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PABLO AMO AGUADO
Squad number 07/08:24
Date of Birth: 15 January 1978
Nationality: Spain
Contract: 2002 - 2009
Transfer: €4 million (2002)
Previous Clubs: Recreativo (2006-2007), Valladolid (2006), Sporting Gijón (1999-2002), Sporting Gijón B (1997-1999)
Buy-out Clause: ca. €64,1 million (10.000 million pesetas)
Height: 186 cm
Weight: 76 kg
Position: Defender (central)
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It have been five years already since Deportivo signed PABLO AMO in 2002. The central defender of Sporting Gijón, 24-years old back then, had been on Depor’s wish list for a while when he eventually was signed to cover the place of injured Jorge Andrade. But he didn’t even make his Liga debut that season and until now has just 18 Liga matches behind his name at Deportivo. Now, aged 29, the departure of the same Jorge Andrade could open a place in the squad of Lotina.
2002/2003: URGENCY SIGNING REPLACING JORGE ANDRADE
The summer of 2002 was the sixth consecutive pre-season when Deportivo spend more than at least €20 million on new players. In fact, that summer is second on the list of most spending after the one in 2000. There were many rumours during those months for all positions, including about a new central defender. Veteran defender Donato (39) had sustained an important injury in February of that year while the contract of Portuguese defender Hélder was running out. Commenting on all these rumours, president Lendoiro admitted that he was looking for a new central defender. "But nothing more. There won’t be other signings unless something special happens, like a club paying a buy-out clause of one of our own players”.
The media focused on the defensive positions and came forward with the names of Onopko, Karanka, Abelardo, Rafael Márquez and even the ones of Lucio and Stam. But early June a move of Pablo Amo, who was wanted by Atlético de Madrid the year before, seemed to be in the making. The defender himself admitted that he wanted to move to a bigger club while his club, Sporting de Gijón, could need some money. "Playing in the Primera División is something that I always have wanted to do. Besides, the clubs interested in me are big ones (FC Barcelona were mentioned too). And that could make the step even better. Deportivo are a big club, aspiring for all the prizes available. I already missed out on a big club last year, and I don't want to miss this one too”.
But halfway July the newspapers were almost too late with speculations about a move of Jorge Andrade (FC Porto) to Deportivo, a player who also was related to Arsenal, Leeds United and FC Barcelona. And when this deal was done within some days, the chapter of defensive additions seemed done. For other positions, Deportivo also signed Juanmi, ‘Toro’ Acuña and Albert Luque. But bad luck struck when Jorge Andrade broke a toe of his left foot during his first Liga match against Betis Sevilla (2-4) and the diagnose was the he would be out for at least two months. Within days a deal was struck for Pablo Amo and president Lendoiro even wished that he would make his debut for the Spanish national team soon.
 Although it was fast move, which may be called a move of urgency, Irureta didn’t really need Pablo Amo that season. One of his disadvantages was that he was too late to be subscribed for the UEFA Champions League 2002/2003. Another disadvantage were some small injuries that he sustained in 2003. But his biggest disadvantage was the competition of Naybet, César Martín, Donato (fit again) and Djorovic. Irureta also even preferred to use left winger Romero in the centre, if necessary, above Pablo Amo. Overall, the ex-Sporting defender only played a handful of Copa matches during the season 2002/2003. He made his debut against Correalejo in September 2002, added a second Copa match two months later against Racing de Ferrol and played another four (twice against Alicante and Murcia each).
It was evident that Pablo Amo was low on Irureta’s list of preferences. When the season became near its end, the defender said: "I'll try to sort out my situation during the summer, because I think that another year like this is neither good for me nor for Depor”. And when the season was over, and neither in the final matches he was given an opportunity, he said: "It’s not good for either myself or Deportivo that I’m one year older now without having played. It seems that I have wasted a year. I want to play here and I know I can do it. I will listen to the club's decisions, and I will work as hard as ever because I don't want anyone to lose confidence in me. My opportunity might just come”.
2003/2004: A HANDFUL OF LIGA MATCHES
Despite interest of clubs like Valladolid, Betis Sevilla and Murcia, Deportivo quickly decided that Pablo Amo would stay in the squad for the season 2003/2004. This probably had to do with the retirement of Donato. But the situation itself hardly changed. Early October he started the Copa match at Compostela (0-1). More than two months later he scored Depor’s first goal at Gimnástica Torrelavega (1-2). But after it, it remained silent again. The months passed by with Jorge Andrade pairing up with either Naybet or César Martín. And when opportunities arrived, like when Naybet was playing the Africa Cup or César Martín being injured, Pablo Amo himself was out injured. Nevertheless, the surroundings kept stressing Pablo Amo’s qualities. He had done great jobs in the Copa matches he played since 2002 and impressed during training sessions. His colleague Naybet even called him "the future of Deportivo, together with César Martín and Jorge Andrade. Pablo Amo has a lot of technique, and that's not usual for a defender. He resembles me a lot. I really like his way of playing. Because I am a player, and even more because we share a position, I can judge him. And I think he has all to become a success”. But again both the competition of the other defenders and injuries prevented success.
