Bhubaneswar: Odisha FC announced the appointment of former Spanish footballer Kiko Ramirez as their new head coach on a one-year deal ahead of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2021-22 season. Ramirez thus replaced compatriot Josep Gombau who was at the helm last year.
“I am very excited to arrive in India and start working on this amazing project with Odisha FC to make our fans feel proud of the team. We are going to work hard to build a strong team with good players that represent our fan base,” Ramirez said.
A former footballer, Ramirez retired from the game in 2002 at the age of 32 after playing for the likes of CE Sabadell FC, Malaga, AD Ceuta, Cartagonova CF, Novelda CF and UE Tàrrega. Eight years later he began coaching full time when he joined Pobla de Mafumet CF in 2010.
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He then had spells with Spanish Tricera division clubs like Gimnastic, CE L’Hospitalet and CD Castellon. The Spanish forward moved out of Spain to join the Polish side Wisla Krakow and spent one season there. Ramirez won 16 games out of the 38 he managed in Poland before returning home.
He returned to Sabadell, the club where he spent a couple of years as a player. The 50-year-old Spanish tactician spent only a few months at the club before moving outside again to sign for the Greek Super League club Xanthi FC before making a shift to India.
Earlier, Odisha FC roped in Spanish legend David Villa as the head of Global Operations.
Villa brought in a team of expert individuals, collectively called DV7 including Odisha’s former fan favourite Gombau among the staff. With Ramirez in, Odisha FC will be on a rebuild mission after their underwhelming last season.
