Guillermo Amor
Amor with Barcelona in 1994
Personal information
Full name Guillermo Amor Martínez
Date of birth (1967-12-04) 4 December 1967 (age 56)
Place of birth Benidorm, Spain
Height 1.74 m (5 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
1979–1980 Benidorm
1980–1985 Barcelona
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1984–1988 Barcelona B 49 (10)
1988–1998 Barcelona 311 (47)
1998–2000 Fiorentina 24 (0)
2000–2002 Villarreal 64 (1)
2003 Livingston 3 (0)
Total 451 (58)
International career
1986 Spain U18 1 (0)
1989–1990 Spain U21 6 (0)
1990–1998 Spain 37 (4)
Managerial career
2015–2017 Adelaide United
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Guillermo Amor Martínez (Spanish pronunciation: [ɡiˈʎeɾmo aˈmoɾ maɾˈtineθ]; born 4 December 1967) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a versatile midfielder.

After spending most of his career with Barcelona, winning several accolades in a ten-year tenure, he ended it in Scotland with Livingston. Over 12 seasons, he amassed La Liga totals of 375 matches and 48 goals.

Amor won nearly 40 caps for Spain during the 1990s, representing the nation in one World Cup and one European Championship.

Playing career

Club

Born in Benidorm, Alicante, Valencian Community, Amor was a product of FC Barcelona's youth academy, and made his first-team debut in the 1988–89 season under Johan Cruyff, going on to become one of the Catalan team's most influential players as they achieved four consecutive La Liga titles and the 1991–92 European Cup (he did not play in the final against U.C. Sampdoria, however, after being booked in the last group stage match with S.L. Benfica).[1] In 1993–94, as the club conquered the last of a successive four leagues, he appeared in all games except one, scoring a career-best eight goals. Additionally, on 5 April 1990, he opened the scoring in the Copa del Rey final against Real Madrid, helping to a 2–0 win at the Mestalla Stadium.[2]

Amor left Barça at the end of the 1997–98 campaign, with another national championship won, deemed surplus to requirements by new manager Louis van Gaal as longtime teammate Albert Ferrer,[3] having played 421 matches overall only behind club greats Xavi, Migueli and Carles Rexach.[4] He subsequently had his first abroad experience, appearing sparingly for Serie A side ACF Fiorentina[5] over two years and then returning to Spain with Villarreal CF as the latter had just returned to the top division.[6]

Amor retired from football after a short spell with Scotland's Livingston, for which he signed in January 2003,[7] making his debut on the 28th in a 3–1 away victory over Partick Thistle.[8] The Livi Lions eventually narrowly avoided relegation from the Premier League.

International

Amor represented Spain on 37 occasions, scoring four goals. His debut came in an UEFA Euro 1992 qualifier 2–3 loss in Czechoslovakia on 14 November 1990, and he went on to appear for the nation at both the Euro 1996 and the 1998 FIFA World Cup. In the former competition, on 18 June, he scored against Romania in a 2–1 win, netting in the 84th minute and helping the team to the quarter-finals in England.[9]

Amor's last cap was a sour one, as Spain were downed by lowly Cyprus on 5 September 1998 in a Euro 2000 qualifier (3–2).[10]

Coaching career

After retiring, Amor served a four-year spell at former club Barcelona, being responsible for the youth categories after Joan Laporta was named president in 2003. He left after the board of directors decided not to renew his contract,[11] but returned in July 2010 as technical director of football training.

In late August 2014, Amor was invited to Australia by one of his former colleagues and friend, former Barcelona youth academy coach and manager of Adelaide United FC, Josep Gombau. He spent a month observing and consulting the latter with Adelaide's training, after which he signed a one-year contract to become the technical director.[12]

On 24 July 2015, following the resignation of Gombau due to family reasons, Amor was appointed as head coach prior to the start of the season.[13] He only achieved his first win on the ninth matchday, in a 1–0 win against Perth Glory FC,[14] but went on to lead the team to a club-record 13 clean sheets, including being unbeaten in the last ten home games and winning the last four away.[15]

