Pedro Cordero Sánchez

Pedro Ignacio Cordero Sánchez (born 17 August 1968) is a Spanish former footballer who played as a midfielder, and is now the sporting director of Real Murcia. He made 44 appearances for Murcia in La Liga in the 1980s, and a further 52 for Albacete Balompié in the 1990s.

Club career Cartagena FC

Cordero was born in Cartagena in the Region of Murcia, and began his career with local side Cartagena FC. He came on as a substitute for Jesús Crespo with 12 minutes remaining. He made his first start in a 4–0 away loss to Real Oviedo at Estadio Carlos Tartiere on 11 January, and two weeks later he scored his first goal in a 2–1 away win over Hércules at Estadio José Rico Pérez. At the end of the season, Murcia found themselves 17th in the table, and so faced a relegation playoff.

In the home first leg against Rayo Vallecano, Murcia grasped a 2–0 lead just before the hour mark, with goals from Salvo Mejías and Juanjo. Cordero was brought on in place of Eugenio with 15 minutes left, and Murcia put themselves in a commanding position with a third goal from Manolo just before the end. Cordero started in the return match at Vallecas, and despite a second half own goal by José Luis Brown, Murcia held a 3–1 aggregate lead as the match entered its closing stages. The icing on the cake was Cordero's third goal of the season arriving in injury time, as Murcia retained their La Liga status with a 4–1 aggregate victory.

The following season, Cordero was less heavily used, playing only 16 matches. Cordero departed the club at the end of the season, his last Murcia appearance being a 1–0 home loss to Cádiz on 25 June.

Salamanca

Like Murcia, Cordero descended to the Segunda División in 1989–90 Segunda División, but he joined divisional rivals Salamanca.

Return to Cartagena

In the summer of 1990, Cordero moved back to his first club, Cartagena. They had slipped back to Segunda División B in his absence, but his first season was a successful one. He played 46 matches Cordero played in five of the playoff matches, missing one due to suspension after a late red card at home to Córdoba. Cartagena finished their playoff group level on points with Racing Santander, but missed out on promotion thanks to inferior goal difference.

1991–92 was Cordero's busiest as a professional, as he made a huge 48 appearances for Cartagena. He also found excellent goal scoring form, scoring 21 times. This form helped Cartagena go one place better than the year before: they were champions of their group, and qualified for the playoffs once again.

Cartagena began the playoffs with two wins and a draw from their first four matches, with Cordero finding the net in the 2–0 home win over Deportivo Alavés. Badajoz scored early through José Luis Sarabia, but Cordero equalised after 21 minutes to put Cartagena back in contention. However, Badajoz then took control of the game, and eventually ran out 5–1 winners, meaning Cartagena had failed at the final hurdle for the second year in a row.

Cordero continued to be a mainstay of the team the following season, and had played 30 matches by the end of January. His goal scoring form also continued, including scoring four goals in Cartagena's incredible 9–2 home victory over Llíria on 29 November. However, keen for a return to higher levels of football, he jumped ship as January became February. his 14th goal of the season. His first start came a week later in a home fixture against Real Madrid at Estadio Carlos Belmonte, and it was an unflattering occasion as Cordero was sent off and the hosts were defeated 3–0. His third match, on 28 February, was more encouraging, as he scored his first Albacete goal in a 2–2 draw with Tenerife at Estadio Heliodoro Rodríguez López.

This should have brought relegation for Albacete, but they were reprieved after an administration scandal involving Sevilla and Celta Vigo. However, the playoffs would be Cordero's last appearances for the club, and he departed at the end of the season. Cordero joined Badajoz in the Segunda División ahead of the 1995–96 season.

Despite regular appearances in the first half of the season, Cordero dropped out of the team before Christmas and ended the season having made just 17 appearances. Seeking more regular playing time, Cordero left the club at the end of the season,

1998–99 began strongly, and Cordero played nine matches early in the season. However, he left the club that winter,

Castellón

Cordero joined Segunda División B side CD Castellón in December 1998. but he once again moved clubs midseason. He first start came a week later, as Cacereño earned a 1–0 home win over Coria at Estadio Príncipe Felipe. He ultimately played sixteen matches, His stay at Cacereño proved to be just six months, and he left the club that summer. In 2001–02, he played 29 matches, again scoring a single goal, a consolation in a 2–1 home loss to Ceuta on 28 October.

At the end of the season he retired, just shy of his 34th birthday.

This success allowed Cordero to take on the more senior role of sporting director at Tenerife. He helped the club to second place in their group in the 2011–12 Segunda División B campaign, but their promotion dreams were dashed at the last hurdle in the playoffs by Ponferradina. He left the club following this failure, and returned to his previous role as a technical analyst at Granada. After an uneventful 2012–13 La Liga season, he left once again, becoming sporting director of Córdoba in December 2013.

Cordero guided Córdoba back to La Liga for the first time since 1971–72 at the first attempt, as they were promoted via the playoffs. However, they were relegated in last place after just one season in the top flight, and Cordero was fired in May 2015.

In the winter of 2016, Cordero joined forces with Quique Pina, who had been president of Ciudad de Murcia during his time there as a player, and also president of Granada during his time on the technical secretariat. Pina's latest project was with Lorca Deportiva, where he appointed Cordero as sporting director. He helped the club win their group in the 2016–17 Tercera División and earn promotion. He then resumed his association with his brother Juan Carlos, with whom he served on the technical secretariats at Granada and Cádiz, before both departed the latter in September 2018. The following month, he became a technical analyst in the scouting team at Elche, working with his other brother Jorge, but he left in December to become sporting director at Real Murcia. He also played for the Spain Under-20s in the 1993 Alcudia Trophy, appearing in matches against Georgia and Ukraine. He and Pedro worked together at both Granada CF and Cádiz after their playing careers.

Youngest brother Jorge, nine years Pedro's junior, was also a midfielder, and like Pedro his clubs included Cartagonova and Ciudad de Murcia. He also had a spell with Real Mallorca around the turn of the millennium, with whom he played twice in La Liga and appeared in the 2000 UEFA Intertoto Cup. Jorge later worked with Pedro at Elche.

In February 2016, Cordero launched his own restaurant in his hometown of Cartagena, called La Bodega Real. The opening night was attended by many celebrities including his brothers, former teammate and Tenerife colleague Manolo Sánchez, and Cartagena left winger Chus Hevia.

Honours Player Cartagena FC Segunda División B: 1991–92

Ciudad de Murcia Tercera División: 2000–01

Sporting director Córdoba Segunda División: promotion to La Liga 2013–14

Lorca Deportiva Tercera División: 2016–17

Career statistics

1. Appearances in the 1987–88 La Liga relegation playoff 2. Appearances in the 1991 Segunda División B playoffs 3. Appearances in the 1992 Segunda División B playoffs 4. Appearances in the 1992–93 La Liga relegation playoff 5. Appearances in the 1994–95 La Liga relegation playoff