Antonio Calderón


Antonio Calderón Burgos is a Spanish retired footballer who played as an attacking midfielder, and the manager of Real Balompédica Linense.
Over eight seasons, he amassed La Liga totals of 215 games and 18 goals, for Cádiz, Mallorca and Rayo Vallecano. He also played more than 200 matches in Segunda División, in a professional career which lasted 18 years and ended in Scotland.
In the 2000s, Calderón started a manager career, working in both countries and with several teams.

Playing career

Born in Cádiz, Andalusia, Calderón made his senior – and La Liga – debut with hometown's Cádiz CF, during the 1986–87 season. In 1989, he signed with RCD Mallorca also in the top division, playing there two years.
Calderón then joined Madrid's Rayo Vallecano, helping the team promote from the second level in his debut campaign, with a career-best nine goals in 36 games. During his spell with the club, he would experience one relegation and another promotion; he finished his career in Spain with UE Lleida, playing four division two seasons as an undisputed starter, and going on to amass totals of 416 matches and 49 goals the two major tiers of Spanish football combined.
Aged 33, Calderón moved abroad, playing half a season with Airdrieonians and one-and-a-half with Kilmarnock, his debut for the latter being a start against Dunfermline Athletic and his first and only goal occurring in a 1–3 away loss against Rangers. In 2002 he stayed in Scotland, retiring at Raith Rovers where he acted as player-coach.

Coaching career

Calderón continued his coaching career in his country, first briefly managing first professional club Cádiz as it was not finally able to prevent second division relegation. He then signed with SD Huesca, freshly promoted to precisely that tier. With him in charge for the full campaign, the team finished in a comfortable 11th position out of 22.
In the 2009–10 season, Calderón repeated the feat. In July 2010 he moved to another side in division two, Albacete Balompié; in February of the following year, with the Castile-La Mancha team ranking in 19th position out of 22, eventually suffering relegation, he was fired.
In July 2011, Calderón signed for CD Tenerife in the third level. On 22 January of the following year, following a 2–3 home defeat to Sporting de Gijón B, he was relieved of his duties, as the Canary Islands side eventually were not promoted.
For 2012–13, Calderón returned to Huesca which was still in the second tier. He was sacked after a 0–4 loss at UD Las Palmas in December, and the club eventually dropped down to the third division after a five-year stay.
Calderón succeeded Raül Agné at third level's Cádiz CF in March 2014. After taking them to the playoffs his contract was renewed for another year in June. However, he was dismissed as soon as November for a poor run of results.
In October 2016, Calderón returned to third-tier management at CF Fuenlabrada after Josip Višnjić was fired. He again took the team from the Madrid outskirts to the post-season and was sacked in January 2018 after a ten-game winless run, despite still being in third place.
In August 2018, Calderon was appointed by Egyptian Premier League newcomers Nogoom FC. He left Giza for personal reasons in September, and in October he was back in his country's third division with Salamanca CF. A day after saving the club from the drop with a 12th-place finish, he resigned in May 2019.

Managerial statistics

Honours

Airdrieonians
Raith Rovers