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PABLO ÁLVAREZ NÚÑEZ
Squad Number 07/08: 14
Date of Birth: 14 May, 1980
Nationality: Spain
Contract: 2006 - 2009
Transfer: Free Transfer (2006)
Previous Clubs: Sporting Gijón (2001-2006), Sporting Gijón B (1998-2001), Lugo (1989-1998)
Buy-out Clause: ??
Height: 174 cm
Weight: 67 kg
Position: Attacking Midfielder (right/left)
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Galician winger PABLO ÁLVAREZ, although born in Oviedo (Asturias), was one the many new arrivals in the summer of 2006. Although he was already signed in January of that year, an awful injury prevented his debut until almost one year later. That debut, including a goal, against Valladolid was very promising. Versatile Pablo Álvarez was appointed to be the successor of Víctor Sánchez at Depor’s right wing, but for now he's playing on loan at Racing Santander.
Álvarez’ family lives in Galicia and young Pablo learned the basics of football in Lugo. There his father works in an Agricultural School and his brother plays for the regional team of Santa Comba. Pablo Álvarez and his friend Paco Corredoira (ex-Compostela, now at Racing de Ferrol) wrote history when they helped with the promotion of a young Lugo team to the División de Honor. In 1998, aged 18, he joined Sporting Gijón. Instantly he was nicknamed as 'El Gallego' or 'Galleguín' for his origin and his particular accent. He played in the youth teams of Sporting until he was promoted to the first squad in 2001.
His statistics of his last three seasons at Gijón include 97 matches and 19 goals. At Sporting he was considered one of their best players those years and certainly one of the best crossers in the Segunda División. Scoring one goal every five matches means that on many occasions he showed his unique goal celebration: pretending to be a shark. For that reason he deserved another nickname: ‘Tibu’ (short for Tiburón = shark). Besides his crosses, his technique, velocity and heading abilities should be mentioned. It’s said that Quini (Sporting’s all-time topscorer) himself taught him how to head the ball.
In December 2005 he was one of best players when the resurrected team of Galicia played against Uruguay. A few weeks later media started to pick up stories that Pablo Álvarez, whose contract was running out in June 2006, would sign at Deportivo. Bad luck struck when in April of that year he suffered a broken leg against Lleida. But that didn’t halt his move to Deportivo. The winger continued his recuperation process in Gijón supervised by Depor's doctor. In July his move was officially confirmed by Depor’s website.
His debut came on 31 January 2007 in Riazor during the Copa match against Valladolid. He scored Depor’s equalizer and with it paved the way for a 4-1 victory, enough to have a comfortable position in the return match (1-1). “It have been nine months since my injury”, Pablo Álvarez said, “and I still cannot believe that I’ve returned". Three days later he made his debut in the Primera División during the 1-0 win against Mallorca. His first starting position he claimed on 18 February 2007 at home against Levante (0-0). Despite his promising debut, Caparrós didn't trust in him and Pablo only played 343 minutes during 7 liga games.
Things seemed to be fine with the arrival of Miguel Angel Lotina at the start of the season 2007/2008, the Basque coach even appointed the winger was one of the main surprises that he found at Depor, but strangely, he never appeared in his plans. In fact, he was the player with less minutes in the squad: only eleven minutes. Time he spent over the grass during the last part of the 1-0 victory over Sevilla. Therefore, 'the shark' was loaned until the end of season to Racing Santander, place where he will meet against with Marcelino, his former coach at Sporting Gijón. Only time will tell if the 'shark' will navigate once again in Riazor's beach.
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