Amor led Adelaide to the double on 1 May 2016, after a 3–1 defeat of Western Sydney Wanderers FC in the Grand Final.[16] On 10 May of the following year he left the Hindmarsh Stadium,[17] returning to Barcelona as head of youth football alongside former teammate José Mari Bakero.[18]

Personal life

On 16 December 2007, Amor was involved in a serious traffic collision while travelling from Valencia.[19] Released from hospital after only a week, he later fully recovered.[20]

Amor's son, also called Guillermo (born 2001), played youth football in England with Leeds United.[21][22]

Career statistics

Club

Club performance[23] League Cup Continental Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Spain League Copa del Rey Europe Total
1988–89 Barcelona La Liga 27 8 6 3 5 2 38 13
1989–90 33 6 6 1 3 1 42 8
1990–91 34 4 3 1 8 2 45 7
1991–92 36 6 4 1 3 1 43 8
1992–93 33 5 7 0 7 1 47 6
1993–94 37 8 4 1 12 2 53 11
1994–95 34 4 3 1 6 1 43 6
1995–96 28 6 6 2 6 1 40 9
1996–97 26 0 5 0 5 0 36 0
1997–98 23 0 6 0 5 0 34 0
Italy League Coppa Italia Europe Total
1998–99 Fiorentina Serie A 16 0 ? ? 3 0 ? ?
1999–00 8 0 ? ? 2 0 ? ?
Spain League Copa del Rey Europe Total
2000–01 Villarreal La Liga 35 0 0 0 - - 35 0
2001–02 29 1 5 0 - - 34 1
Scotland League Scottish Cup Europe Total
2002–03 Livingston Scottish Premier League 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
Total Spain 375 48 55 10 60 11 490 69
Total Italy 24 0 ? ? 5 0 ? ?
Total Scotland 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
Career total 402 48

International goals

# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition[9]
1. 19 December 1990 Sánchez Pizjuán, Seville, Spain  Albania 1–0 9–0 Euro 1992 qualifying
2. 18 June 1996 Elland Road, Leeds, England  Romania 1–2 1–2 UEFA Euro 1996
3. 13 November 1996 Heliodoro Rodríguez, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain  Slovakia 2–1 4–1 1998 World Cup qualification
4. 24 September 1997 Tehelné pole, Bratislava, Slovakia  Slovakia 1–2 1–2 1998 World Cup qualification

Honours

Player

Barcelona

Manager

Adelaide United

Individual

Managerial statistics

As of 11 May 2017 (including all League and Cup games)[36]
Team From To Record
G W D L Win %
Adelaide United 24 July 2015 10 May 2017 67 24 17 26 035.82
Total 67 24 17 26 035.82