20 March 2004 would become his big day. Some days later Deportivo would play the Champions League Quarter Final first let at AC Milan, and Irureta gave rest to Naybet. Because César Martín was suspended, it was Pablo Amo who together with Jorge Andrade kept a clean sheet in the home match against Murcia (1-0). This debut satisfied the defender. "I really wanted to play and things to go well, but above all to achieve a victory. That's the most important thing, and fortunately it happened. I must admit I was a bit uneasy during the match because we just couldn't score that second goal. But the defensive line played very well. And one has to be very alert in matches like this because their attacks were rare”. Pablo Amo also was praised by Irureta. "He played very well, and the victory confirms this. If he would have started with a defeat this could been raised some doubts. But I liked his attitude, as he was very concentrated and defended well".
 Would this be the turn-around? Pablo Amo had to wait a few more weeks before he would get a chance to play consecutive matches. On 1 May 2004 he started against Real Madrid (2-0) together with Jorge Andrade. This had to with the fact that there was another Champions League ahead: the Semi Final return against FC Porto for which Jorge Andrade was suspended. So, Irureta spared the duo César Martín and Naybet for that match. Once more the match against Real Madrid confirmed the qualities of Pablo Amo. He was secure at the back against calibre players like Figo, Raúl, Zidane and Ronaldo. If there had ever been doubts about his qualities, this match confirmed that he indeed was talented. The match against FC Porto is well-known: César Martín caused a penalty-kick and after it fell out of favour with Irureta. The fact that Romero and Naybet both were injured for the final part of the season meant that Pablo Amo also played the matches against Espanyol, Celta de Vigo and Racing de Santander from finish to start. Not by coincidence his team leaked just two goals and earned nine points in these four matches.
Now there was optimism surrounding Pablo Amo. But he himself kept both feet on the round and remained realistic. "The thing is that playing these matches has given a new boost to my morale because every player wants to be on the pitch. To actually do this causes a great satisfaction at the personal level. But for evaluating my time so far at Deportivo one has to note that I haven’t played much in those two seasons. Since signing here I always saw possibilities to play, or at least to fill up places left by others. But it wasn’t to be and that’s the negative part of the story. Nevertheless, one always should look forward and I think that working hard always will be rewarded. My wish is to triumph here and that’s why I want to talk to the club about it and to make decisions. In January I will become 27 and so it’s time for me to start playing. I know it will be difficult to achieve as it’s the wish of all of us. But next season I must play matches”.
2004/2005: FINALLY A REAL CHANCE
His best opportunity until then would arrive during the season 2004/2005. Naybet left the club to play for Tottenham Hotspur and Djorovic was released. That minimalized the defensive part of Depor’s squad. Like every summer, there were many rumours. Defenders like Lequi, Coloccini, Fernando Niño, Rafael Márquez, Caneira and Álvaro were linked to the club. Deportivo were very close to signing Pablo Ibáñez from Albacete, but disagreement about the paying method was the reason why he departed to Atlético de Madrid. It was a confirmation that much was changing at the club. Only Las Palmas youngsters Rubén and Momo were signed with the money the island club still owed to Deportivo. It made it two summers in a row that the club almost made not investments. At the same time, important players like Donato, Makaay and Naybet were gone. Deportivo had financial troubles and this become more clear now. The current squad, but without Naybet, had reached the final four in Europe a few months earlier and Lendoiro was gambling that the squad was still hungry enough to repeat this. It was a sign that when the transfer deadline became near, shortly after the pre-round of the Champions League was survived, not even a player like Acciari (Murcia) could be attached.
 A player like Pablo Amo was part of Depor’s near future. Despite the usual interest that summer, this time the club and coach Irureta displayed confidence in him. They did not have much choice tough with the way things were going. Irureta kept asking for reinforcements, but these simply didn’t came. At the same time, Pablo Amo did well during the pre-season and even scored a couple of goals like during the Teresa Herrera match against Sporting Lisbon (2-0). Of course there was much talking about him taking over from Naybet, something which Pablo Amo denied. "I am not a replacement for anybody. I have been in the team for two years now. I have become a more mature player and the coach understands this. He is now counting on me and I hope this will not change. The only thing I need right now is continuity”. The defender was praised by colleague Pandiani, who called him ‘magnificent’.
The season 2004/2005 became Pablo Amo’s best at the club so far. But it never became what the player and supporters expected. Until the end of January he participated in ten out of twenty-one Liga matches of which eight as a starter. But the magic had disappeared from the squad. Deportivo became the first team ever not to score a single goal in six Champions League group matches, were eliminated by little Elche from the Copa del Rey and on 30 January 2005 were 11th in the Liga table. The team struggled heavily. In numbers the defence did well and leaked about one goal per match. Jorge Andrade never lost his place and was accompanied by either César Martin or Pablo Amo. But the fact that Romero, again, also was used on this position indicated that Pablo Amo still hadn’t the full confidence of Irureta.
