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The Man from Uruguay: Danny Bergara - A Footballing Journey

Phil Brennan

4.21 · Rating details · 14 ratings · 1 review

A Biography of Danny Bergara

In recent years English football supporters have seen the impact that Arsène Wenger, José Mourinho, Rafael Benítez, Carlo Ancelotti, Roberto di Matteo and Roberto Mancini have made at the top level in club football. Even the English national team has been managed by foreigners Sven-Göran Eriksson and Fabio Capello.

Long before foreign Manager A Biography of Danny Bergara

In recent years English football supporters have seen the impact that Arsène Wenger, José Mourinho, Rafael Benítez, Carlo Ancelotti, Roberto di Matteo and Roberto Mancini have made at the top level in club football. Even the English national team has been managed by foreigners Sven-Göran Eriksson and Fabio Capello.

Long before foreign Manager's were commonplace in the English game, Uruguayan Alberto Daniel (Danny) Bergara had already blazed the trail for the rest to follow.
The name Danny Bergara is linked with several English football clubs, most famously Stockport County, although it is a little known fact that he was used as a scout and coach by Dave Mackay when his Derby County side played Real Madrid in the European Cup 2nd round way back in 1975. Danny also spent a two year period working for the England youth team as assistant to John Cartwright, the first foreign national to do so, almost twenty years before Eriksson took charge of the first team.

It is probably fair to say that without Danny Bergara's success, both as a coach and manager, the influx of foreign Manager's into the English game may never have happened. Danny himself, although always believing that his methods and ideas would work, mentioned on many an occasion that he thought he had probably arrived in the country too early.

What is certain however is that, back in 1962, two mothers on opposite sides of the world both made a decision regarding the future of their child which helped change the face of English football forever.

A farmer's son, born in Montevideo, Danny Bergara was one of seven children. His elder brother Mario represented Uruguay at the 1962 World Cup whilst Danny himself grew to be a skilful and prolific inside-forward and at the tender age of 14 joined Racing Club.

Having helped the club win the Second Division title he made his début in the Uruguayan First Division aged 16, and also represented his country at youth level. His form attracted the attention of clubs in Italy and Spain and in particular Real Mallorca, who he joined in 1962 aged 19.

Danny went on to have a successful 10 year spell in Spain finishing top scorer on many occasions, winning the Second Division title with both Real Mallorca and his next club Seville, who finished third on their return to the top flight, before ending his career in an injury plagued spell at Tenerife FC.

Having met and married his English girlfriend Jan whilst playing in Spain, the couple decided to move their young family to England, the original plan was to open a Travel Agency but fate was going to play a part in the future of Alberto Daniel 'Danny' Bergara.

In an effort to keep his fitness levels up, Danny had spoken to Paddy Sowden, a friend of Jan's cousin Graham, about training with nearby Luton Town. The gods of football were looking down on Danny as he was invited to train with the juniors and very quickly earned himself a position within the coaching staff at Kenilworth Road.
Prior to leaving for England Danny had spoken to Vic Buckingham, an English former Manager at Seville, who had warned him that it would be a struggle for him to gain a position in English football due to the way that it was structured, but suddenly that opportunity was being made available, and he was certainly going to give it a try.
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