Manolo Clares
{{short description|Spanish footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{family name hatnote|Clares|García|lang=Spanish}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Manolo Clares
| image = Feyenoord tegen Barcelona 0-0, Europacup nr 5 scheidsrechter Glöckner, nr 6, Bestanddeelnr 927-5357.jpg
| caption = Clares lining up for Barcelona in 1974
| fullname = Manuel Clares García
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1948|2|23|df=y}}
| birth_place = Madrid, Spain
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height = 1.77 m
| position = Forward
| currentclub =
| youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = Atlético Madrid
| years1 = 1965–1966 | clubs1 = Getafe Deportivo | caps1 = | goals1 =
| years2 = 1966–1971 | clubs2 = Gandía | caps2 = | goals2 =
| years3 = 1970–1974 | clubs3 = Castellón | caps3 = 110 | goals3 = 37
| years4 = 1974–1978 | clubs4 = Barcelona | caps4 = 87 | goals4 = 35
| years5 = 1978–1980 | clubs5 = Rayo Vallecano | caps5 = 47 | goals5 = 9
| years6 = 1980–1981 | clubs6 = Gandía | caps6 = | goals6 =
| years7 = 1981–1982 | clubs7 = Villarreal | caps7 = | goals7 =
| totalcaps = | totalgoals =
| nationalyears1 = 1973 | nationalteam1 = Spain | nationalcaps1 = 1 | nationalgoals1 = 0
| manageryears1 = | managerclubs1 =
| club-update =
| nationalteam-update =
}}
Manuel 'Manolo' Clares García (23 February 1948) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a forward.
He appeared in 197 La Liga games over eight seasons, totalling 66 goals for Castellón, Barcelona and Rayo Vallecano.
Club career
Born in Madrid, Clares played lower league football until the age of 23, representing Getafe Deportivo and CF Gandía. In March 1971 he signed with CD Castellón, scoring 13 goals in 36 games in his first full season to help the club return to La Liga after a 25-year absence.{{cite news|url=https://elpais.com/deportes/2021-01-03/manuel-clares-el-antecedente-de-braithwite.html|title=Manuel Clares, el antecedente de Braithwaite|trans-title=Manuel Clares, he came before Braithwaite|newspaper=El País|first=Alfredo|last=Relaño|language=Spanish|date=3 January 2021|accessdate=25 August 2021}}
Clares made his debut in the Spanish top flight on 17 September 1972, in a 1–4 home loss against Athletic Bilbao.{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1972/09/18/pagina-8/982721/pdf.html#&mode=fullScreen|title=1–4: El Castellón se hundió al final|trans-title=1–4: Castellón sank near the end|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|first=A.|last=Cabrera|language=Spanish|date=18 September 1972|accessdate=25 August 2021}} During the campaign, he contributed 11 goals from 30 appearances to help the Valencians to a best-ever fifth position, as well as the final of the Copa del Rey.{{cite web|url=https://futbolretro.es/cd-castellon-finalista-de-copa/|title=Cuando el CD Castellón fue finalista de Copa|trans-title=When CD Castellón were Cup finalists|publisher=Fútbol Retro|first=Javier|last=Argudo|language=Spanish|date=|accessdate=25 August 2021}} Subsequently, he caught the eye of both FC Barcelona and Real Madrid,{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca-paginas.mundodeportivo.com/EMD01/HEM/1973/06/27/MD19730627-003.pdf|title=El presidente del Castellón: "Sólo lo traspasaremos al Barcelona"|trans-title=Castellón's president: "We will only transfer him to Barcelona"|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|first=José María|last=Casanovas|language=Spanish|date=27 June 1973|accessdate=8 February 2016}} but as the former had practically secured his services,{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca-paginas.mundodeportivo.com/EMD01/HEM/1973/07/16/MD19730716-003.pdf|title=Clarés fichará hoy por el Barcelona|trans-title=Clarés will sign for Barcelona today|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|first=M.|last=De las Heras|language=Spanish|date=16 July 1973|accessdate=8 February 2016}} manager Lucien Muller opposed to the transfer citing his team's lack of attacking options.{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1973/09/05/pagina-3/1417371/pdf.html|title=Zabalza, con un pie en Bilbao|trans-title=Zabalza, all but in Bilbao|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|language=Spanish|date=5 September 1973|accessdate=8 February 2016}}
