Rafael Collado García

Rafael Collado García (born 1 July 1969), known as Coco, is a Spanish former footballer[1] who played initially as a right back, and later in his career as a centre back.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Collado and the second or maternal family name is García.
Coco
Personal information
Full name Rafael Collado García
Date of birth (1969-07-01) 1 July 1969
Place of birth Albacete, Spain
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Right back/centre back
Youth career
–1988 Albacete Balompié
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1988–1996 Albacete Balompié 227 (4)
1996–1998 Osasuna 10 (0)
1998–2000 Yeclano 12 (1)
1999 → Calahorra (loan) 14 (0)
1999–2000 → Linares (loan)
2000–2001 Linares 19 (0)
2001 Quintanar del Rey
2002 Mejoreño
2002–2004 Logroñés
Total 282 (5)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 17 January 2021

He began his career with Albacete Balompié, and played with them for the most successful period of his career. He helped them to La Liga promotion in 1990–91, and played 160 top flight matches over the next five years. He left the club as they were relegated in 1995–96, and saw out his career with a succession of lower league clubs.[2]

Career

Albacete Balompié

Coco was born in Albacete in the autonomous community of Castilla–La Mancha, and began his career with local club Albacete Balompié.[2] He made his debut for Albacete, then in Segunda División B, on 12th March 1989 in a 1–1 away draw against Alcoyano. It was an inauspicious debut, as he was sent off with three minutes remaining at Estadio El Collao. Nonetheless, he was able to make his home debut two weeks later, as Albacete beat Lorca Deportiva 2–0 at Estadio Carlos Belmonte. He ultimately made 12 appearances that season.[3]

In 1989–90, Coco played a crucial part as Albacete topped their group and earned promotion to the Segunda División.[4] He played 25 times, and also scored his first Albacete goal, which came right at the death in an excellent 5–1 away win over Maspalomas on 4th November.[5]

His Segunda División debut came on the opening day of the following season, as Albacete got off to a winning start with a 2–0 win at home to Palamós. A week later he scored an own goal just five minutes into the match against Lleida at Camp d'Esports, which proved to be the only goal of the game. Despite this, Coco had another successful season, with 30 appearances.[6] It was also a miraculous season for the club, who won the Segunda División at the first attempt to secure a second successive promotion, and reach La Liga for the first time in their history.[7]

Albacete began their inaugural top flight season in 1991–92 against Osasuna on 1st September, and Coco played the full 90 minutes as they lost 2–0 at El Sadar Stadium. Better was to come a week later, with a superb 1–0 home win over Valencia, which was to set the tone for another brilliant season, in which Coco played 30 times in all competitions.[8] His club ended the year 7th in the league, only missing out on qualification for the 1992–93 UEFA Cup by a single point.[9] The following season he played an even bigger role, with 37 appearances, despite being sent off twice: away to Valencia on 22nd November, and to Sevilla on 31st January. The year was a greater struggle for the club, though, who were forced to play a relegation playoff after finishing 17th. Coco played in both legs as they beat Real Mallorca to retain their La Liga place.[10]

1993–94 again brought 37 appearances, and a maiden La Liga goal, which came late in a 4–1 win over Celta Vigo at Balaídos on 12th December.[11] The following season was the busiest of his Albacete career, with 40 appearances in all competitions, although another 17th place finish meant another playoff. Coco featured in the first leg against Salamanca, which Albacete won 2–0 at Helmántico Stadium, but was absent for the embarrassing 5–0 reversal in the home leg, which should have ensured their relegation.[12] However, the administration scandal involving Sevilla and Celta Vigo saw them handed a reprieve.[13]

In 1995–96, Coco played 38 matches, scoring twice: in a 4–0 home win over Celta Vigo on 24th September, and in a remarkable 5–5 draw with Racing Santander at El Sardinero on 7th January.[14] A 20th place finish meant yet another playoff for Albacete, and after losing this time there would be no reprieve. The 1–0 losses both home and away against Extremadura would prove to be Coco's last for the club;[14] he left at the end of the season after 250 appearances and five goals in eight years.[2]

