Alí Cañas

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Alí Cañas

| fullname = José Alí Cañas Navas

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1960|6|19|df=y}}

| birth_place = Mérida, Venezuela

| height =

| position = Forward

| currentclub = Deportivo Táchira (assistant)

| youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 1976 | clubs1 = Portuguesa | caps1 = | goals1 =

| years2 = 1976–1980 | clubs2 = Estudiantes de Mérida | caps2 = | goals2 =

| years3 = 1985–1986 | clubs3 = ULA | caps3 = | goals3 =

| years4 = 1987 | clubs4 = Estudiantes de Mérida | caps4 = | goals4 =

| manageryears1 = 1992–2000 | managerclubs1 = Venezuela (assistant)

| manageryears2 = 1998 | managerclubs2 = Zulia (assistant)

| manageryears3 = 1998 | managerclubs3 = Monagas

| manageryears4 = 2001–2002 | managerclubs4 = Estudiantes de Mérida (assistant)

| manageryears5 = 2003 | managerclubs5 = Maracaibo

| manageryears6 = 2003–2005 | managerclubs6 = Monagas

| manageryears7 = 2006 | managerclubs7 = Ghana (assistant)

| manageryears8 = 2007 | managerclubs8 = Monagas

| manageryears9 = 2008 | managerclubs9 = Mineros

| manageryears10 = 2009 | managerclubs10 = Estrella Roja

| manageryears11 = 2010–2011 | managerclubs11 = Monagas

| manageryears12 = 2012–2013 | managerclubs12 = Yaracuyanos

| manageryears13 = 2014–2015 | managerclubs13 = Deportivo Lara (assistant)

| manageryears14 = 2016–2017 | managerclubs14 = Deportivo Lara

| manageryears15 = 2017–2019 | managerclubs15 = Zamora

| manageryears16 = 2020–2022 | managerclubs16 = Portuguesa

| manageryears17 = 2023 | managerclubs17 = Estudiantes de Mérida

| manageryears18 = 2024 | managerclubs18 = Zamora

| manageryears19 = 2025– | managerclubs19 = Deportivo Táchira

}}

José Alí Cañas Navas (born 19 June 1960) is a Venezuelan football manager and former player who played as a forward. He is the current assistant manager of Deportivo Táchira.

Cañas is the youngest Venezuelan to feature in a Copa Libertadores match, playing at the age of 15 in the 1976 edition. He is also the only Venezuelan manager to take part of a FIFA World Cup, after being an assistant of Ratomir Dujković in the Ghana national team for the 2006 edition.

Career

Born in Mérida, Cañas played one Copa Libertadores match for Portuguesa before moving to Estudiantes de Mérida in 1976. He left the club in 1980, and subsequently represented Universidad de Los Andes before returning to Estudiantes in 1987.

Shortly after retiring, Cañas became Ratomir Dujković's assistant at the Venezuela national team. He also worked under the same role with subsequent managers Eduardo Borrero and José Omar Pastoriza,{{cite web|url=https://www.teradeportes.com/node/17056|title=Venezolano Alí Cañas es el nuevo asistente del seleccionador de Ghana.|trans-title=Venezuelan Alí Cañas is the new assistant manager of Ghana.|publisher=TeraDeportes|language=es|date=29 December 2005|accessdate=24 March 2021}} while also assisting Dujković at Zulia in 1998;{{cite web|url=http://static.eluniversal.com/2006/06/14/wc06_art_14305A.shtml|title=Toque latino de Ghana tiene el sello de Alí Cañas|trans-title=Latin touch of Ghana has the seal of Alí Cañas|publisher=El Universal|language=es|date=14 June 2006|accessdate=24 March 2021|archive-date=29 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220129090328/http://static.eluniversal.com/2006/06/14/wc06_art_14305A.shtml|url-status=dead}} in that year, he was also in charge of Monagas.

In 2003, Cañas led Maracaibo to the Clausura title, but lost the final to Caracas. He subsequently returned to Monagas, and was named Dujković's assistant at the Ghana national team on 29 December 2005.{{cite web|url=https://www.eluniversal.com/2005/12/29/futb_art_29305D.shtml|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20051231060211/https://www.eluniversal.com/2005/12/29/futb_art_29305D.shtml|title=Alí Cañas hace maletas para Alemania 2006|trans-title=Alí Cañas packs his bags for Germany 2006|publisher=El Universal|language=es|date=29 December 2005|archivedate=31 December 2005|accessdate=24 March 2021}}

After the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Cañas returned to his home country and rejoined Monagas for a third spell. He was appointed manager of Mineros for the 2008 campaign, but was sacked in September of that year.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com.ar/noticias/nota?s=ven&id=728799&type=story|title=Para salir de la crisis|trans-title=To leave the crisis|publisher=ESPN|language=es|date=24 September 2008|accessdate=24 March 2021}}

