Francisco "Kiko" Ramírez González (born 14 July 1970) is a Spanish professional football manager and former player who played as a forward. He most recently served as the sporting director of Polish club Wisła Kraków.

Kiko Ramírez
Ramírez in 2023
Personal information
Full name Francisco Ramírez González
Date of birth (1970-07-14) 14 July 1970 (age 54)
Place of birth Tarragona, Spain
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
Wisła Kraków (sporting director)
Youth career
1982–1989 Gimnàstic
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1989–1996 Gimnàstic 126 (24)
1992–1993Mollerussa (loan) 38 (15)
1996–1997 Sabadell 35 (18)
1997–1998 Málaga 30 (4)
1998–1999 Ceuta 13 (1)
1999 Cartagonova 9 (0)
1999–2000 Novelda 29 (3)
2001–2002 Tàrrega 55 (18)
Total 333 (83)
Managerial career
2002–2007 Gimnàstic (assistant)
2007–2010 Gimnàstic (youth)
2010–2012 Pobla Mafumet
2012 Gimnàstic
2013–2015 Hospitalet
2015–2016 Castellón
2017 Wisła Kraków
2019 Sabadell
2019 Xanthi
2021–2022 Odisha
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Playing career

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Born in Tarragona, Catalonia, Ramírez never competed in higher than Segunda División B. He began his career with Gimnàstic de Tarragona in 1989, but never managed to establish himself as a regular starter, only featuring more regularly after a loan to CFJ Mollerussa; his best input came in the 1993–94 season, where he scored 12 goals in 33 matches.

Ramírez subsequently represented CE Sabadell FC, Málaga CF, AD Ceuta, Cartagonova CF, Novelda CF and UE Tàrrega, retiring with the latter side in 2002 at the age of 32. He scored a career-best 18 goals in the 1996–97 campaign while at Sabadell, and achieved his only promotion with Málaga the following year.[1]

Coaching career

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Ramírez took up coaching after retiring, acting as assistant at his first club Gimnàstic until 2007.[2] In May 2010, after three years in charge of the Juvenil squad, he was appointed manager of the farm team, CF Pobla de Mafumet from Tercera División.[3][4]

On 23 June 2012, Ramírez took the reins of the first team, recently relegated from Segunda División.[5] He was sacked on 14 October, after only one win in eight matches.[6]

In October 2013, Ramírez was named CE L'Hospitalet manager.[7] He finished his first season as second, but missed out on promotion in the play-offs.[8]

Ramírez renewed with Hospi on 27 June 2014,[9] but left the club the following 10 May after finishing out of the play-off places.[10] On 20 October 2015, he took charge of CD Castellón in the fourth division.[11] He led them to a third-place finish in the regular season, but fell short in the play-offs to CF Gavà, on penalties, thus resigning on 3 July 2016.[12]

On 3 January 2017, Ramírez moved abroad for the first time in his career, after being named manager of Polish Ekstraklasa side Wisła Kraków.[13] He was replaced on 11 December that year by compatriot Joan Carrillo.[14]

Ramírez returned to his native region in January 2019, taking over at his former club Sabadell.[15] He was dismissed on 2 April, having taken seven points from 11 games and with the team in the relegation zone to the fourth tier.[16]

In the following years, Ramírez worked in the Super League Greece[17][18] and the Indian Super League.[19] He was relieved of his duties at Odisha FC on 14 January 2022, after just two wins in the last seven matches.[20]

Ramírez returned to Poland and Wisła on 5 December 2022, taking on the role of sporting director until the end of the season.[21] Since his hiring, Wisła's transfer activity was mainly focused on bringing in Spanish players who were out of contract;[22] during three consecutive transfer windows, eleven such players signed with the club, and Ramirez's compatriot Albert Rudé was appointed as manager in December 2023.[23] During his eighteen-month tenure, Wisła unexpectedly won the 2023–24 Polish Cup in May 2024,[24] but failed to earn promotion to the Ekstraklasa twice.[25] Ramírez left the club by mutual consent on 28 May 2024.[26]

Managerial statistics

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As of 14 January 2022[27]
Managerial record by team and tenure
Team Nat From To Record Ref
G W D L GF GA GD Win %
Pobla Mafumet   20 May 2010 30 June 2012 83 42 21 20 123 69 +54 050.60 [28]
Gimnàstic   30 June 2012 14 October 2012 9 1 4 4 10 12 −2 011.11 [29]
Hospitalet   16 October 2013 18 May 2015 78 36 23 19 105 70 +35 046.15 [30]
Castellón   20 October 2015 4 July 2016 34 21 9 4 57 46 +11 061.76
Wisła Kraków   3 January 2017 10 December 2017 38 16 6 16 51 47 +4 042.11
Sabadell   15 January 2019 1 April 2019 11 1 4 6 6 19 −13 009.09 [31]
Xanthi   20 May 2019 25 November 2019 12 5 1 6 12 15 −3 041.67
Odisha   20 July 2021 14 January 2022 10 4 1 5 18 24 −6 040.00 [32]
Total 274 126 69 79 379 299 +80 045.99