Osasuna

Coco joined Osasuna ahead of the 1996–97 Segunda División season.[2] His debut for his new club came in the away first leg of their Copa del Rey first round tie against Gimnástica de Torrelavega on 5th September. The match at El Malecón ended 1–0 to the visitors, and Coco also played as they followed this up with a 2–0 win at El Sadar Stadium twelve days later. However, he had to wait until 13th October to make his league debut, which came in a home match against his former club, Albacete, which finished 1–1. He struggled to establish himself at Osasuna, and managed a total of 15 appearances in his first season with the Pamplona club.[15]

The following year, however, he played just once, in a 1–0 away loss to Segunda División B side Barakaldo in the first round of the Copa del Rey on 3rd September.[16] Seeking more playing opportunities, he left the club at the end of the season.

Yeclano

For 1998–99, Coco dropped down a division, joining Yeclano in Segunda División B.[2] He was immediately in the starting lineup, making his debut in the first match of the season away to Elche on 29th August. His new club lost the match at the Estadio Manuel Martínez Valero 2–0, and they also lost nine days later as he made his home debut against Sabadell. He played in 12 of Yeclano's first 13 matches, including scoring what would turn out to be his only goal for the club in the 2–0 home win over Espanyol B on 8th November.[17] However, he fell out of favour after this, and joined Calahorra on loan in January.

He made his Calahorra debut in a 1–0 away win over Gernika on 24th January, and followed it up with his home debut a week later. This came against Osasuna B, who won the match 1–0. He played 14 times for Calahorra, with the lowpoint coming as he was sent off in stoppage time of a 2–0 home victory over Burgos on 14th March.[17]

Linares

Coco joined Linares in 1999, and helped them earn promotion from the Tercera División in his first season. 2000–01 saw him make 19 appearances, including a 17 minute cameo in a 2–1 away loss to Don Benito on 6th May which would prove to be his last in Spain's top three divisions.[2][18] Linares finished the season in 18th, and were relegated immediately back to the Tercera División.[19]

Later career

Coco briefly joined Quintanar del Rey in 2001,[2] before an equally short spell with fellow Tercera División side Mejoreño. He finished his career with two years at Logroñés, retiring in 2004.

Honours

Albacete Balompie

Linares

Career statistics
As of 18 January 2021[2]
Club Season League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Albacete Balompié 1988–89 Segunda División B 12000––120
1989–90 251––––251
1990–91 Segunda División 30000––300
1991–92 La Liga 29020––310
1992–93 3005120371
1993–94 35120––371
1994–95 3207010400
1995–96 3422020382
Total 2274181502505
Osasuna 1996–97 Segunda División 10050––150
1997–98 0010––10
Total 1006000160
Yeclano 1998–99 Segunda División B 121––––121
Calahorra 14000––140
Linares 2000–01 190––––190
Quintanar del Rey 2001–02 Tercera División ??10––10
Career total 2825251503126
1.^ Appearances in the 1992–93 La Liga relegation playoff
2.^ Appearance in the 1994–95 La Liga relegation playoff
3.^ Appearances in the 1995–96 La Liga relegation playoff

References
  1. "Coco". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  2. "Coco". BDFutbol. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  3. "Matches Coco". BDFutbol. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  4. "Classification 2nd Division B Group III 1989-90". BDFutbol. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  5. "Matches Coco". BDFutbol. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  6. "Matches Coco". BDFutbol. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  7. "Classification 2nd Division 1990-91". BDFutbol. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  8. "Matches Coco". BDFutbol. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  9. "Classification First Division 1991-92". BDFutbol. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  10. "Matches Coco". BD Futbol. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  11. "Matches Coco". BDFutbol. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  12. "Matches Coco". BDFutbol. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  13. "Temporada 1994-95 (nota aclaratoria de la ampliación a 22 equipos)" (in Spanish). futbolme.com. Retrieved 6 November 2010.
  14. "Matches Coco". BDFutbol. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  15. "Matches Coco". BDFutbol. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  16. "Matches Coco". BDFutbol. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  17. "Matches Coco". BDFutbol. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  18. "Matches Coco". BDFutbol. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  19. "Classification 2nd Division B Group IV 2000-01". BDFutbol. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
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