 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Jesús Aranguren Merino | ||
| Date of birth | (1944-12-26)26 December 1944 | ||
| Place of birth | Portugalete, Spain | ||
| Date of death | 21 March 2011(2011-03-21) (aged 66) | ||
| Place of death | Barakaldo, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.69 m (5 ft6+1⁄2 in) | ||
| Position | Defender | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Sestao | |||
| 1961–1962 | Athletic Bilbao | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1962–1975 | Athletic Bilbao | 247 | (4) |
| International career | |||
| 1962–1963 | Spain U18 | 3 | (2) |
| 1963 | Spain amateur | 3 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1975–1976 | Basque Country (youth) | ||
| 1976–1977 | Athletic Bilbao (youth) | ||
| 1977–1978 | Bilbao Athletic | ||
| 1978–1980 | Alavés | ||
| 1981–1984 | Recreativo | ||
| 1984–1985 | Cartagena | ||
| 1985–1986 | Deportivo La Coruña | ||
| 1986–1988 | Logroñés | ||
| 1988–1989 | Sporting Gijón | ||
| 1990 | Basque Country | ||
| 1992 | Athletic Bilbao | ||
| 1994–1997 | Alavés | ||
| 1998 | Levante | ||
| 1998–2000 | Cartagonova | ||
| 2001–2003 | Alavés B | ||
| 2003 | Alavés | ||
| 2003–2005 | Alavés B | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Jesús 'Txutxi' Aranguren Merino (26 December 1944 – 21 March 2011) was a Spanishfootballdefender and coach.
His 13-year professional career was solely associated withAthletic Bilbao, with which he played in nearly 400 official games, winning twoCopa del Rey trophies.
Born inPortugalete,Biscay, Aranguren joinedBasque Country giantsAthletic Bilbao's youth system at the age of 16, from neighbouringSestao Sport Club. On 18 November 1962, one month shy of his 18th birthday, he made his first-team – andLa Liga – debut, playing the entire 2–1 away win againstCórdoba CF, and finishedhis first season with 18 matches.
Aranguren would be an important defensive unit for Athletic in the following 11 campaigns, starting in 225 of the 229 games he appeared in the league and helping to win twoCopa del Rey trophies. After no appearances in1974–75 he retired from football, aged only 30; during his spell with the club he scored fiveown goals to another legendary teammate,José Ángel Iribar.[1]
Aranguren started managing at his only club, being in charge of its youth teams first thenthe reserves. Subsequently, he spent nine seasons in thesecond division, starting with another local side,Deportivo Alavés, and achieving promotion in1987 withCD Logroñés, a first-ever for theRiojans; also under his guidance, they managed toretain their status the following season.
After one year withSporting de Gijón, Aranguren managed Athletic Bilbao during fifteen games in the1991–92 season, following the dismissal of his former club teammateIñaki Sáez. With six wins, two draws and seven losses, he eventually placed the team out of the relegation zone (14th position).
In 1994, Aranguren returned to Alavés,winning promotion in his first year and staying with the team for a further two seasons,the second ending on 16 February 1997 following a 2–3 home loss againstRCD Mallorca. In the following years, he worked mainly withAlavés' B-team; however, on 29 April 2003, he replacedMané at the helm of the main squad for the final seven games ofthe campaign, which ended in top-flight relegation.[1]
Aranguren retired from management in 2005, to care for his sick wife. On 21 March 2011, whilst accompanying her to a checkup in the Cruces Hospital inBarakaldo, he succumbed to aheart attack, dying at the age of 66.[2]
Athletic Bilbao
Alavés