Molo (footballer)

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Casas and the second or maternal family name is García.

Manuel Jesús Casas García (born 14 June 1985), known as Molo, is a Spanish former footballer who played as a central defender, and a current manager.

Molo

Personal information
Full name	Manuel Jesús Casas García
Date of birth	(1985-06-14) 14 June 1985 (age 39)
Place of birth	Almería, Spain
Height	1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s)	Centre back
Youth career
	Oriente
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2004–2005	Comarca Níjar
2005–2007	Almería B	41	(8)
2006	Almería	4	(0)
2007	Figueres	16	(1)
2007–2008	Villarreal B	20	(1)
2008–2011	Osasuna B	24	(2)
2011–2012	Guijuelo	30	(1)
2012–2016	Lleida Esportiu	102	(4)
2016–2018	Lorca	28	(1)
2018	Murcia	12	(1)
2018–2019	El Ejido	25	(1)
Total		302	(20)
Managerial career
2019–2021	Lleida Esportiu
2021	Águilas
2022	UCAM Murcia
2023–2024	Tarazona
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

He made five appearances in Segunda División for Almería and Lorca, but spent most of his career in Segunda División B, where he played 256 games in service of eight clubs, mostly Lleida Esportiu.

Playing career

Born in Almería, Andalusia, Molo played for CD Comarca de Níjar before joining UD Almería. He made his professional debut for his hometown club in Segunda División on 22 January 2006 in a 2–1 home win over CD Castellón, coming on for José Ortiz for the last eight minutes,^[1] and added three more games over the season.

Molo then moved on to UE Figueres, Villarreal CF B and CA Osasuna B in Segunda División B. In November 2008, while training with the first team of the last of those sides, he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury.^[2]

After a year with CD Guijuelo, Molo joined Lleida Esportiu in 2012. Four years later, after being denied promotion in the play-offs by Sevilla Atlético, he became the first signing of the renamed Lorca FC; despite his experience in the third level it was his first experience of Group IV, the one containing clubs from his own region.^[3] They gained promotion and he made his only professional appearance since the start of his career on 25 November 2017, playing the last two minutes of a 2–0 win at Gimnàstic de Tarragona.^[4]

Molo left Lorca in January 2018, returning to the third tier with Real Murcia.^[5] After being eliminated from the playoffs by Elche CF, he cancelled the last 12 months of his contract in June and made his way to CD El Ejido in the same division.^[6]

Coaching career

In June 2019, shortly after El Ejido's relegation, Molo returned to Lleida to manage them for the upcoming campaign.^[7] He was dismissed by president Albert Esteve on 24 May 2021, following a descent to the fourth tier.^[8] In July 2022, he joined UCAM Murcia CF, who had recently been relegated to the fourth tier of Spanish football. He replaced José Manuel Aira.

Managerial statistics

As of 25 May 2024

Managerial record by team and tenure

Team	Nat	From	To	Record								Ref
				G	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Win %
Lleida Esportiu		5 June 2019	24 May 2021	56	22	15	19	62	53	+9	039.29	[9]
Águilas		24 June 2021	8 November 2021	10	4	4	2	12	8	+4	040.00	[10]
UCAM Murcia		17 June 2022	4 October 2022	5	1	2	2	5	5	+0	020.00	[11]
Tarazona		6 July 2023	6 June 2024	39	10	14	15	31	37	−6	025.64	[12]
Total				110	37	35	38	110	103	+7	033.64	—

References

1. Rodríguez, Salva (23 January 2006). "El 'perico-Almería' doblega al Castellòn" ['Perico-Almería' down Castellòn]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 December 2019.
2. "El canterano de Osasuna Molo sufre grave lesión de rodilla" [Osasuna youth player Molo suffers a serious knee injury]. Marca (in Spanish). 19 November 2008. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
3. Cantero, Javier (10 July 2016). "Molo, primera apuesta del nuevo Lorca FC" [Molo, first bet by the new Lorca FC] (in Spanish). La Segunda B. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
4. Re, Pedro (25 November 2017). "Oxígeno para el Lorca y Torres" [Oxygen for Lorca and Torres]. La Verdad (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 December 2019.
5. Fernández, Ernesto (17 January 2018). "Molo: "El Murcia me quiso más que nadie y por eso estoy aquí"" [Molo: "Murcia wanted me more than anyone else and that's why I'm here"]. La Opinión de Murcia (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 November 2019.
6. "Molo se desvincula del Murcia y se marcha al CD El Ejido" [Molo severs ties with Murcia and moves to CD El Ejido]. La Opinión de Murcia (in Spanish). 20 June 2018. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
7. Gulu, Sergi (5 June 2019). "'Molo' ja és el nou entrenador del Lleida Esportiu" ['Molo' is now the new manager of Lleida Esportiu] (in Catalan). Lleida Ràdio. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
8. "Esteve echa a Molo y anuncia que no quiere seguir como presidente del Lleida" [Esteve dismisses Molo and announces that he does not want to continue as president of Lleida]. Diari Segre (in Spanish). 24 May 2021. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
9. "Molo: Manuel Jesús Casas García". BDFutbol. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
   "Molo: Manuel Jesús Casas García". BDFutbol. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
10. "Molo: Manuel Jesús Casas García". BDFutbol. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
11. "Molo: Manuel Jesús Casas García". BDFutbol. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
12. "Molo: Manuel Jesús Casas García". BDFutbol. Retrieved 30 March 2024.

External links

• Molo at BDFutbol
• Molo at Futbolme (in Spanish)
• Molo at Soccerway