Julián Rubio Sánchez (born 28 January 1952) is a Spanish former

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...

midfielder A midfielder is an outfield position in association football. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. As central midfielders often go across boundarie ...

and

manager Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business. Management includes the activities o ...

. He appeared in 134

La Liga The Campeonato Nacional de Liga de Primera División, commonly known simply as Primera División in Spain, and as La Liga in English-speaking countries and officially as LaLiga Santander for sponsorship reasons, stylized as LaLiga, is the men's ...

matches over six seasons (14 goals), mainly in representation of

Sevilla Seville (; es, Sevilla, ) is the capital and largest city of the Spain, Spanish autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia and the province of Seville. It is situated on the lower reaches of the Guadalquivir, River Gua ...

. His professional career was closely associated to

Albacete Balompié Albacete Balompié is a Spanish football team based in Albacete, in the autonomous community of Castile–La Mancha. Founded on 2 August 1940, it currently plays in Segunda División, the second tier of Spanish football, holding home matches ...

, with which he played and worked in several capacities.

Playing career

Born in

Montealegre del Castillo Montealegre del Castillo is a municipality in Albacete, Castile-La Mancha, Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)( ...

Province of Albacete Albacete ( es, Provincia de Albacete, ) is a province of central Spain, in the southern part of the autonomous community of Castile–La Mancha. As of 2012, Albacete had a population of 402,837 people. Its capital city, also called Albacete, is ...

, Rubio started playing for local club

. He made his senior debut with

Ontinyent CF Ontinyent Club de Fútbol was a Spanish football team based in Ontinyent, in the autonomous community of Valencia. Founded in 1947 it held home games at ''Estadio El Clariano'', with a capacity of 5,000 seats. On 28 March 2019, due to economic pr ...

, spending two of his three seasons in the

Segunda División The Campeonato Nacional de Liga de Segunda División, commercially known as LaLiga SmartBank for sponsorship reasons, is the men's second professional association football division of the Spanish football league system. Administrated by the Lig ...

, then switched to

Sevilla FC Sevilla Fútbol Club () is a Spanish professional football club based in Seville, the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. It plays in Spanish football's top flight, La Liga. Sevilla have won the UEFA Euro ...

in the same league, promoting to

1975 It was also declared the ''International Women's Year'' by the United Nations and the European Architectural Heritage Year by the Council of Europe. Events January * January 1 - Watergate scandal (United States): John N. Mitchell, H. R. ...

.Julián Rubio: “En el fútbol eliminaría el poder tan grande que tienen los árbitros” (Julián Rubio: "What I would take out of football is that immense power that referees have")
Diario de Huelva, 14 December 2021 Rubio made his debut in the top flight on 6 September 1975, playing the full 90 minutes in a 3–0 home win against

UD Las Palmas Unión Deportiva Las Palmas, S.A.D. is a Spanish football team based in Las Palmas, on the island of Gran Canaria in the autonomous community of Canary Islands. Founded on 22 August 1949, it plays in Segunda División, holding home games at the ...

, and finished his first year with 26 games (all starts) and three goals as the

Andalusia Andalusia (, ; es, Andalucía ) is the southernmost Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in Peninsular Spain. It is the most populous and the second-largest autonomous community in the country. It is officially recognised as a ...

ns ranked in 11th position. After three more seasons, always as first choice, he signed with

FC Barcelona Futbol Club Barcelona (), commonly referred to as Barcelona and colloquially known as Barça (), is a professional football club based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, that competes in La Liga, the top flight of Spanish football. Founded ...

. At the

Camp Nou Camp Nou (, meaning ''new field'', often referred to in English as the Nou Camp), officially branded as Spotify Camp Nou for sponsorship and financial reasons, is a football stadium in Barcelona, Spain. It has been the home stadium of FC Barcelo ...

, having to compete with the likes of

Juan Manuel Asensi Juan Manuel Asensi Ripoll (born 23 September 1949) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as an attacking midfielder. Club career Born in Alicante, Valencian Community, Asensi began his career at local Elche CF – at the time in La Liga � ...

and

Jesús Landáburu Jesús 'Chus' Landáburu Sagüillo (born 24 January 1955) is a Spanish former Association football, footballer who played as a Midfielder#Central midfielder, central midfielder. Club career Born in Guardo, Province of Palencia, Landáburu made h ...

– and later

Bernd Schuster Bernd Schuster (born 22 December 1959) is a German former professional footballer of the late 1970s through early 1990s, who won club titles playing for the Spanish sides FC Barcelona (1980–1987) and Real Madrid (1988–1990). He played as a m ...