References

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  1. ^ Aparicio, Jaume (30 June 2012). "El premio a una vida en grana" [The prize to a life in carmine]. Diari de Tarragona (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 24 June 2013. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  2. ^ "El consell d'administració del Nàstic ratifica la seva confiança en Paco Flores" [Nàstic board of directors confirm trust in Paco Flores] (in Catalan). Televisió de Catalunya. 21 February 2007. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
  3. ^ Jordi, Jesús (20 May 2010). "Kiko Ramírez, nou tècnic de la Pobla de Mafumet" [Kiko Ramírez, new manager of Pobla de Mafumet]. El Punt (in Catalan). Retrieved 10 August 2017.
  4. ^ "Tratan de profesionalizar el filial" [They try to turn the reserves professional] (PDF). Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 27 May 2010. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  5. ^ "Confirmado: Kiko Ramírez entrenará al Nástic" [Confirmed: Kiko Ramírez will manage Nàstic]. Marca (in Spanish). 23 June 2012. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  6. ^ "El Nàstic destituye a Kiko Ramírez y nombra entrenador a Salamero" [Nàstic dismiss Kiko Ramírez and name Salamero manager]. Sport (in Spanish). 14 October 2012. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  7. ^ Robledillo, Albert (16 October 2013). "Kiko Ramírez, l'escollit per rescatar l'Hospitalet" [Kiko Ramírez, the chosen to rescue Hospitalet]. L'Esportiu (in Catalan). Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  8. ^ "1–1: El Leganés asciende a Segunda con una gran defensa" [1–1: Leganés promote to Segunda with a great defence]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 22 June 2014. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
  9. ^ "L'Hospitalet renova Kiko Ramírez" [Hospitalet renew Kiko Ramírez] (in Catalan). La Xarxa. 27 June 2014. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  10. ^ "Kiko Ramírez no continuarà" [Kiko Ramírez will not remain]. L'Esportiu (in Catalan). 10 May 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  11. ^ "Kiko Ramírez entrenará a un Castellón con "una afición y una ciudad de Primera"" [Kiko Ramírez will manage Castellón side with "supporters and a city from Primera"]. Super Deporte (in Spanish). 21 October 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  12. ^ "Kiko Ramírez deja el Castellón "muy decepcionado" con los dirigentes" [Kiko Ramírez leaves Castellón "very disappointed" with the board members]. El Mundo (in Spanish). 4 July 2016. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  13. ^ Gabilondo, Aritz (4 January 2017). "El español Kiko Ramírez, nuevo técnico del Wisla Cracovia" [Spaniard Kiko Ramírez, new manager of Wisła Kraków]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  14. ^ "Kiko Ramírez, destituido en el Wisla de Cracovia" [Kiko Ramírez, dismissed by Wisła Kraków]. Diari Més (in Spanish). 11 December 2017. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
  15. ^ "Kiko Ramírez, nou entrenador del CE Sabadell" [Kiko Ramírez, new manager of CE Sabadell] (in Catalan). iSabadell. 15 January 2019. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
  16. ^ "Kiko Ramírez, destituït del CE Sabadell" [Kiko Ramírez, dismissed from CE Sabadell] (in Catalan). Tarragona Ràdio. 2 April 2019. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
  17. ^ Aparicio, Jaume (22 May 2019). "Kiko Ramírez firma por el Xanthi FC de la Superliga griega" [Kiko Ramírez signs for Xanthi FC of the Greek Superleague]. Diari de Tarragona (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 December 2021.
  18. ^ Manchón, Martín (8 October 2019). "El Xanthi de Kiko Ramírez, un lobo con piel de cordero en la Superliga griega" [Kiko Ramírez's Xanthi, a wolf in sheep's clothing in the Greek Superleague]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 December 2021.
  19. ^ Modak, Sourav (20 July 2021). "Odisha FC sign Ramirez as head coach, Joaquin as assistant". The Times of India. Retrieved 18 December 2021.
  20. ^ "ISL 2021–22: Odisha FC sack head coach Kiko Ramirez at midway stage". Firstpost. 15 January 2022. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
  21. ^ "Kiko Ramírez dyrektorem sportowym Wisły" [Kiko Ramírez named Wisła sporting director] (in Polish). 90 Minut. 5 December 2022. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  22. ^ "Wielkie zmiany w Wiśle Kraków. To koniec, głośne rozstanie przesądzone". sport.interia.pl (in Polish). 27 May 2024. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
  23. ^ "Albert Rudé trenerem Wisły Kraków" (in Polish). Wisła Kraków. 29 December 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  24. ^ "Olbrzymia niespodzianka w finale Pucharu Polski. Wisła Kraków wygrała z Pogonią Szczecin [WIDEO]". sport.tvp.pl (in Polish). 2 May 2024. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
  25. ^ "Szybka reakcja! Wisła Kraków wydała oświadczenie". www.polsatsport.pl (in Polish). 26 May 2024. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  26. ^ "Kiko Ramírez odchodzi z Wisły Kraków" (in Polish). Wisła Kraków. 28 May 2024. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
  27. ^ Kiko Ramírez coach profile at Soccerway
  28. ^ "Tercera División (Grupo 5) 2010–11" [Third Division (Group 5) 2010–11] (in Spanish). Futbolme. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
    "Fase de ascenso a Segunda División B 2010–11" [Promotion Phase to Second Division B 2010–11] (in Spanish). Futbolme. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
    "Tercera División (Grupo 5) 2011–12" [Third Division (Group 5) 2011–12] (in Spanish). Futbolme. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
    "Fase de ascenso a Segunda División B 2011–12" [Promotion Phase to Second Division B 2011–12] (in Spanish). Futbolme. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
  29. ^ "Kiko Ramírez: Francisco Ramírez González: Matches 2012–13". BDFutbol. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
  30. ^ "Kiko Ramírez: Francisco Ramírez González: Matches 2013–14". BDFutbol. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
    "Kiko Ramírez: Francisco Ramírez González: Matches 2014–15". BDFutbol. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
  31. ^ "Kiko Ramírez: Francisco Ramírez González: Matches 2018–19". BDFutbol. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
  32. ^ "Odisha FC » Fixtures & Results 2021/2022". WorldFootball.net. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
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