Miguel Marcos Madera
Encyclopedia
Miguel Marcos Madera known as Míchel, is a Spanish footballer who plays for Getafe
as a central midfielder.
Having been brought through the youth academy of Asturias
side Real Oviedo
, he played with the first team of rivals Sporting de Gijón
in both the second
and first divisions
, before eventually leaving for English Premier League club Birmingham City in January 2010. He spent the second half of the 2010–11 season on loan at AEK Athens.
, Míchel emerged through Real Oviedo
's cantera
(youth academy) and transferred to Sporting de Gijón
's under-19 team for the 2003–04 season. He won the Youth Champions Cup
that year, and was named MVP of the final game.
Next season, Míchel started his professional career, with the club's B team
. In 2005, he progressed to the first team, then playing in the second division
; he played 24 matches in the 2005–06 season
and scored one goal, in a 4–0 win at Gimnàstic de Tarragona
.
In 2007–08, Míchel helped the Asturian
club return to La Liga
after a 10-year absence. He was handed the vice-captaincy for the start of the 2008–09 season, and went on to appear in 30 matches, 24 as a starter, as Sporting avoided relegation on the last matchday.
, newly promoted to the English Premier League, in the summer of 2009, but the transfer was not completed until 11 January 2010, for a fee of £
3 million. The player signed a two-and-a-half-year deal, with an option to extend the contract for a further 12 months. Spanish journalist and Sky Sports
pundit Guillem Balagué
described the player as a good passer of the ball, tactically aware and positionally disciplined, and "not scared of the physical side", comparing him in style to Javier Mascherano, but "with a better range of passing".
Míchel made his Premier League debut on 27 January, replacing James McFadden
in the 73rd minute as Birmingham's 15-game unbeaten run came to an end in a 3–0 defeat to Chelsea
at Stamford Bridge
, and made his home debut three days later, again as a substitute. However, the fitness and what manager Alex McLeish
described as "stunning" form of captain Barry Ferguson
in central midfield meant that Míchel was restricted to just nine league appearances, and he was made available for loan in the January 2011 transfer window.
In January 2011, Míchel joined Superleague Greece club AEK Athens on loan for the remainder of the season. He made his debut for the club in a 2–0 away win against Skoda Xanthi, and on his second appearance, scored a 40-metre free kick against Panathinaikos
in the seventh minute of stoppage time to take AEK through to the semifinal of the 2011 Greek Cup
, 4–3 on aggregate.
Míchel played his first 45 minutes for the club in over six months in a 1–0 pre-season friendly defeat of Cork City
.
for an undisclosed fee.
Getafe CF
Getafe Club de Fútbol is a Spanish La Liga football club based in Getafe, a city in the Madrid metropolitan area, founded in 1946 and refounded in 1983.In the top level since 2004-05, it holds home games at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez....
as a central midfielder.
Having been brought through the youth academy of Asturias
Asturias
The Principality of Asturias is an autonomous community of the Kingdom of Spain, coextensive with the former Kingdom of Asturias in the Middle Ages...
side Real Oviedo
Real Oviedo
Real Oviedo is a Spanish football club based in Oviedo, in the autonomous community of Asturias. Founded on 26 March 1926, it currently plays in Segunda División B - Group 2....
, he played with the first team of rivals Sporting de Gijón
Sporting de Gijón
Real Sporting de Gijón, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club from Gijón, Asturias. Founded in 1 June 1905, it currently plays in Spanish first division....
in both the second
Segunda División
The Segunda División is the lower tier of the two professional football leagues in Spain. From the season 2008-09 onwards, the name of the league is Liga Adelante.-History:...
and first divisions
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
, before eventually leaving for English Premier League club Birmingham City in January 2010. He spent the second half of the 2010–11 season on loan at AEK Athens.
Sporting Gijón
Born in Pola de Lena, Lena, AsturiasLena, Asturias
Lena is a municipality in the Autonomous Community of the Principality of Asturias, Spain. Its capital, Pola de Lena, has a population of 9,200.-Parishes:-Main sights:...
, Míchel emerged through Real Oviedo
Real Oviedo
Real Oviedo is a Spanish football club based in Oviedo, in the autonomous community of Asturias. Founded on 26 March 1926, it currently plays in Segunda División B - Group 2....
's cantera
Cantera
Cantera, literally meaning "quarry" in Spanish, is a term used in Spain to refer to youth academies and farm teams organized by sports clubs. It is also used to refer to the geographical area that clubs recruit players from. The term is widely used in football but is also applied to other sports...
(youth academy) and transferred to Sporting de Gijón
Sporting de Gijón
Real Sporting de Gijón, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club from Gijón, Asturias. Founded in 1 June 1905, it currently plays in Spanish first division....
's under-19 team for the 2003–04 season. He won the Youth Champions Cup
Copa de Campeones Juvenil de Fútbol
The Copa de Campeones de Juvenil is the tournament created by the RFEF to determine the overall youth champion of Spain.-Champions:- Copa de Campeones 2008/09 :May 4-10: Estadio Municipal Francisco Bonet, Almuñecar, Granada- Teams :...
that year, and was named MVP of the final game.
