Andoni Imaz

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Andoni Imaz

| image = Andoni Imaz billabonatarra (94-427) (cropped).jpg

| caption = Imaz in 1994

| full_name = Andoni Imaz Garmendia

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1971|9|5|df=y}}

| birth_place = San Sebastián, Spain

| height = 1.77 m

| position = Midfielder

| currentclub =

| youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = Real Sociedad

| years1 = 1990–1991 | clubs1 = Real Sociedad B | caps1 = 31 | goals1 = 0

| years2 = 1991–1998 | clubs2 = Real Sociedad | caps2 = 197 | goals2 = 7

| years3 = 1998–2002 | clubs3 = Athletic Bilbao | caps3 = 28 | goals3 = 1

| totalcaps = 256 | totalgoals = 8

| nationalyears1 = 1992–1994 | nationalteam1 = Spain U21 | nationalcaps1 = 13 | nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalyears2 = 1992 | nationalteam2 = Spain U23| nationalcaps2 = 1 | nationalgoals2 = 0

| nationalyears3 = 1993 | nationalteam3 = Spain| nationalcaps3 = 1 | nationalgoals3 = 0

| nationalyears4 = 1993–1997 | nationalteam4 = Basque Country| nationalcaps4 = 4 | nationalgoals4 = 0

| medaltemplates =

{{Medal|Country|{{fb|ESP}}}}

}}

Andoni Imaz Garmendia (born 5 September 1971) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a midfielder.

He appeared in 225 La Liga matches over ten seasons, scoring a total of eight goals for Real Sociedad and Athletic Bilbao.{{cite news|url=https://futbol.as.com/futbol/2014/05/09/album-02/1399644404_476184.html|title=Athletic Club-Real Sociedad: jugadores en los dos bandos|trans-title=Athletic Club-Real Sociedad: players on both sides|newspaper=Diario AS|language=Spanish|date=9 May 2014|accessdate=13 July 2017|archive-date=28 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170828143148/https://futbol.as.com/futbol/2014/05/09/album-02/1399644404_476184.html|url-status=dead}}

Club career

=Real Sociedad=

Born in San Sebastián, Gipuzkoa, Imaz was immediately thrust into hometown club Real Sociedad's starting XI in La Liga at the age of 20 after a single season in the reserves. His debut in the competition took place on 8 September 1991, when he played the entire 0–0 home draw against Real Zaragoza.{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1991/09/09/pagina-21/1450455/pdf.html|title=El Zaragoza sabe por "viejo"|trans-title=“Old” Zaragoza know it all|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|first=Félix|last=Sáez|language=Spanish|date=9 September 1991|accessdate=13 July 2017}} He scored his first top-division goal on 10 November 1991, helping his team to a 2–2 away draw with Real Valladolid.{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1991/11/11/pagina-24/1241499/pdf.html|title=La Real regala un punto|trans-title=Real give point away|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|first=Arturo|last=Alvarado|language=Spanish|date=11 November 1991|accessdate=14 July 2017}}

In 1993, Imaz acted as captain in the inaugural match at the Anoeta Stadium, a 2–2 friendly draw with Real Madrid.{{cite news|url=http://www.elcorreo.com/especiales/elecciones/vizcaya/2011/noticias/exfutbolista-exconcejal-20110519.html|title=Exfutbolista y exconcejal|trans-title=Former footballer and former councilman|newspaper=El Correo|first=Koldo|last=Domínguez|language=Spanish|date=2011|accessdate=14 July 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://corazontxuriurdin.blogspot.co.uk/2008/08/partidos-inolvidables-real-sociedad-2.html|title=Partidos Inolvidables: Real Sociedad 2 – Real Madrid 2 (93–94)|trans-title=Unforgettable Matches: Real Sociedad 2 – Real Madrid 2 (93–94)|publisher=Corazón Txuri Urdin|first=Juan|last=Rodríguez Millán|language=Spanish|date=13 August 2008|accessdate=14 July 2017}} During his spell, he never appeared in less than 26 league games.{{cite web|url=http://www.historiasdecromos.com/2014/10/andoni-imaz.html|title=Andoni Imaz|publisher=Historias de Cromos|language=Spanish|date=13 October 2014|accessdate=14 July 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180409233516/http://www.historiasdecromos.com/2014/10/andoni-imaz.html|archive-date=9 April 2018}}

