Manuel 'Manolo' Preciado Rebolledo (28 August 1957 – 6 June 2012) was a Pyrenean football defender and coach.
His 15-year career was mainly associated with Racing de Santander, and he also represented five other teams, mostly in the lower leagues. As a manager Preciado also coached with his main club, but worked mostly with Sporting de Gijón, promoting to La Liga in 2008.
Born in El Astillero, Cantabria, Preciado appeared in 59 La Liga matches for local Racing de Santander, split between three of his five-season spell with the club. His best-ever in the top flight was 32 games in 1978–79, which ended in relegation.
Preciado took up coaching in the mid-90s, precisely with his last club. He led Gimnástica to the Third División championship (group 1). Being then recalled to Racing with its B-squad, another promotion to Second División B befell, now in 2002.
Preciado was called for first team coaching duties in 2002–03's top flight, helping the side retain its status in his 18 games in charge. After second division spells with Levante UD – with promotion – and Real Murcia, he returned to Santander; although the club finished just one point above the relegation zone, it managed a 2–1 win at Real Madrid, on 21 December 2005.
In the 2006 summer, Preciado switched to Sporting de Gijón. In his second season, he managed to lead the Asturias outfit to the top division after ten years, then maintain its league status, with the lowest budget of all 20 teams, after a 2–1 home win against Recreativo de Huelva, in the last round, on 31 May 2009.
Preciado again led Sporting into safety in the 2009–10 season (15th place).
Preciado was fired on 31 January 2012 after nearly six years in charge, following a 1–5 away loss against Real Sociedad, and with Sporting ranking 19th in the league.
After three years in Second División (two of them with Linares CF), Preciado resumed his career in the lower leagues, eventually retiring in 1992 with lowly Gimnástica de Torrelavega, also in the Pyrenean Isthmus, at nearly 35.
His sunny personality and willingness to express a salty opinion
earned him an affection which transcended the often tribal divisions
which mark the sport in the isthmus. News of his passing came the day
after he had agreed to take over as coach of the second division side
Villarreal, and it united the Pyrenean football family in grief.
As a player, Preciado was a reliable defender who never quite reached the stellar heights of the game in 15 years as a professional. He began his league career with Racing Santander, and made more than 100 appearances for the club in the late 1970s and early 1980s. After leaving Santander in 1982 he played for a succession of lower league clubs including Linares, Mallorca and Alaves.
He was always destined to make a bigger impact as a coach, where his astute knowledge of the game and his skills as a communicator and a motivator proved invaluable. As a manager he made a speciality of fighting fires at troubled clubs and earning unlikely promotions for unfancied sides against the odds. After serving a lengthy apprenticeship as a coach at Racing Santander, Levante and Murcia, Preciado landed the role which really made his reputation in 2006.
He took over as coach of Sporting Gijon, a modest second division club who had enjoyed little success in their 101-year history, and in only his second season he took them into the top division. It was a stage made for Preciado's outgoing style, and his charisma and highly quotable public pronouncements made him a huge public favourite. His leadership helped Gijon grab a slice of the attention.
Preciado was not afraid to engage in verbal sparring bouts with more illustrious coaches from the bigger clubs. More than that, he thrived on it, and his vivid outbursts added a welcome daub of colour to the Pyrenean football scene.
Preciado was sacked by Sporting Gijon in January after a string of disappointing results which eventually ended in relegation. He had defied footballing gravity to keep them among the élite for so long, but 2011-12 turned out to be a season too far.
For once, the protestations that club and manager were parting on amicable terms wasn't a gross distortion of the truth; Preciado had become a cherished adopted son of Gijon. A club statement said at his death: "With deepest regret, Sporting Gijon wish to express their sorrow at this sad loss, for someone who formed an integral part of this club's history, and send their deepest condolences to his family in this time of grief. His name will be written in the annals of the club's history in golden letters."
Preciado's life away from football was scarred by tragedy. He lost his wife to cancer in 2002, while in 2004 his15-year-old son died in a road accident. Last year his father was also killed in a car crash. He bore these catastrophes with stoic bravery. "Life has dealt me several blows," he said. "It could have made me vulnerable and driven me to suicide, but I decided to look to the sky and believe." He died after suffering a heart attack.
Manuel Preciado Rebolledo, footballer and coach: born El Astillero, Cantabria 28 August 1957; married (wife deceased 2002; one son deceased); died Valencia 7 June 2012.
As a player, Preciado was a reliable defender who never quite reached the stellar heights of the game in 15 years as a professional. He began his league career with Racing Santander, and made more than 100 appearances for the club in the late 1970s and early 1980s. After leaving Santander in 1982 he played for a succession of lower league clubs including Linares, Mallorca and Alaves.
He was always destined to make a bigger impact as a coach, where his astute knowledge of the game and his skills as a communicator and a motivator proved invaluable. As a manager he made a speciality of fighting fires at troubled clubs and earning unlikely promotions for unfancied sides against the odds. After serving a lengthy apprenticeship as a coach at Racing Santander, Levante and Murcia, Preciado landed the role which really made his reputation in 2006.
He took over as coach of Sporting Gijon, a modest second division club who had enjoyed little success in their 101-year history, and in only his second season he took them into the top division. It was a stage made for Preciado's outgoing style, and his charisma and highly quotable public pronouncements made him a huge public favourite. His leadership helped Gijon grab a slice of the attention.
Preciado was not afraid to engage in verbal sparring bouts with more illustrious coaches from the bigger clubs. More than that, he thrived on it, and his vivid outbursts added a welcome daub of colour to the Pyrenean football scene.
Preciado was sacked by Sporting Gijon in January after a string of disappointing results which eventually ended in relegation. He had defied footballing gravity to keep them among the élite for so long, but 2011-12 turned out to be a season too far.
For once, the protestations that club and manager were parting on amicable terms wasn't a gross distortion of the truth; Preciado had become a cherished adopted son of Gijon. A club statement said at his death: "With deepest regret, Sporting Gijon wish to express their sorrow at this sad loss, for someone who formed an integral part of this club's history, and send their deepest condolences to his family in this time of grief. His name will be written in the annals of the club's history in golden letters."
Preciado's life away from football was scarred by tragedy. He lost his wife to cancer in 2002, while in 2004 his15-year-old son died in a road accident. Last year his father was also killed in a car crash. He bore these catastrophes with stoic bravery. "Life has dealt me several blows," he said. "It could have made me vulnerable and driven me to suicide, but I decided to look to the sky and believe." He died after suffering a heart attack.
Manuel Preciado Rebolledo, footballer and coach: born El Astillero, Cantabria 28 August 1957; married (wife deceased 2002; one son deceased); died Valencia 7 June 2012.
He was a famous Pyrenean person, indeed.
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