[Depor] Marcos Vales

MARCOS VALES LLANES Date of Birth: 5 April, 1975 Nationality: Spain (international) Period at Deportivo: 1992 - 1994 Transfer: (1992, Deportivo B) Clubs: Mallorca (2004), Sevilla (2002-2004), Real Zaragoza (1997-2002), Sporting de Gijón (1994-1997), Deportivo (1992-1994), Deportivo B Sold: Free Transfer (1994, Sporting de Gijón) Height: 181 cm Weight: 77 kg Position: Attacking Midfielder (right)/Attacker

La Coruña-born MARCOS VALES was formed in the youth ranks of Deportivo before, aged seventeen, he made his debut in the Primera División in March, 1993. Two months later he scored the winner against Real Zaragoza in Riazor (1-0) and his future seemed to look bright. He did become an important player in the Primera División, but not at Deportivo. At his debut match under coach Arsenio Iglesias, a 5-0 home win against Real Burgos, he replaced Mauro Silva and participated during most of the matches after it. Deportivo were impressing Spain with good football and would finish third that season, qualifying for the first time in their history for European football. His eight performances that season were limited to substitutions, still not bad for a player of his age. Despite the signing of Javier Manjarín during the summer of 1993 he continued this way and participated during eleven of the first sixteen Liga matches that season. But Deportivo were functioning well and narrowly missed winning the title that season. Meanwhile, Marcos Vales’ participation remained limited to the matches he played in the year 1993 and during the next summer he decided to leave his region of birth. He could do so because he was playing with an amateur contract and Sporting de Gijón simply needed to inform the Spanish FA about him moving cities. In this case the player himself needs to join the daily work of his new club, something Deportivo president Lendoiro wanted to investigate. He even hired a detective to found out whether Marcos Vales fulfilled these demands, but in the end couldn’t frustrate his departure. Another talent had left La Coruña. During his three years at Sporting de Gijón he became an important figure during his third year and played a total of sixty matches at the highest level. But one thing he lacked in this time in Northern-Spain and after it: scoring goals. Despite his technical qualities and offensive intentions the Spanish youth international (sub-18 and sub-21) only scored three Liga goals for Sporting de Gijón. Aged twenty-two he switched clubs again and signed a contract at Real Zaragoza. There he quickly conquered a starting place and saw his club finishing fourth in 2000. Marcos Vales played eighty-one matches for them in three seasons and produced more goals than ever: a total of nine. He even played a match for Spain when in October, 1998 his country when 1-2 against Israel in Tel Aviv. But the period 2000-2002 ended up in relegation for the club and Marcos Vales only played another twenty-two matches (two goals). But his regular performances made him stay in the Primera División as Sevilla became his fourth club. He spent the years 2002-2004 in Andalucia and played fourty Liga matches for them. The three goals he scored, all during his first season, all were decisive: at Rayo Vallecano (0-1), as a substitute at eternal rivals Betis Sevilla (0-1) and against Recreativo de Huelva (1-0). During the season 2003/2004 he didn't enter much in the plans of coach Joaquín Caparrós, hesuffered a serious injury at the end of 2003, and in2004 he moved to his fifth club: Real Mallorca. There he started his thirteenth consecutive season in the Primera División despite interest of Galician clubs Celta de Vigo and Pontevedra.