Sporting Gijón mourns José Manuel Díaz Novoa after death at 82 | OneFootball

Real Sporting de Gijón are in mourning after the death of José Manuel Díaz Novoa, aged 82.

The club said in a statement on Sunday that the former player, head coach and sporting director had died, praising his enduring legacy.

He is the coach who has led Sporting the most times in the club’s history, and he influenced the careers of Joaquín and Jiménez, among others. He also coached RC Celta, Real Burgos CF, RCD Espanyol and Málaga CF, and led the Asturias representative side.

He spent more than half his life at the club, arriving as a player in 1960 and departing the dugout in 1998. He later oversaw the Mareo academy during its launch as technical director.

He stepped up from assistant to Vicente Miera in 1979 and oversaw seven straight wins during the 1979-80 campaign. Before that he had impressed with Sporting’s B team.

His tenure also brought near misses, including a Copa del Rey final defeat to Real Madrid in Valladolid. Across roles spanning pitch, dugout and academy, he helped shape Sporting’s modern identity.

Source: El Periódico Mediterráneo