In late May 1974, after Castellón's relegation, Clares finally joined Barcelona, as a direct replacement for Johan Cruyff as the foreign players were not allowed to participate in the Spanish Cup.{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1974/05/25/pagina-2/997275/pdf.html#|title=Clares: "No estoy nervioso; sólo me preocupa que todo salga bien"|trans-title=Clares: "I am not nervous; I am only worried about making things work out right"|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|first=Xavier|last=Díez Serrat|language=Spanish|date=25 May 1974|accessdate=8 February 2016}} He finished top scorer of the knock-out competition with five goals in only six matches,{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1974/06/28/pagina-15/997035/pdf.html|title=Clares, el máximo goleador|trans-title=Clares, top scorer|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|first=Sergio|last=Gil|language=Spanish|date=28 June 1974|accessdate=8 February 2016}} but the final ended 4–0 in favour of Real Madrid.{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/2008/06/16/pagina-28/589633/pdf.html|title=Manolo marca ya|trans-title=Manolo score already|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|first=Lluís|last=Canut|language=Spanish|date=16 June 2008|accessdate=8 February 2016}}
During his four-year spell at the Camp Nou, Clares was regarded as a highly inconsistent player, capable of scoring wonderful goals but also of missing clear chances.{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1993/05/20/pagina-36/1269378/pdf.html|title=La penya más especial se llama ‘Fórum Manolo Clares’|trans-title=The most special supporters group is called 'Fórum Manolo Clares'|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|first=Joan|last=Domènech|language=Spanish|date=20 May 1993|accessdate=8 February 2016}} On 28 November 1976, he netted five of the Blaugrana goals in a 6–1 home demolition of Valencia CF,{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/2003/10/04/pagina-10/556555/pdf.html|title=Y Manolo marcó 5|trans-title=And Manolo scored 5|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|first=Joan|last=Poquí|language=Spanish|date=4 October 2003|accessdate=8 February 2016}} for a total of 22 during the season.
In July 1978, after the arrival of president Josep Lluís Núñez, and with him former coach Muller, Clares was transferlisted. He moved to Rayo Vallecano in October,{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1978/10/11/pagina-8/1043142/pdf.html|title=Clares: "No será fácil olvidar estos años"|trans-title=Clares: "These years will be hard to forget"|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|language=Spanish|date=11 October 1978|accessdate=8 February 2016}} going on to be relatively played over a two-year tenure and retiring at the age of 32, even though he later returned for a spell in the lower divisions.
International career
Clares won one cap for Spain: on 17 October 1973, he played 67 minutes in a 0–0 away friendly draw with Turkey.{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1973/10/18/pagina-3/987943/pdf.html|title=0–0: España se defendió sin ahogos ante Turquia|trans-title=0–0: Spain had no problem fending off Turkey|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|language=Spanish|date=18 October 1973|accessdate=8 February 2016}}
Honours
Barcelona
- Copa del Rey: 1977–78{{cite news|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1978/04/20/pagina-3/1400851/pdf.html#&mode=fullScreen|title=Victoria clara en una final de poca categoría|trans-title=Clear win in final of little class|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|language=Spanish|date=20 April 1978|accessdate=25 August 2021}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{BDFutbol|5101}}
- {{NFT player|32040}}
- {{Eu-Football.info|3648}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Clares, Manolo}}
Category:20th-century Spanish sportsmen
Category:Spanish men's footballers
Category:Footballers from Madrid
Category:Men's association football forwards
Category:Segunda División players
Category:Tercera División players
Category:CD Castellón footballers
Category:Rayo Vallecano players