Rafael González Robles

Rafael González Robles (born 25 October 1970), commonly known as Rafa, is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

This article uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is González and the second or maternal family name is Robles.
Rafa
Personal information
Full name Rafael González Robles
Date of birth (1970-10-25) 25 October 1970
Place of birth Avilés, Spain
Height 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Playing position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
Avilés
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1990–1992 Avilés 28 (0)
1992–1997 Oviedo 6 (0)
1997–2003 Málaga 75 (0)
2003–2004 Cultural Leonesa 37 (0)
2004–2005 Sporting Gijón 3 (0)
2005–2006 Oviedo 8 (0)
2006–2007 Coventry City 0 (0)
Total 157 (0)
National team
1991 Spain U23 3 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

11 of his professional seasons were spent at Oviedo and Málaga, but he only served as backup for ten of those. After retiring, he became a goalkeeper's coach, notably in England.

Football career

Born in Avilés, Asturias, Rafa started his career at Real Avilés Industrial in Segunda División. After the team's 1992 relegation, he moved to one of the biggest clubs in the region, Real Oviedo, but spent five seasons there (always in La Liga) without making more than three league appearances.

In the summer of 1997, Rafa joined Málaga CF, again meeting the same fate. However, he did appear in 31 games in his second year as the Andalusians promoted from Segunda División B to the top flight in only two years.

Rafa retired from football in 2007, after having played one season each for Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa, Sporting de Gijón, Oviedo (the club was now in Tercera División) and England's Coventry City. Previously, in the 2005 summer, he had an unsuccessful trial with Walsall,[1] before securing a four-month contract at the Football League Championship team.

Following his retirement, Robles was immediately hired by another team in the country of his last club, joining Aston Villa as its goalkeeping coach in August 2007. He remained there until 2012, working with both the first team and academy's goalkeepers.

On 11 February 2013, Rafa joined the New York Red Bulls as goalkeeper coach.[2]

Honours
Málaga
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References
  1. Bulls saddled with behind doors game; Bulls News, 23 August 2005
  2. Red Bulls name Rafael Gonzalez goalkeeper coach; NY Red Bulls, 11 February 2013
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