Next season, Míchel started his professional career, with the club's B team
Sporting de Gijón B
Real Sporting de Gijón B is a Spanish football club based in Gijón, in the autonomous community of Asturias. Founded in 1967, it is the reserve team of Sporting de Gijón, and currently plays in Segunda División B – Group 1, holding home games at Escuela de Fútbol de Mareo.Unlike the English League,...
. In 2005, he progressed to the first team, then playing in the second division
Segunda División
The Segunda División is the lower tier of the two professional football leagues in Spain. From the season 2008-09 onwards, the name of the league is Liga Adelante.-History:...
; he played 24 matches in the 2005–06 season
2005–06 Segunda División
-Classification 2005–06:-Relegated to Segunda División B:* UE Lleida -- Relegated to Segunda División B - Group 3* Ferrol -- Relegated to Segunda División B - Group 1* Eibar -- Relegated to Segunda División B - Group 4...
and scored one goal, in a 4–0 win at Gimnàstic de Tarragona
Gimnàstic de Tarragona
Club Gimnàstic de Tarragona, usually referred to as Nàstic, is a Spanish sports club based in Tarragona, in the autonomous community of Catalonia. Its football team currently plays in Segunda División....
.
In 2007–08, Míchel helped the Asturian
Asturias
The Principality of Asturias is an autonomous community of the Kingdom of Spain, coextensive with the former Kingdom of Asturias in the Middle Ages...
club return to La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
after a 10-year absence. He was handed the vice-captaincy for the start of the 2008–09 season, and went on to appear in 30 matches, 24 as a starter, as Sporting avoided relegation on the last matchday.
Birmingham City
Speculation had linked Míchel with Birmingham CityBirmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
, newly promoted to the English Premier League, in the summer of 2009, but the transfer was not completed until 11 January 2010, for a fee of £
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
3 million. The player signed a two-and-a-half-year deal, with an option to extend the contract for a further 12 months. Spanish journalist and Sky Sports
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
pundit Guillem Balagué
Guillem Balague
Guillem Balague is a Sky Sports Spanish football expert. He is a regular pundit on Sky Sports' show Revista de la Liga and has also written for some of Britain's newspapers as well as several popular Spanish newspapers....
described the player as a good passer of the ball, tactically aware and positionally disciplined, and "not scared of the physical side", comparing him in style to Javier Mascherano, but "with a better range of passing".
Míchel made his Premier League debut on 27 January, replacing James McFadden
James McFadden
James McFadden is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a forward for Everton.McFadden started his career with Scottish Premier League club Motherwell. He came to prominence in the 2002–03 season by scoring 19 goals and winning the Scottish PFA Young Player of the Year award....
in the 73rd minute as Birmingham's 15-game unbeaten run came to an end in a 3–0 defeat to Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
at Stamford Bridge
Stamford Bridge (stadium)
Stamford Bridge is a football stadium in Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, West London, and is the home of Chelsea Football Club. The stadium is located within the Moore Park Estate also known as Walham Green and is often referred to as simply The Bridge...
, and made his home debut three days later, again as a substitute. However, the fitness and what manager Alex McLeish
Alex McLeish
Alexander "Alex" McLeish , is a Scottish former professional footballer and manager, who is currently managing English Premier League club Aston Villa...
described as "stunning" form of captain Barry Ferguson
Barry Ferguson
Barry Ferguson MBE is a Scottish footballer who plays as a midfielder for Blackpool.Ferguson has made 82 appearances in European competitions, all for Rangers, which makes him the record European appearance holder at the club. He was also inducted into the Rangers F.C. Hall of Fame...
in central midfield meant that Míchel was restricted to just nine league appearances, and he was made available for loan in the January 2011 transfer window.
In January 2011, Míchel joined Superleague Greece club AEK Athens on loan for the remainder of the season. He made his debut for the club in a 2–0 away win against Skoda Xanthi, and on his second appearance, scored a 40-metre free kick against Panathinaikos
Panathinaikos FC
Panathinaikos Football Club is a Greek professional football club based in Athens. Founded in 1908, they play in the Super League Greece and are one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Greek football history. They have won 20 Greek Championships and 17 Greek Cups.Panathinaikos is the most...
in the seventh minute of stoppage time to take AEK through to the semifinal of the 2011 Greek Cup
2010–11 Greek Cup
The 2010–11 Greek Cup is the 69th season of the Greek Football Cup. A total of 67 clubs were accepted to enter, after the withdrawal of Egaleo, Kalamata and Pyrsos Grevena and their relegation to Delta Ethniki....
, 4–3 on aggregate.
Míchel played his first 45 minutes for the club in over six months in a 1–0 pre-season friendly defeat of Cork City
Cork City F.C.
Cork City Football Club is an Irish football team that plays in the League of Ireland. Founded and elected to the league in 1984 to continue the long tradition of Association Football in Cork, City's traditional colours are green and white with red trim, and the crest is a variant of the Cork...
.
Getafe
On 8 August 2011, Míchel joined La Liga club GetafeGetafe CF
Getafe Club de Fútbol is a Spanish La Liga football club based in Getafe, a city in the Madrid metropolitan area, founded in 1946 and refounded in 1983.In the top level since 2004-05, it holds home games at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez....
for an undisclosed fee.