– Rubio was nothing but a fringe player due to a serious

knee In humans and other primates, the knee joins the thigh with the leg and consists of two joints: one between the femur and tibia (tibiofemoral joint), and one between the femur and patella (patellofemoral joint). It is the largest joint in the hu ...

injury, all of his league appearances coming in the 1979–80 campaign. He returned to Albacete in the summer of 1981, promoting to

Segunda División B Segunda División B ( en, Second Division B) was the third tier of the Spanish football league system containing 102 teams divided into five groups, until it was replaced by the new structure in 2021. It was administered by the Royal Spanish Foot ...

in his first season and eventually retiring at the age of 32.

Coaching career

Immediately after retiring, Rubio began coaching precisely with his last club, achieving promotiong to the third division in his first season but being immediately relegated. In 1987 he joined amateurs

CD Maspalomas Club Deportivo Maspalomas is a Spanish football team based in Maspalomas, San Bartolomé de Tirajana, Gran Canaria, in the autonomous community of Canary Islands. Founded in 1969, it plays in ''Preferente Interinsular – Group 1'', holding home m ...

, returning to his previous employer after one season. In 1991, after one-year spells with

Recreativo de Huelva Real Club Recreativo de Huelva, S.A.D. () is a Spanish football club based in Huelva, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. Founded on 23 December 1889, 2 days before Christmas, they are the oldest football club in Spain, and currently play i ...

( second tier, relegation) and

SD Ibiza Sociedad Deportiva Ibiza was a List of football clubs in Spain, Spanish football club based in Ibiza Town, in the autonomous community of Balearic Islands. Founded in 1956, the club came to play eight seasons in ''Segunda División B'', but disap ...

(regional leagues), Rubio returned to Albacete once again, now as

director of football A sporting director, or director of sport, is an executive management position in a sports club. The role is well known as a manager role for European football clubs, which are sometime also "sports clubs", offering many types of sports. The sport ...

. As

Benito Floro Benito Floro Sanz (born 2 June 1952) is a Spanish football manager. Football career Floro was born in Gijón, Asturias. During his professional career he managed Albacete Balompié (two spells, starting off in 1989 in Segunda División B and le ...

joined

Real Madrid Real Madrid Club de Fútbol (, meaning ''Royal Madrid Football Club''), commonly referred to as Real Madrid, is a Spanish professional football club based in Madrid. Founded in 1902 as Madrid Football Club, the club has traditionally wor ...

in the summer of 1992 after Albacete's top-flight overachiements, he was named his successor, being dismissed after the 15th round and replaced by former Sevilla teammate

Víctor Espárrago Víctor Rodolfo Espárrago Videla (born 6 October 1944 in Montevideo) is a Uruguayan football coach and former midfielder. International career He was capped 67 times for the national team between 1966 and 1974. His playing career highlight ...

. In late April 1999, following spells with three teams, including

in which he was one of three managers in 1996–97 and four the following season, and

Club Bolívar Club Bolívar () is a Bolivian professional football club that currently plays in the Bolivian Primera División. Founded in 1925 in honor of Venezuelan military leader Simón Bolívar, it is the most successful and popular club in the history of ...

Bolivia , image_flag = Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg , flag_alt = Horizontal tricolor (red, yellow, and green from top to bottom) with the coat of arms of Bolivia in the center , flag_alt2 = 7 × 7 square p ...

, Rubio returned for the fourth time as Albacete coach, replacing

Luigi Maifredi Luigi Maifredi (born 20 April 1947), commonly known as Gigi Maifredi, is an Italian football manager, currently working as a technical collaborator of Italian club Brescia. Career Born in Lograto (Province of Brescia), started out playing in h ...

late into the third-tier campaign and leading the Castile-La Mancha side to the 15th position out of 22 teams.Julián Rubio nuevo entrenador del Albacete Balompié (Julián Rubio new Albacete Balompié manager)
Queso Mecánico, 1 December 2009 In the following seven years he worked in the same league, with Albacete,

Elche CF Elche Club de Fútbol, S.A.D. ( ca-valencia, Elx Club de Futbol, S.A.D.) is a professional football based in Elche, Province of Alicante, in the Valencian Community. Founded in 1923, the club competes in La Liga, holding home matches at ''Estadi ...

(two spells),

Polideportivo Ejido Poli Ejido 2012 Sociedad Deportiva was a Spanish football team based in El Ejido, Province of Almería, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. Founded in 1969 and dissolved in 2012, it held home matches at ''Estadio Municipal Santo Domingo'', ...

