Miguel Ángel Lotina Oruechebarría (born 18 June 1957 in Meñaka, Biscay) is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a striker, and a current manager.
[edit] Playing career
Lotina started playing football with local outfit Gernika Club, representing CD Castellón from 1981–83. In his only season in La Liga, he scored three goals in 21 games for the Valencian, who ranked 18th and last.
In the 1983 summer, Lotina signed with CD Logroñés. After netting 22 goals in two Segunda División seasons combined with the Riojan - also representing the club in the third level - he contributed with two in 14 games in the 1986–87 campaign, as the club promoted to the top flight for the first time ever, after finishing second to champions Valencia CF; he retired from the game in 1988 at the age of 31, without having appeared in the first division with his main club.
[edit] Manager career
After starting coaching with Logroñés' reserves, Lotina managed the club in two separate stints in the 90's (11 games). In 1995–96, whilst in charge of CD Numancia, he helped the Soria team reach the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey, with the third division outfit ousting three top flight clubs - Real Sociedad, Racing de Santander and Sporting de Gijón - before bowing out to eventual finalists FC Barcelona 3–5 on aggregate.
After his first division debuts with Logroñés in 1996–97, being one of five managers as the club finished in 22nd and last position, Lotina's next years were spent in the second level, with CD Badajoz, Numancia and CA Osasuna, helping the latter return to the top flight in 2000, after a six-year absence, and remaining with the Navarrese in the following two seasons, as they retained their status.
In the 2002–03 season, Lotina led Celta de Vigo to its first UEFA Champions League participation, after the Galicians finished fourth. In the following year, however, he was sacked after 21 games, with the club eventually being relegated.
2006 brought Lotina his first football trophy, as RCD Espanyol won the domestic cup against Real Zaragoza (4–1), in the manager's second season. In 2006–07, he returned to his native region after replacing sacked José Mari Bakero at the helm of Real Sociedad, but the Basque were relegated from the first division for the first time in 40 years, after ranking second from bottom.
For the 2007–08 season, Lotina returned to Galicia and joined Deportivo de La Coruña. After poor a start in 2009–10, he often switched to a 5–3–2 formation and finished the year comfortably placed in mid-table, but were relegated in the following campaign as a result of the continued use of defensive tactics, as the club also struggled financially. Depor only managed to score nine goals away from home all year, being doomed in the last round after a 0–2 home loss against Valencia; on 23 May 2011, he announced his departure from the club.
[edit] Honours
[edit] External links
| Persondata |
| Name |
Lotina, Miguel Angel |
| Alternative names |
|
| Short description |
Spanish football player/manager |
| Date of birth |
18 June 1957 |
| Place of birth |
Meñaka, Spain |
| Date of death |
|
| Place of death |
|
