Diego Gavilán
Personal information
Full name Diego Antonio Gavilán Zarate[1]
Date of birth (1980-03-01) 1 March 1980
Place of birth Asunción, Paraguay
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Defensive midfielder
Youth career
1996–1998 Cerro Porteño
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1998–1999 Cerro Porteño 24 (7)
2000–2003 Newcastle United 7 (1)
2002–2003 → UAG (loan) 14 (1)
2003 → Internacional (loan) 39 (5)
2003–2004 → Udinese (loan) 0 (15)
2004–2005 Internacional 57 (2)
2005–2007 Newell's Old Boys 26 (1)
2007 Grêmio 17 (0)
2008 Flamengo 4 (9)
2008 Portuguesa 22 (6)
2009 Independiente 5 (4)
2010 Olimpia 2 (0)
2011 Juan Aurich 4 (0)
2011 Independiente FBC 0 (4)
International career
1999–2006 Paraguay 43 (7)
Managerial career
2013 Cerro Porteño U15
2014 Olimpia de Itá
2015 Sport Colombia
2015 Independiente FBC
2016 Olimpia de Itá
2017 Deportivo Capiatá
2017 Sportivo Trinidense
2017 Sol de América
2018 Deportivo Capiatá
2018–2019 Pelotas
2021–2023 Cerro Porteño (reserves)
2023 Cerro Porteño
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Diego Antonio Gavilán Zarate (born 1 March 1980) is a Paraguayan former footballer and current coach.[2]

Career

Gavilán's nickname pampero – literally meaning the horse or the man that runs like the wind in the Pampa – offers a fair indication of his purposeful and hard-running style. He began his top-flight career at Cerro Porteño and he became the first-ever Paraguayan to play in England, when he signed for Newcastle United in 2000.[3]

Newcastle United

Gavilan signed with the club in January 2000.[4] On the eve of playing the 2000 Pre-Olympic CONMEBOL Tournament, was surprised by being transferred to Newcastle United, attending a meeting on one and then signing a contract the next day. Gavilán did not participate in the Pre-Olympic Tournament and went directly to his new club.[5] Upon joining from Cerro Porteño, Gavilan was labelled Paraguay's David Beckham.[6] Gavilán already studied English whilst in High School in Paraguay, but had to take classes twice a week once he was in Newcastle to improve his English.[7]

Gavilán cost Newcastle £2m when he left his native Paraguay behind at the age of just 19. He made his Premiership debut in a 2–2 draw at Sunderland. He struggled however, to stake a real claim for a first team place, making some appearances for the club as a substitute. He scored once in the league, against Coventry in a 2–0 win in April 2000.[8]

Gavilan mentioned the difference between English and Paraguayan football and the physicality in the Premier League, that he was tackled hardly by Jaap Stam in his first game against Manchester United.[9]

In December 2001, it was announced that Newcastle would loan out Gavilan to Mexican club Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara for the remainder of the 2001/02 season.[10] His last first-team appearance fifteen months prior to this was in a League Cup victory over Leyton Orient,[11] and by this time he had played only two further games for the club.

In 2003, he joined Internacional of Brazil.

Gavilan later revealed that Gary Speed was like a father to him, praising Speed for helping him settle into life at St. James' Park and for also congratulating Gavilan when he was selected for Paraguay's squad for the 2002 FIFA World Cup.[12]

Newell's Old Boys

In 2006, Gavilán signed with the Argentinian side Newell's Old Boys.

Gremio

He signed the following year with Grêmio, returning to the city of Porto Alegre in Brazil.

Independiente

Gavilán then joined Independiente on loan.

Portuguesa

Then with Portuguesa until November.

Independiente CG

In 2011, the players signs with Independiente CG.[13]

Coaching career

Gavilán coached Cerro Porteño U15 as of 2013. He coached Sergio Díaz.[14]

In May 2015, Gavilán was announced as coach of Independiente Campo Grande in Paraguay's Division Intermedia, second division.[15]

In July 2023, he was announced as coach of Cerro Porteño Paraguay's Primera Division, the top-tier division of the country.[16]

References

  1. ↑ "2006 FIFA World Cup Germany: List of Players" (PDF). FIFA. 21 March 2014. p. 20. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 June 2019.
  2. ↑ "Diego Gavilán, el técnico de Cerro Porteño: ¿Pero quién dirige el sábado? - Cerro Porteño - ABC Color".
  3. ↑ "'Where did it all go wrong?' – Diego Gavilan & Newcastle". 4 February 2010.
  4. ↑ "Diego Gavilan".
  5. ↑ "ExTecos, Diego Gavilán, recuerda entrada de defensor del Manchester United: "Bienvenido a la Premier"". 24 July 2020.
  6. ↑ "Mexican Wave as Gavilan Leaves United". 19 December 2001.
  7. ↑ "ExTecos, Diego Gavilán, recuerda entrada de defensor del Manchester United: "Bienvenido a la Premier"". 24 July 2020.
  8. ↑ "Newcastle 2 – 0 Coventry". 4TheGame. 29 April 2000. Archived from the original on 30 December 2007. Retrieved 19 November 2009.
  9. ↑ "Diego Gavilán: Gary Speed era como un padre para mí | Goal.com".
  10. ↑ "Mexican Wave as Gavilan Leaves United". 19 December 2001.
  11. ↑ "Mexican Wave as Gavilan Leaves United". 19 December 2001.
  12. ↑ "Diego Gavilán: Gary Speed era como un padre para mí | Goal.com".
  13. ↑ "NOTICLUBES – Deportes – ABC Color".
  14. ↑ "Sergio Díaz, El Kun Agüero de Cerro Porteño".
  15. ↑ "Varios técnicos cambiados – Deportes – ABC Color".
  16. ↑ "Diego Gavilán, el técnico de Cerro Porteño: ¿Pero quién dirige el sábado? - Cerro Porteño - ABC Color".
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