Ciudad de Murcia Club de Fútbol Ciudad de Murcia, usually abbreviated to Ciudad de Murcia, was a Spanish football club based in Murcia, in the namesake autonomous community. They played at the 16,000-seater ''Estadio de La Condomina''. Ciudad Murcia was reloca ...

and

Cádiz CF Cádiz Club de Fútbol, S.A.D., known simply as Cádiz, is a Spanish professional football club based in Cádiz, Andalusia. Founded in 1910, the club competes in the La Liga, holding home games at Nuevo Mirandilla, with a seating capacity of 20 ...

; additionally, late into 1999–2000 with Albacete, he had to take a forced one-month break from coaching to undergo surgery due to a serious illness. Rubio started the 2009–10 season at the helm of

CF Atlético Ciudad Club de Fútbol Atlético Ciudad was a List of football clubs in Spain, Spanish football club based in Murcia, in the autonomous community of Region of Murcia, Murcia. Founded in 2007, it played its last season in ''Segunda División B'' (group IV) ...

in the third division, leaving the club – who would be eventually relegated due to financial irregularities– in late November. He was appointed at Albacete the following month in substitution of

José Murcia José 'Pepe' Murcia González (born 3 December 1964) is a Spanish association football, football manager (association football), manager who manages Qatari Second Division side Muaither SC. Career Born in Córdoba, Andalusia, Murcia never playe ...

, and both coaches and a third one,

David Vidal David Vidal Tomé (born 2 August 1950) is a Spanish football manager and former player who played as a centre-back. Football career Vidal was born in Porto do Son, A Coruña, Galicia. After an unassuming career (the central defender never pl ...

, were in charge for 14 matches as they eventually retained their status. On 21 June 2011, Rubio became the first Spaniard to coach in the

Albanian Superliga The Kategoria Superiore, officially known as Abissnet Superiore for sponsorship reasons, is a professional league for men's association football clubs. At the top of the Albanian football league system, it is the country's primary football compet ...

, joining

KF Tirana Klubi i Futbollit Tirana (KF Tirana) is an Albanian football club based in the country's capital city, Tirana. The men's football club is part of the multi-disciplinary sports club SK Tirana, and is the most successful in Albania, having won 54 ...

on a one-year contract. He helped the team to that season's

Albanian Supercup The Albanian Supercup is a single match usually at the beginning of the season between the winners of the Kategoria Superiore and Albanian Cup. Supercup final was not played in the occasions when the champion team won the Double (association foot ...

, a 1–0 win over KF Skënderbeu Korçë, adding the

Albanian Cup The Albanian Cup ( sq, Kupa e Shqipërisë) is the main "knockout" competition in Albanian football. The competition started in 1939 as Kupa e Mbretit (English:"The King's Cup"). Just after a year the cup was suspended as the Second World War st ...

the following year against those rivals and defeating the same opposition in the 2012 Supercup. On 7 June 2012, following his successful first year, Rubio was due to extend his link with Tirana. Both parties failed to reach an agreement, however, and he eventually left for another club in the country,

Flamurtari FC Flamurtari FC is a professional football club based in Vlorë, Albania. The club plays in the Kategoria e Parë, which is the second tier of football in the country. Founded in 1923, the club is one of the oldest in Albania, and it is also on ...

. Rubio was relieved of his duties after only three months in charge, due to poor results.Flamurtari shkarkon Rubion. “Furtunë” në Vlorë, projektohen edhe 4 largime lojtarësh (Flamurtari sack Rubio. A "storm" in Vlora, 4 players expected to leave as well)

Panorama Sport''Panorama Sport''is a newspaper published in Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and ...

, 11 December 2012

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Rubio, Julian 1952 births Living people Sportspeople from the Province of Albacete Spanish footballers Footballers from Castilla–La Mancha Association football midfielders La Liga players Segunda División players Segunda División B players Albacete Balompié players Ontinyent CF players Sevilla FC players FC Barcelona players Spain youth international footballers Spanish football managers La Liga managers Segunda División managers Segunda División B managers Albacete Balompié managers Recreativo de Huelva managers Elche CF managers Sevilla Atlético managers Sevilla FC managers Polideportivo Ejido managers Ciudad de Murcia managers Cádiz CF managers Kategoria Superiore managers KF Tirana managers Flamurtari Vlorë managers Spanish expatriate football managers Expatriate football managers in Albania Spanish expatriate sportspeople in Albania