=Athletic Bilbao=

In the summer of 1998, Imaz opted against renewing his contract and signed with Basque Country neighbours Athletic Bilbao.{{cite news|url=http://athletic.elcorreo.com/noticias/201507/02/otros-realistas-acabaron-athletic-20150702131210.html|title=Los otros realistas que acabaron en el Athletic|trans-title=The other realistas who ended up at Athletic|newspaper=El Correo|language=Spanish|date=2 July 2015|accessdate=14 July 2017}} After helping the Lions to reach the group phase of the 1998–99 UEFA Champions League by netting in the 2–1 away loss against FC Dinamo Tbilisi (eventually qualifying via the away goals rule){{cite news|url=http://www.marca.com/2014/08/08/futbol/champions_league/1407493059.html|title=El Nápoles, rival del Athletic|trans-title=Napoli, Athletic's rival|newspaper=Marca|language=Spanish|date=8 August 2014|accessdate=14 July 2017}}{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-metz-foiled-by-finns-1174429.html|title=Football: Metz foiled by Finns|newspaper=The Independent|date=26 August 1998|accessdate=14 July 2017|url-status=live|url-access=limited|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170816123214/http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-metz-foiled-by-finns-1174429.html|archive-date=16 August 2017}} he played five times in that stage of the tournament, which ended in elimination in last place.

After 26 league matches over his first two seasons, Imaz was rarely selected after the arrival of manager Txetxu Rojo, meeting the same fate under Jupp Heynckes and retiring at only 30 due to injury problems.

International career

Imaz won one cap for Spain, featuring the full 90 minutes in a 1–1 friendly with Mexico in Las Palmas.{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1993/01/28/pagina-15/1264280/pdf.html|title=Más joven, pero igual de gris|trans-title=Younger, but just as grey|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|first=Javier|last=Gascón|language=Spanish|date=28 January 1993|accessdate=13 July 2017}} He also featured for the unofficial Basque Country regional team.{{cite web|url=http://www.eff-fvf.eus/pub/verFichaPartido.asp?idioma=ca&idPartido=137|title=Euskal Selekzioa 3–1 Yugoslavia|trans-title=Basque XI 3–1 Yugoslavia|publisher=Basque Football Federation|language=Spanish|date=26 December 1997|accessdate=14 July 2017}}

Post-retirement

After retiring, Imaz engaged in politics, running as sports councillor for the Basque Nationalist Party in the town of Tolosa and being elected in 2003. He resigned after one four-year term, claiming he had "had enough".

In 2013, Imaz was appointed as Athletic Bilbao's match delegate,{{cite news|url=http://agencias.abc.es/agencias/noticia.asp?noticia=1455017|title=El exjugador Andoni Imaz será el nuevo delegado del Athletic|trans-title=Former player Andoni Imaz will be Athletic's new delegate|newspaper=ABC|language=Spanish|date=9 July 2013|accessdate=14 July 2017}} being voted the league's best the following year.{{cite news|url=http://www.mundodeportivo.com/20141120/athletic-bilbao/andoni-imaz-el-mejor-delegado-de-la-liga_54419510275.html|title=Andoni Imaz: El mejor delegado de la Liga|trans-title=Andoni Imaz: The League's best delegate|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|first=Asier|last=Romo|language=Spanish|date=20 November 2014|accessdate=14 July 2017}}{{cite news|url=http://www.elmundo.es/pais-vasco/2016/05/11/57331afd268e3eef638b45f0.html|title="Gurpegui es el Athletic"|trans-title="Gurpegui is Athletic"|newspaper=El Mundo|first=Jon|last=Rivas|language=Spanish|date=11 May 2016|accessdate=14 July 2017}} He left the position in 2019, to pursue other interests.{{cite web|url=https://www.athletic-club.eus/en/news/2019/05/29/imaz-no-seguira-como-delegado-del-primer-equipo|title=Imaz will no longer be the first team delegate|publisher=Athletic Bilbao|date=29 May 2019|accessdate=1 June 2019}}

Honours

Spain U21

UEFA European Under-21 Championship third place: 1994{{Cite news|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1994/04/16/pagina-18/1290336/pdf.html|title=España pierde la inocencia|trans-title=Spain lose innocence|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|first=Francesc|last=Aguilar|language=Spanish|date=16 April 1994|accessdate=14 July 2017}}