Nery Alberto Castillo

Nery Alberto Castillo Confalonieri (born 13 June 1984 in San Luis Potosí), nicknamed El Diablo is a Mexican international football player, who currently plays for Manchester City. He began his career at Uruguayan club Danubio, moving to Greece at the age of 16 to play for Olympiacos.

Castillo spent seven years at Olympiacos, gradually developing into a regular starter over a three year period. Once established in the team Castillo helped Olympiacos to three consecutive league titles, prompting Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk to spend €20 million to secure his services in 2007. After only a handful of starts for Shakhtar Castillo was dropped for refusing to allow team-mate Cristiano Lucarelli to take a penalty. In December 2007 he moved on a year's loan to Manchester City of the English Premier League, paying a substantial amount of the loan fee himself.

He made his international debut for Mexico in June 2007, and represented his country in the 2007 Copa America.

Club career

Early career

Castillo was born in the Mexican city San Luis Potosí, where his father, a Uruguayan professional footballer, played for San Luis. The family moved to South America while Castillo was still a small child. He started playing for club Danubio in the youth team. While participating with Danubio's youth team in a Brazilian tournament, Castillo was spotted by scouts from European clubs. He went on trial with Manchester United of England's Premier League, but Castillo failed to obtain a work permit and the door to join the club was closed.

Olympiacos

At the age of 16 Castillo's father accepted an offer of the Greek club Olympiacos. Three years after he joined Olympiacos, Castillo became a regular starter in both the domestic and European competitions. He became a fan favourite with the Gate 7 Ultras and was even given the number seven shirt in deference to them

After that point his career took a down slide. A rumoured transaction to the Italian side Inter Milan never happened, and changes in the management of his club combined with the arrival of former Brazil international Rivaldo relegated him from his starting role to the bench. Other off the field issues with the coach and teammates have contributed to increase the perception that Castillo is a problematic player.

In early 2006 his father and agent began negotiations with the Mexican club Chivas de Guadalajara, but talks were interrupted because Olympiacos weren't interested in negotiating for the player at the time.

Before this, in what Castillo thought was his last game for Olympiacos, he scored a free kick after "stealing" it from a team mate who was preparing to take it. He celebrated by running the length of the field and throwing his shirt to his fans at Gate 7. He was left looking somewhat sheepish without a shirt for the restart.

During the 2006-2007 campaign Castillo was a solid starter. Many reports considered that the player had changed his attitude and solved off the field issues. The prospect of a more mature Castillo encouraged the officers of Olympiacos to renew his contract, extending its length four more years, and improving its economic conditions.

Castillo was the leading scorer for Olympiacos during the preparatory phase for the 2006-2007 season, accumulating seven goals in friendly games. From then on his form only improved, scoring several goals in the UEFA Champions League and the domestic tournament, including a hat-trick against Panionios FC. Castillo ended the season second to Rivaldo in goals and assists for the club, which included three goals in five Champions League matches.

Shakhtar Donetsk

On 31 July 2007, Castillo joined Ukrainian side FC Shakhtar Donetsk on a five year contract for a fee of €20 million. This became the most expensive transfer for a Ukrainian club to date.

Castillo scored his first goal for Shakhtar while playing against SV Salzburg in the Champions League. His stint was to be brief, though. Castillo had only played in a few games for Shakhtar when in a league match versus FC Naftovyk-Ukrnafta Okhtyrka, Shakhtar won a penalty kick. Castillo refused to give the ball to official penalty kick-taker Cristiano Lucarelli and took the penalty himself, which was saved. Castillo was immediately substituted from the game. Coach Mircea Lucescu commented "What Castillo did, from a professional point of view, I've never seen anything like it before in my whole life. There will be some measures taken against Castillo". He has not played a game for Shakhtar since.

On 15 December 2007 Castillo's agent told the Daily Mail: "There has been an agreement with Manchester City so that Nery can be with the club for one year on loan so he can prove himself and play active football." adding that City would have an option to buy Castillo once his loan period expires. Shaktar president and Ukraine's richest man Rinat Akhmetov then said that City's offer of £1 million was too low, instead offering "a one-year loan - five million euros and there will be no options, meaning a right to buy (Castillo)... If Castillo finds his game ... then in a year we'll decide whether to take him back to Shakhtar or sell. And the price could be 20, or 30, or 40, or 50 million euros."

