Otar Gabelia
Otar Gabelia (Georgian: ოთარ ამბროსის ძე გაბელია; born 24 March 1953) is a Georgian football manager and a former player. He was a long-time goalkeeper for Dinamo Tbilisi. Winner of the Best Soviet Goalkeeper Award (1979), Gabelia is regarded by pundits as one of the best Georgian goalkeepers of all time.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Otar Ambrosis dze Gabelia | ||
| Date of birth | 24 March 1953 | ||
| Place of birth | Zugdidi, Georgian SSR, Soviet Union | ||
| Height | 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1970–1971 | Dinamo Zugdidi | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1972–1973 | Dinamo Sukhumi | 41 | (0) |
| 1974–1976 | Torpedo Kutaisi | 109 | (0) |
| 1977–1982 | Dinamo Tbilisi | 129 | (0) |
| 1983–1984 | Torpedo Kutaisi | 29 | (0) |
| 1985–1990 | Dinamo Tbilisi | 142 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 1979 | USSR | 1 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1990–1992 | Odishi Zugdidi | ||
| 1992–1993 | Alazani Gurjaani | ||
| 1993–1995 | Duruji Kvareli | ||
| 1995–1996 | Algeti Marneuli | ||
| 1997–1999 | TSU Tbilisi | ||
| 2001–2002 | Merani Tbilisi | ||
| 2004–2005 | Torpedo Kutaisi | ||
| 2009–2011 | Georgia U-21 | ||
| 2016 | Zugdidi | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Playing career
Gabelia spent his club career at FC Dinamo Zugdidi, playing from 1970 to 1971, at FC Dinamo Sukhumi, from 1972 to 1973, at FC Torpedo Kutaisi, from 1974 to 1976 and from 1983 to 1984, at FC Dinamo Tbilisi, from 1977 to 1982 and from 1985 to 1989.[1]
He won the Soviet championship in 1978 and Soviet Cup in 1979 and was named Best Soviet Goalkeeper in 1979.[2] He was known for his emotional style of play with excellent reaction.
In 1981 he won UEFA Cup Winners Cup, which was the biggest achievement of his sport career.
Honours
Club
Individual
- Soviet Goalkeeper of the Year: 1979[3]
International career
Gabelia played his only game for USSR on 21 November 1979 in a friendly against West Germany.
References
- ^ "Otar Gabelia – Club-statistics, Country-statistics, Games". national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
- ^ Приз "Вратарь года" был одним из самых почетных наград советского футбола. Он вручался лучшему вратарю по итогам сезона. kommersant.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 12 February 2017.
- ^ ЛУЧШИЙ ВРАТАРЬ СССР-79 СТАЛ ГЛАВНЫМ ТРЕНЕРОМ. sport-express.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 14 February 2017.
External links
- Otar Gabelia at FootballFacts.ru (in Russian)
- Otar Gabelia • Profile on rusteam.permian.ru.
- .
- Otar Gabelia • Profile on footballplayers.ru.
- Otar Gabelia • Profile on national-football-teams.com.
- Otar Gabelia • Articles on sport-express.ru.
- Otar Gabelia • Articles on FC Dinamo Tbilisi Official website.