Javier Calleja

Javier Calleja Revilla (born 12 May 1978) is a Spanish retired footballer who played mainly as a left midfielder, and a current manager.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Calleja and the second or maternal family name is Revilla.
Javier Calleja
Calleja managing Villarreal in 2018
Personal information
Full name Javier Calleja Revilla
Date of birth (1978-05-12) 12 May 1978
Place of birth Alcalá de Henares, Spain
Height 1.71 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
Real Madrid
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1996–1998 Real Madrid C 60 (11)
1998 Almería 3 (0)
1998–1999 Alcalá
1999–2000 Onda 29 (17)
1999–2006 Villarreal 124 (9)
2006–2009 Málaga 104 (5)
2009–2012 Osasuna 46 (1)
Total 366 (43)
National team
1993 Spain U16 1 (0)
Teams managed
2012–2017 Villarreal (youth)
2017 Villarreal B
2017–2018 Villarreal
2019–2020 Villarreal
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

He amassed La Liga totals of 192 matches and nine goals over one full decade, mainly with Villarreal (six seasons) and Osasuna (three). He also represented Málaga in the competition, in a professional career which lasted 16 years.

Playing career

After growing unsuccessfully through the ranks of Real Madrid and making his professional debut with lowly UD Almería, Alcalá de Henares-born Calleja was bought by Villarreal CF, but spent some months with its farm team CD Onda.[1] He made his first-team debut in the second division, playing nine games in the 1999–2000 campaign as the side returned to La Liga and contributing with one goal, in the 1–3 away loss against CA Osasuna.[2]

In his first three seasons in that tier, Calleja was a very important member for the Yellow Submarine, scoring four goals in 35 matches in 2001–02. On 5 April 2003, he netted a penalty kick as a late substitute in a 2–0 home win over FC Barcelona, dedicating the goal to his mother who had died hours before;[3] however, the emergence of Santi Cazorla and two consecutive serious knee injuries limited him to just 25 appearances the following three campaigns combined.[4]

In 2006–07, Calleja left Villarreal joining Málaga CF. He was an instant first-choice in Andalusia, making 38 appearances in his second season as the club returned to the top flight after a two-year hiatus.

After a serious injury to teammate Adriano Rossato, Calleja spent much of the following campaign playing as left back.[5][6] On 12 June 2009, after his contract with Málaga expired, he moved to Osasuna in a 2+1 years deal.[7]

Coaching career

In September 2012, 34-year-old Calleja announced his retirement and immediately returned to his former club Villarreal, being appointed manager of the youth sides.[8] On 9 May 2017, he replaced Paco López at the helm of the reserves.[9]

On 25 September 2017, Calleja was named manager of the first team in the place of fired Fran Escribá.[10] In his first season he led them to the fifth position, with the subsequent qualification to the group stage of the UEFA Europa League.[11] On 20 May 2018, he extended his contract.[12]

On 10 December 2018, with the side just three points above the relegation zone and having managed only one win in the last nine league fixtures, Calleja was dismissed.[13] On 29 January 2019, however, he was reinstated in the post following the sacking of Luis García.[14] He left in July 2020, after a late run of form won the team a fifth-place finish and European qualification.[15]

Managerial statistics
As of match played 19 July 2020
Managerial record by team and tenure
Team Nat From To Record Ref
G W D L GF GA GD Win %
Villarreal B 26 May 2017 25 September 2017 6 4 2 0 7 2 +5 066.67 [16]
Villarreal 25 September 2017 10 December 2018 65 25 18 22 100 80 +20 038.46 [17]
Villarreal 29 January 2019 19 July 2020 66 32 12 22 113 85 +28 048.48 [18]
Career total 137 61 32 44 220 167 +53 044.53 —

Honours

Player

Villarreal

References
  1. "El alcalaíno Javier Calleja, entrenador del Villareal [sic], protagonista de la información deportiva por su victoria ante el Madrid" [Alcalá-born Javier Calleja, manager of Villarreal, sports news protagonist for his win against Madrid] (in Spanish). Alcalá Hoy. 14 January 2018. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
  2. "Osasuna se coloca en zona de ascenso" [Osasuna reach promotion zone] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 8 May 2000. Retrieved 13 October 2018.
  3. El Villarreal impone la pena máxima al Barcelona (Villarreal impose maximum penalty on Barcelona); Terra, 5 April 2003 (in Spanish)
  4. Javier Calleja: "Ahora estoy seguro de que he hecho lo correcto al quedarme" (Javier Calleja: "Now I am sure i did the right thing by staying") Archived 13 August 2009 at the Wayback Machine; El Periódico Mediterráneo, 20 January 2006 (in Spanish)
  5. Calleja (Málaga): "Soy optimista, pero sé que la dificultad de ganar en el Bernabéu es muy grande" (Calleja (Málaga): "I am optimistic, but I know it is very difficult to win at the Bernabéu"); Europa Press, 6 November 2008 (in Spanish)
  6. ""Formamos una gran pareja de laterales"" ["We are a great set of fullbacks"] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 27 November 2008. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  7. Calleja refuerza la banda izquierda de Osasuna (Calleja strengthens Osasuna's left flank); Marca, 12 June 2009 (in Spanish)
  8. Calleja vuelve a casa (Calleja returns home); El Periódico Mediterráneo, 5 September 2012 (in Spanish)
  9. Javi Calleja se perfila como nuevo entrenador del filial (Javi Calleja poised as the new manager of the reserves); Vavel, 9 May 2017 (in Spanish)
  10. Javi Calleja is the new Villarreal CF manager; Villarreal CF, 25 September 2017
  11. "Calleja renueva un año en el banquillo del Villarreal" [Calleja renews for one year in bench of Villarreal] (in Spanish). Sport. 20 May 2018. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  12. "El Villarreal CF renueva a Javi Calleja" [Villarreal CF renew Javi Calleja] (in Spanish). Villarreal CF. 20 May 2018. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  13. Franch, Víctor; Whelan, Padraig (10 December 2018). "Villarreal sack coach Javi Calleja" (in Spanish). Marca. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  14. "Javi Calleja vuelve al Villarreal" [Javi Calleja returns to Villarreal] (in Spanish). Villarreal CF. 29 January 2019. Archived from the original on 4 April 2019. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  15. "Calleja no longer Villarreal manager – club statement". Reuters. 20 July 2020. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  16. "Calleja: Javier Calleja Revilla". BDFutbol. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
  17. "Calleja: Javier Calleja Revilla". BDFutbol. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
    "Calleja: Javier Calleja Revilla". BDFutbol. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  18. "Calleja: Javier Calleja Revilla". BDFutbol. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
    "Calleja: Javier Calleja Revilla". BDFutbol. Retrieved 20 August 2019.
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