2021. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
- ^ "La Balona destituye a Romerito" [Balona sack Romerito] (in Spanish). Europa Sur. 19 February 2022. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
- ^ "El exbalono Romerito, nuevo entrenador del Xerez DFC" [The former balono Romerito, new manager of Xerez DFC] (in Spanish). Europa Sur. 7 February 2023. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
- ^ "Era un secreto a voces: Romerito no sigue al frente del Xerez DFC" [It was a secret to you: Romerito does not continue ahead of Xerez DFC] (in Spanish). Diario de Jerez. 19 May 2023. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
- ^ "Bienvenido Romerito" [Welcome Romerito] (in Spanish). Linares Deportivo. 16 April 2024. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
- ^ "CD Rota" (in Spanish). Futbolme. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
"CD Rota" (in Spanish). Futbolme. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
"CD Rota" (in Spanish). Futbolme. Retrieved 10 September 2021. - ^ "Matches Romerito, 2020–21 season". BDFutbol. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
- ^ "Matches Romerito, 2021–22 season". BDFutbol. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
- ^ "Matches Romerito, 2022–23 season". BDFutbol. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
- ^ "Matches Romerito, 2023–24 season". BDFutbol. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
External links edit
- Romerito at BDFutbol
- Romerito manager profile at BDFutbol
- Romerito at LaPreferente.com (in Spanish)