Manchester City

It was announced on 18 December 2007 that Castillo had signed a one-year loan agreement with Manchester City, commencing on 1 January 2008. Reportedly Castillo was keen to make the move happen and in a highly unusual move paid half of the loan fee himself. Sven-Göran Eriksson commented "He was desperate to come to us, desperate to come to England, desperate to come to the Premier League" and said he had never seen a player pay for half of a deal before.

He played his first match for Manchester City on 5 January 2008 in the third round of the FA Cup, away to West Ham United. However, in the replay on 16 January 2008, his first home appearance for the club, he was stretchered off after 32 minutes with a broken shoulder.

He ended the season with 9 appearances, 7 of them coming in the Premier League. He did not manage any goals during these 9 appearances.

In the 6 months left in the loan contract with Manchester City, Nery Castillo must prove himself that he is up to scratch and it is going to be very difficult to stake his claim with the arrival from CSKA Moscow of Jô, the return to fitness of Valeri Bojinov and the other strikers available namely Benjani Mwaruwari, Felipe Caicedo and Daniel Sturridge.

In early August 2008 it became increasingly likely that Castillo would leave Manchester City with a new club taking up his loan from Shakhtar Donetsk. On August 12, his agent Juan Carlos Padilla announced that there had been inquires from Spanish La Liga side Real Betis. On August 14, Sven-Goran Eriksson, now in charge of the Mexican national side, left Castillo out of the Mexican national team's World Cup qualifier, citing that Castillo was in talks and should have the chance to sort out his future. On August 17, it had been revealed that Italian Serie A side A.S. Roma had joined the hunt to sign Castillo, though Padilla added that Betis have priority in the negotiations, as the first side to have expressed an interest.

On August 25, 2008 it was announced that Castillo was to be signed by Real Betis subject to a deal being reached with Shakhtar Donetsk though, despite increasing speculation that a deal had been done, by August 30, the Guardian could still only say that Castillo was still 'talking to Real Betis about a move to La Liga'.

International career

Choosing nationality

Castillo is eligible for citizenship in four countries; Uruguay because his father is from there; Italy due to his maternal grandparents; Greece because he resided there for more than six years and Mexico where he was born.

His first experience of international football came when he was called up to a Uruguay U-17 training camp. However he was released before playing a game. Next the Greek coach Otto Rehhagel tried to secure his services for the Greece national football team. Greece were reportedly willing to pay Castillo $800,000, including fast-tracked citizenship as part of the offer.

Ultimately Castillo decided to play for the country of his birth and joined the Mexico national football team.

Mexico national team

Castillo made his debut for Mexico on 2 June 2007 against Iran. The game was held in his hometown San Luis Potosí and Mexico won the game 4-0.

He went on to play in the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup where he scored his first international goal against Cuba.

He was then included in the squad for the 2007 Copa America. A pre-tournament injury to Jared Borgetti gave Castillo a starting berth, and he proved influential in Mexico's first match of the tournament, scoring in a 2–0 win against Brazil. He scored again against Ecuador as Mexico secured a place in the knockout stages, and scored a brace in the quarter-final against Paraguay, the first goal a penalty.[31]Overall he was the third highest goal scorer of the tournament with four goals, behind Juan Román Riquelme and Robinho.[32] (διαβάστε λιγότερα)

Nery Alberto Castillo Confalonieri (born 13 June 1984 in San Luis Potosí), nicknamed El Diablo is a Mexican international football player, who currently plays for Manchester City. He began his career at Uruguayan club Danubio, moving to Greece at the age of 16 to play for Olympiacos.

Castillo spent seven years at Olympiacos, gradually developing into a regular starter over a three year period. Once established in the team Castillo helped Olympiacos to three consecutive league titles, prompting... (διαβάστε περισσότερα)