Aitor Karanka

Aitor Karanka
Karanka in 2009
Personal information
Full name Aitor Karanka de la Hoz
Date of birth (1973-09-18) 18 September 1973
Place of birth Vitoria, Spain
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing position Defender
Club information
Current team
 Nottingham Forest (manager)
Youth career
Corazonistas
Alavés
1991–1992 Athletic Bilbao
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1992–1994 Bilbao Athletic 53 (2)
1993–1997 Athletic Bilbao 118 (2)
1997–2002 Real Madrid 93 (0)
2002–2006 Athletic Bilbao 64 (2)
2006 Colorado Rapids 28 (0)
Total 356 (6)
National team
1993–1996 Spain U21 14 (0)
1996 Spain U23 4 (0)
1995 Spain 1 (0)
1994–2004 Basque Country 6 (0)
Teams managed
2008–2010 Spain U16
2010–2013 Real Madrid (assistant)
2013–2017 Middlesbrough
2018– Nottingham Forest
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Aitor Karanka de la Hoz (Basque and Spanish pronunciation: [aiˈtoɾ kaˈɾaŋka]; born 18 September 1973) is a former footballer who played mainly as a central defender (on occasion, he occupied the left back position), and is the current manager of EFL Championship club Nottingham Forest.

Save for a brief spell in the United States, at the age of 32, he played solely in Spain for Athletic Bilbao and Real Madrid, appearing in 275 La Liga games over the course of 13 seasons and winning a total of six honours with the latter.

Karanka started a managerial career in the late 2000s, notably working as an assistant at Real Madrid[1][2][3] and in his own right at Middlesbrough and Nottingham Forest.

Playing career

Club

Athletic / Real Madrid

Born in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Álava, Karanka played as a youth with hometown club Deportivo Alavés and finished his formation with Basque neighbours Athletic Bilbao. He made his senior debut with the reserves of the latter in 1992, competing in the Segunda División.

Karanka was promoted to the main squad by Jupp Heynckes in 1993, following the departure of Rafael Alkorta. He made his La Liga debut on 7 November in a 1–1 away draw against Celta de Vigo (90 minutes played),[4] going on to feature in exactly 100 league matches in his three full seasons before joining the German coach at Real Madrid in 1997 (replacing Alkorta who had just moved back to Bilbao).[5][6]

Karanka was used mostly as a backup with the capital-based team but appeared in 33 UEFA Champions League games for them,[7] including the final of the 1999–2000 edition against Valencia CF (3–0 win).[8] He missed the vast majority of the 1998–99 campaign, due to a heart condition.[9]

Athletic return / USA

Karanka training with Athletic in December 2003.

For 2002–03, Karanka returned to Athletic Bilbao.[10] He helped the Lions qualify for the UEFA Cup in his second year, after a fifth place in the league.

Karanka switched to Major League Soccer and the Colorado Rapids in 2006.[11] In his only season in the United States he helped his team to the Western Conference play-off final, despite having his attempt saved by Darío Sala in the penalty shootout victory over FC Dallas in the semi-finals.[12]

International

Karanka only played once for Spain at senior level, on 26 April 1995 against Armenia for the UEFA Euro 1996 qualifiers, in Yerevan (2–0 win).[13] He made 14 appearances for the under-21s, and was a member of the team that finished runners-up at the 1996 European Championship in a final lost to Italy.[14]

Karanka also represented the nation in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, playing in four matches in an eventual quarter-final exit.[15]

Coaching career

Real Madrid

In June 2010, Karanka was appointed assistant manager at former side Real Madrid, by newly-appointed manager José Mourinho.[16] Three years later he left the club following the arrival of Carlo Ancelotti, who brought his own coaching staff.[17]

Middlesbrough

On 13 November 2013, Karanka was appointed manager of Championship club Middlesbrough, replacing Tony Mowbray.[18] His first game in charge ended in a 1–2 away defeat against Leeds United, ten days later.[19]

On 25 April 2015, in the club's penultimate game of the season away to Fulham, Karanka sent goalkeeper Dimitrios Konstantopoulos forward for an added-time corner kick, with the score 3–3: with the goalkeeper out of position, the opponents scored a winner through Ross McCormack, which sent Watford into the Premier League and jeopardised Middlesbrough's own chances of promotion.[20] He did qualify his team to the play-off final after a 5–1 aggregate win over Brentford,[21] but they lost the decisive match 0–2 to Norwich City at Wembley Stadium.[22]

On 7 August 2015, Karanka signed a new four-year contract.[23] Boro were consistently in high positions during the campaign, but on 11 March 2016 he unexpectedly left the training ground after an argument and considered his future at the club; responsibilities for the subsequent match, at Charlton Athletic, were handed to his assistant Steve Agnew,[24] but the Spaniard returned to lead the team to the top division after a seven-year absence, as runners-up.[25]

In 2016–17, Karanka led Middlesbrough to the last eight of the FA Cup, where they were eliminated by Manchester City. He was sacked on 16 March 2017, with the team three points from top-flight safety and without a league win in the new year; while their defence was the fifth-best in the division, their attack was the worst with just 19 goals from 27 games, and he had disagreements with players, fans and the board;[26] club and manager parted ways by mutual consent, as the latter believed he could take the team no further.[27]

Nottingham Forest

On 8 January 2018, Karanka returned to the Championship after being appointed as manager of Nottingham Forest.[28]

Personal life

Karanka's younger brother, David, was also a footballer. A striker, he also appeared for Athletic's first team but with much less impact, going on to spend the vast majority of his professional career in the second level or the lower leagues.[29][30]

Career statistics

Club

[31]

Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Athletic Bilbao 1993–94 180000000180
1994–95 321204000381
1995–96 310300000340
1996–97 371200000391
Total 11827040001292
Real Madrid 1997–98 180205020270
1998–99 4030000070
1999–00 2203011040400
2000–01 3500011020480
2001–02 140706000270
Total 930150330801490
Athletic Bilbao 2002–03 242100000252
2003–04 340100000350
2004–05 60303000120
2005–06 0000000000
Total 642503000722
Colorado Rapids 2006 270000000270
Total 270000000270
Career total 3024270400803774

Managerial statistics

As of match played 6 October 2018
Managerial record by team and tenure
Team From To Record Ref.
PWDLWin %
Middlesbrough 13 November 2013 16 March 2017 171 80 42 49 046.8 [32]
Nottingham Forest 8 January 2018 Present 36 11 14 11 030.6 [32]
Total 207 91 56 60 044.0 —

Honours

Player

Real Madrid

Spain U21

Manager

Middlesbrough

Individual

References

  1. ↑ "Butragueño: "Karanka representa los valores de la casa"" [Butragueño: "Karanka is what this place stands for"]. Marca (in Spanish). 7 June 2010. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
  2. ↑ "Cristiano Ronaldo is the best in the world, says Real Madrid assistant coach Aitor Karanka, after Barcelona win". The Daily Telegraph. 22 April 2012. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
  3. ↑ "Karanka demanding focus from Real". ESPN FC. 23 November 2012. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
  4. ↑ "Heynckes lleva a cabo la revolución que anunció" [Heynckes delivers promised revolution]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 7 November 1993. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  5. ↑ "Karanka, defensa central del Athletic, acepta la oferta para fichar por el Madrid" [Karanka, Athletic central defender, accepts the offer to sign for Madrid]. El País (in Spanish). 13 August 1997. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
  6. ↑ "Llegó el central" [Stopper has arrived] (PDF). Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 14 August 1997. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
  7. ↑ "Aitor Karanka de la Hoz – Matches in European Cups". RSSSF. Retrieved 28 October 2006.
  8. ↑ "Real Madrid 3–0 Valencia". The Guardian. 24 May 2000. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
  9. ↑ "Karanka y su corazón dicen hasta pronto" [Karanka and his heart say see you later]. El Mundo (in Spanish). 4 March 1998. Retrieved 14 December 2010.
  10. ↑ "El mejor refuerzo" [The best addition] (PDF). Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 29 May 2002. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
  11. ↑ "Real Madrid got real test from Union, says Kaká". Philadelphia Union. 24 July 2011. Retrieved 11 December 2011.
  12. ↑ Forbes, Brian (29 October 2006). "Shootout repeats history". The Denver Post. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  13. ↑ "Amavisca se estrena" [Amavisca gets his first]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 27 April 1995. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
  14. ↑ "Italia ya ganó un Europeo a España en el 1996" [Italy have already won European Championships against Spain in 1996] (in Spanish). Orgullo Bianconero. 18 June 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
  15. ↑ Aitor Karanka – FIFA competition record (archive)
  16. ↑ "Karanka será el segundo entrenador que pidió Mourinho" [Karanka will be the assistant coach requested by Mourinho]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 6 June 2010. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
  17. ↑ "Aitor Karanka and Real Madrid part ways". Real Madrid News. 16 July 2013. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  18. ↑ "Aitor Karanka: Middlesbrough name ex-Real Madrid man as boss". BBC Sport. 13 November 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
  19. ↑ "Leeds United 2–1 Middlesbrough". BBC Sport. 23 November 2013. Retrieved 23 November 2013.
  20. ↑ "Aitor Karanka: Middlesbrough risk dents Premier League dream". BBC Sport. 25 April 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  21. ↑ Newsum, Matt (15 May 2015). "Middlesbrough 3–1 Brentford". BBC Sport. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  22. ↑ Shepka, Phil (25 May 2015). "Middlesbrough 0–2 Norwich". BBC Sport. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
  23. ↑ "Aitor Karanka: Middlesbrough head coach signs new deal". BBC Sport. 7 August 2015. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  24. ↑ "Aitor Karanka: Middlesbrough head coach considering future at Riverside". BBC Sport. 12 March 2016. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  25. ↑ "Middlesbrough strike it rich with Premier League promotion". The Express Tribune. 7 May 2016. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
  26. ↑ "Aitor Karanka: Middlesbrough sack manager after three and a half years". BBC Sport. 16 March 2017. Retrieved 16 March 2017.
  27. ↑ "Middlesbrough chairman Steve Gibson says tired Aitor Karanka 'sacrificed himself'". Sky Sports. 17 March 2017. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
  28. ↑ "Nottingham Forest sign new manager". Nottingham Forest F.C. 8 January 2018. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  29. ↑ "David Karanka desvela que Aitor puede volver a Bilbao" [David Karanka reveals Aitor may return to Bilbao]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 20 May 2002. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
  30. ↑ "33 años no son nada" [33 years is nothing]. La Verdad (in Spanish). 4 October 2011. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
  31. ↑ "Aitor Karanka". Worldfootball. Retrieved 26 December 2016.
  32. 1 2 "Managers: Aitor Karanka". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  33. ↑ Newsum, Matt (7 May 2016). "Middlesbrough 1–1 Brighton & Hove Albion". BBC Sport. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
  34. ↑ "Aitor Karanka named Sky Bet Championship Manager of the Month". The Football League. 6 February 2015. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  35. ↑ "Aitor Karanka named Sky Bet Championship Manager of the Month". Middlesbrough F.C. 9 October 2015. Retrieved 23 November 2015.
  36. ↑ "Aitor Karanka named Sky Bet Championship Manager of the Month". The Football League. 9 January 2016. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
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