In 2010, after a period at Estrella Roja, Cañas was again named manager of Monagas. He left the club on 7 December 2011,{{cite web|url=http://balonazos.com/noticias.php?subaction=showfull&id=1323309440&archive=&start_from=&ucat=1&|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120106074418/http://balonazos.com/noticias.php?subaction=showfull&id=1323309440&archive=&start_from=&ucat=1&|title=Alí Cañas no seguirá dirigiendo al Monagas Sport Club|trans-title=Alí Cañas will not continue managing Monagas Sport Club|publisher=Balonazos.com|language=es|date=7 December 2011|archivedate=6 January 2012|accessdate=24 March 2021}} and was presented as manager of Yaracuyanos the following 21 June.{{cite web|url=http://www.liderendeportes.com/Noticias/Futbol/Ali-Canas-presentado-como-nuevo-DT-de-Yaracuyanos.aspx|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120629071130/http://www.liderendeportes.com/Noticias/Futbol/Ali-Canas-presentado-como-nuevo-DT-de-Yaracuyanos.aspx|title=Alí Cañas presentado como nuevo DT de Yaracuyanos|trans-title=Alí Cañas presented as new manager of Yaracuyanos|publisher=Líder en Deportes|language=es|date=21 June 2012|archivedate=29 June 2012|accessdate=24 March 2021}}

On 11 January 2016, after two years as Rafael Dudamel's assistant at Deportivo Lara, Cañas was named manager of the club.{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/DeportivoLara/status/686634153660530689|title=#Oficial José Ali Cañas tomará el mando del equipo larense para la Temporada 2016 #ContigoDEPORVida|trans-title=#Official José Ali Cañas will take the reins of the larense team for the 2016 season #ContigoDEPORVida|publisher=Twitter|work=Deportivo Lara|language=es|date=11 January 2016|accessdate=24 March 2021}} He left on a mutual agreement on 27 July,{{cite web|url=http://www.balonazos.com/jose-ali-canas-se-desvinculo-del-deportivo-lara-como-director-tecnico/|title=José Alí Cañas se desvinculó del Deportivo Lara como Director Técnico|trans-title=José Alí Cañas left Deportivo Lara as manager|publisher=Balonazos.com|language=es|date=27 July 2016|accessdate=24 March 2021}} and took over Zamora on 23 August 2017.{{cite web|url=https://zamorafutbolclub.org/sitio/ali-canas-asume-las-riendas-del-blanquinegro/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170824051631/https://zamorafutbolclub.org/sitio/ali-canas-asume-las-riendas-del-blanquinegro/|title=Alí Cañas asume las riendas del blanquinegro|trans-title=Alí Cañas takes the reins of the white-and-black|publisher=Zamora FC|language=es|date=23 August 2017|archivedate=24 August 2017|accessdate=24 March 2021}}

Cañas led Zamora to their title in 2018, but was sacked on 4 October 2019.{{cite web|url=http://www.balonazos.com/ali-canas-no-continuara-mas-en-zamora-fc-al-ser-desvinculado-del-club/|title=Alí Cañas no continuará más en Zamora FC al ser desvinculado del club|trans-title=Alí Cañas will not continue at Zamora FC after being dismissed by the club|publisher=Balonazos.com|language=es|date=4 October 2019|accessdate=24 March 2021}} On 3 September 2020, after nearly one year without a club, he was appointed in charge of former side Portuguesa.{{cite web|url=http://www.balonazos.com/anunciado-jose-ali-canas-como-nuevo-entrenador-del-portuguesa-fc/|title=Anunciado José Alí Cañas como nuevo entrenador del Portuguesa FC|trans-title=José Alí Cañas announced as manager of Portuguesa FC|publisher=Balonazos.com|language=es|date=3 September 2020|accessdate=24 March 2021}}

Cañas left Portuguesa on a mutual agreement on 2 August 2022.{{cite web|url=https://www.liderendeportes.com/noticias/futbol/futve/ali-canas-no-seguira-con-portuguesa/|title=Alí Cañas no seguirá con Portuguesa|trans-title=Alí Cañas will not continue with Portuguesa|publisher=Líder en Deportes|language=es|date=2 August 2022|access-date=4 August 2022}} On 27 January of the following year, he took over Estudiantes de Mérida,{{cite web|url=https://www.lavinotinto.com/ali-canas-sera-el-tecnico-de-estudiantes-de-merida/|title=Alí Cañas será el técnico de Estudiantes de Mérida|trans-title=Alí Cañas will be the manager of Estudiantes de Mérida|language=es|publisher=La Vinotinto|date=27 January 2023|access-date=27 January 2023}} but resigned on 30 May.{{cite web|url=https://www.balonazos.com/estudiantes-de-merida-se-quedo-sin-director-tecnico-por-salida-de-jose-ali-canas/|title=Estudiantes de Mérida se quedó sin director técnico por salida de José Ali Cañas|trans-title=Estudiantes de Mérida ended up without a manager due to the departure of José Ali Cañas|publisher=Balonazos|language=es|date=30 May 2023|access-date=1 June 2023}}

On 1 April 2024, Cañas returned to Zamora, replacing Enrique Maggiolo.{{cite web|url=https://www.balonazos.com/se-fue-enrique-maggiolo-del-zamora-fc-y-regresa-jose-ali-canas-como-nuevo-director-tecnico/|title=Se fue Enrique Maggiolo del Zamora y regresa José Ali Cañas como nuevo Director Técnico|trans-title=Enrique Maggiolo has left Zamora and José Ali Cañas returns as new manager|publisher=Balonazos|language=es|date=1 April 2024|accessdate=2 April 2024}}