A final blow to Pablo Amo’s chances under Irureta came when the club signed Argentinean defender Coloccini in January. Coloccini and Jorge Andrade formed Depor’s defensive duo for the final part of the season. Until Coloccini started playing, Pablo Amo scored an own goal at Osasuna but Sergio still saved a point for his team (1-1). Pablo Amo started two more matches: at Betis Sevilla (because Coloccini went to Argentina for family matters) and at Getafe (because Jorge Andrade was suspended). His final match appearance under Irureta was when on 13 March he entered the pitch of Albacete with two minutes remaining to defend Depor’s 0-1 lead. It probably didn’t matter much for Pablo Amo’s chances that he was injured for most of the remaining weeks. But Pablo Amo reacted in a professional way towards the signing of Coloccini. At first he welcomed the defender but added that he believed that that "the club should have trusted us more. This transfer is unnecessary”. Later he mentioned that he saw Coloccini’s arrival as positive because it "increases competition to the benefit of the team. The arrival of Coloccini will help us in order to have a better defence”.
2005/2006: NO MINUTES AND A LOAN DEAL AT VALLADOLID
In April 2005 the agent of Pablo Amo already mentioned that it would be best for the defender to leave the club. But new coach Joaquin Caparrós needed a chance to test him during the pre-season in preparation for the 2005/2006 campaign. Again it would be a quiet summer of Deportivo on the transfer market. But Pablo Amo was the first to be told by Caparrós that the coach didn’t count on him. Both Pablo and Amo and Caparrós agreed that a loan deal or transfer to another club would be the best solution. Juanma was signed as his replacement, while Getafe, Osasuna, Racing the Santander, Alavés, Real Sociedad, Mallorca, Cádiz and Zaragoza showed an interest in getting Pablo Amo. But Lendoiro wanted interested clubs to pay Pablo Amo’s full salary, and even didn’t accept offers of 85%. Bad luck struck the defender when near the end of the pre-season he suffered a serious knee injury and would be out for several weeks. But even when he was fit, Caparrós kept his word and rotated Coloccini, Juanma and Jorge Andrade in centre defence while not counting on Pablo Amo.
 When the transfer window opened again in January, Valladolid, Elche, Mallorca and Racing were linked to the defender. Elche looked to become his destination, until it finally became Valladolid in the Segunda División A. It was said that Deportivo earned about €180,000 for the loan deal. But neither this deal was successful because muscular problems kept him sidelined for most of the final part. Still Valladolid were interested in extending the deal. Meanwhile, Espanyol-defender Lopo signed at Deportivo and the club were negotiating with Málaga about defender Alexis Ruano. Pablo Amo and Momo formed part of Depor’s offer for him, but in the end this deal wasn’t materialized. The signing of Lopo quickly closed the door for Pablo Amo’s return to Depor and at the end of May he already was told this. Pablo Amo said: "It’s good to know this early and not to wait until the final days of the transfer period. I have no problems with being loaned out again. But I would like to know my destination early in order to work with my new team mates from the start”.
2006/2007: LOAN DEAL AT RECREATVO
But Deportivo president Lendoiro had his hands full with the numerous signings that summer and the seven players that were discarded by Caparrós. The coach helped a little bit by fielding Pablo Amo in a friendly at Betanzos, as a reward for his professional behaviour. In this way the defender could show interested clubs that he was fit again. But neither this summer was a solution found quickly. Pablo Amo’s agent presented an offer of Recreativo and a French club, but Lendoiro still had other priorities. Only during the final hours before the transfer deadline would pass on 31 August, was a deal struck with Recreativo.
The season 2006/2007 in Huelva would be Pablo Amo’s best of his career at the highest level. Again it would be minor injuries which spoiled part of his campaign, but he played a total of 18 matches of which 14 as a starter. To compare: during the season 2004/2005 he played 13 matches at Deportivo of which 10 as a starter. His advantage, or his contribution, was that Recreativo would do well that season. As a team without real ‘stars’, Recre led by coach Marcelino was fighting for an UEFA Cup spot until near the end and took four points out of six against Deportivo. Pablo Amo participated in six matches during the 2006 part of the season of which three as a starter. During the seventeen matchdays between 21 January and 20 May 2007 he participated twelve times of which eleven as a starter. It was the best period of Pablo Amo playing consecutive matches at the highest level ever. The defender even was praised by his coach: "I knew Pablo Amo’s capacities already because of the time we spend at Sporting de Gijón. This year some injuries meant that he couldn’t play all we wanted, but I’m sure that next year he’ll do better”.
If that opportunity will arrive at Deportivo depends on new coach Lotina. Both Irureta and Caparrós didn’t have much faith in him; the Andalucian coach even less than the Basque one. But it’s a fact that with the sale of Jorge Andrade and the permanent rumours about Coloccini, the central defensive part of the squad needs input. Lopo is sure of his place, but talented Rodri (22) and Aythami (21) are very inexperienced which could be to the advantage of Pablo Amo. He has still two more years of contract to go in La Coruña and has been playing and training at the highest level since 2002. Pablo Amo joined the squad of Deportivo for the pre-season at Vilalba and, unlike previous years, it seems that he’ll get a fair chance during the summer months.
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