References

  1. ^ Sanchis, Alberto (17 April 1992). ""Me iría a Wembley con los Boixos y una bufanda"" ["I would go to Wembley with the Boixos and a scarf"] (PDF). Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 April 2018.
  2. ^ "A 25 años de la Copa de la Vida" [Here's to 25 years of the Cup of Life] (in Spanish). ESPN. 4 April 2015. Archived from the original on 17 October 2019. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
  3. ^ Ortiz, Guillermo (August 2012). "Louis Van Gaal, elogio de un bicho raro" [Louis Van Gaal, eulogy of a rara avis] (in Spanish). Jot Down. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
  4. ^ "Iniesta puede llegar ante el Levante a los 422 partidos oficiales con el Barça" [Iniesta may reach 422 official games with Barça against Levante] (in Spanish). FC Barcelona Noticias. 25 November 2012. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
  5. ^ "Amor, presentado como jugador del Fiorentina" [Amor, presented as Fiorentina player]. El País (in Spanish). 2 July 1998. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  6. ^ "Amor no seguirá en el Villarreal" [Amor will not continue in Villarreal]. El País (in Spanish). 5 June 2002. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  7. ^ "Livingston complete Amor coup". UEFA. 27 January 2003. Retrieved 29 June 2010.
  8. ^ "Scotland round-up: Glasgow rivals secure wins". UEFA. 29 January 2003. Retrieved 29 June 2010.
  9. ^ a b Pla Díaz, Emilio. "Guillermo Amor Martínez – International Appearances". RSSSF. Retrieved 29 March 2010.
  10. ^ "España cae ante Chipre, un equipo repleto de aficionados" [Spain fall against Cyprus, team filled with amateurs]. El Mundo (in Spanish). 5 September 1998. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  11. ^ "El Barça paga el fracaso de la cantera con Amor" [Amor pays Barça youth system failures]. La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 29 June 2007. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
  12. ^ "Barcelona great Guillermo Amor joins Adelaide United as technical director". The Sydney Morning Herald. 30 August 2014. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
  13. ^ "Amor to replace Gombau". Adelaide United. 24 July 2015. Archived from the original on 9 August 2016. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
  14. ^ "First win for Amor as Adelaide rise to eighth". Special Broadcasting Service. 7 December 2015. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  15. ^ Davutovic, David (8 April 2016). "Adelaide United secure top two finish in the A-League with 2–0 win over Melbourne City". Fox Sports. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
  16. ^ Hassett, Sebastian (1 May 2016). "A-League grand final 2016: Adelaide United beat Western Sydney Wanderers to claim first title". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
  17. ^ "Guillermo Amor to depart Reds". Adelaide United. 10 May 2017. Archived from the original on 26 January 2022. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  18. ^ "Bakero y Amor, responsables del fútbol formativo profesional del Barça" [Bakero and Amor, in charge of Barça's professional formative football]. Sport (in Spanish). 10 July 2017. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  19. ^ "L'exfutbolista Amor evoluciona satisfactòriament, tot i que continua a cures intensives" [Former footballer Amor recovers well, but is still in intensive care]. El Periódico de Catalunya (in Catalan). 16 December 2007. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
  20. ^ "Amor: "Jamás pensé que pudiera llegar a pasarme esto a mí"" [Amor: "I never thought this could happen to me"]. Marca (in Spanish). 10 January 2008. Retrieved 10 January 2008.
  21. ^ "Leeds United land Guillermo Amor". Leeds United F.C. 4 July 2019. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  22. ^ "El hijo de Guillermo Amor deja el Barça y firma con el Leeds United" [Guillermo Amor's son leaves Barça and signs with Leeds United]. Sport (in Spanish). 5 July 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  23. ^ "Guillermo Amor". Footballdatabase. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
  24. ^ Lozano Ferrer, Carles. "Spain – Cup 1990". RSSSF. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
  25. ^ Domènech, Joan (29 June 1997). "Barça de titanes" [Titanic Barça]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 January 2016.
  26. ^ Astruells, Andrés (30 April 1998). "La Copa más histórica" [The most historical Cup] (PDF). Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 January 2016.
  27. ^ Astruells, Andrés (30 October 1991). "Cruyff ya tiene su cuarto título" [Cruyff already has his fourth title]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 January 2016.
  28. ^ Domènech, Joan (12 November 1992). "El Barça juega como quiere en el Manzanares" [Barça play at will at the Manzanares]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 January 2016.
  29. ^ Aguilar, Francesc (31 August 1994). "El Barça paga un precio muy alto" [Barça pay a heavy price]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 January 2016.
  30. ^ Serra, Josep María (29 August 1996). "Título con súper-susto" [Title with mega-scare]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 January 2016.
  31. ^ "Sampdoria 0–1 Barcelona". UEFA. 20 May 1992. Archived from the original on 11 January 2016. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
  32. ^ "1988/89: Hat-trick for Barcelona". UEFA. 1 June 1989. Archived from the original on 23 June 2010. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
  33. ^ "1996/97: Ronaldo spot on for Barça". UEFA. 14 May 1997. Archived from the original on 3 May 2010. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
  34. ^ "1992: Goikoetxea wins it for Barcelona". UEFA. 1 April 1993. Archived from the original on 31 August 2010. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
  35. ^ "1997: Barça in command". UEFA. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
  36. ^ "Guillermo Amor". ALeague Stats. Retrieved 12 January 2017.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Guillermo Amor.
Spain squads
Adelaide United FC – managers
NSL and A-League Coach of the Year
Categories