Santiago "Santi" Coch Castillo (27 May 1960 – 12 September 2024) was a Spanish football player and manager. A defender, he represented Gimnàstic over the course of 17 campaigns, appearing in 528 official matches.[1]

Santi Coch
Personal information
Full name Santiago Coch Castillo
Date of birth (1960-05-27)27 May 1960
Place of birth Vimbodí i Poblet, Spain
Date of death 12 September 2024(2024-09-12) (aged 64)
Position(s) Defender
Youth career
Gimnàstic
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1977–1994 Gimnàstic 464 (5)
1978–1979 → La Cava (loan) 27 (0)
Total 491 (5)
Managerial career
2005–2010 Pobla Mafumet
2017–2019 Gimnàstic (assistant)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Playing career

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Born in Vimbodí i Poblet, Tarragona, Catalonia, Coch made his senior debut with Gimnàstic de Tarragona in 1977, aged only 17, as his side achieved promotion from the Tercera División. Another promotion followed, and he made his professional debut on 16 September 1979, starting in a 3–2 home win against Deportivo de La Coruña in the Segunda División.[2]

Coch appeared in 23 matches during the 1979–80 season, as Nàstic suffered immediate relegation after finishing 19th. He appeared in Segunda División B but also in the fourth tier for the remainder of his career, retiring in 1994.

Managerial career

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In 2005 Coch was appointed manager of Gimnàstic's farm team, CF Pobla de Mafumet. In 2010, he was relieved of his duties, being immediately included in Gimnàstic's backroom staff.[3]

On 9 September 2017, after Lluís Carreras' dismissal, Coch was appointed Rodri's assistant in the first team.[4]

Personal life and death

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Coch's family is widely related to football. His older brother Enric was a goalkeeper, while his twin brother Ramón was a forward. His two sons Joel and Denis (both midfielders) represented Pobla, and his nephew Aleix is also a defender.[5]

Coch died on 12 September 2024, at the age of 64.[6]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "El Nástic homenajea a sus exjugadores con más de 200 actuaciones, Pani entre ellos" [Nástic honours its former players with more than 200 appearances, Pani between them] (in Spanish). Sport Cartagena. 29 April 2015. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
  2. ^ "3–2: El Coruña se lo puso difícil al "Nàstic"" [3–2: Coruña made it difficult for "Nàstic"]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 17 September 1979. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
  3. ^ "Quico Ramírez, nou entrenador de la Pobla de Mafumet substituint Santi Coch" [Quico [sic] Ramírez, new manager of Pobla de Mafumet replacing Santi Coch] (in Catalan). El Vallenc. 28 May 2010. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
  4. ^ "Lluís Carreras finalitza la seva etapa al Nàstic" [Lluís Carreras ends his spell at Nàstic] (in Catalan). Gimnàstic Tarragona. 9 September 2017. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
  5. ^ "La família Coch busca un altre ascens" [The Coch family seeks another promotion] (in Catalan). El Punt Avui. 19 May 2011. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
  6. ^ Fallece Santi Coch, leyenda del Nàstic de Tarragona (in Spanish)
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