Born in Córdoba, Andalusia, Murcia never played in higher than Segunda División B, and retired in 1992 at the age of only 27 due to injury. He coached several local youth teams in his early years, including Córdoba CF. After a successful spell with the reserves (two consecutive promotions all the way to Tercera División), he was one of four managers for the main squad in the 2001–02 season, achieving four wins, two draws and two losses during his eight games in charge as they eventually retained their Segunda División status.[1]
Murcia then plied his trade in the third division, leading Atlético Madrid's B team to the league championship in his first year, albeit with no playoff promotion.[2] On 9 January 2006, following a 0–0 La Liga home draw against Valencia CF, he was appointed the Colchoneros' first team's manager, replacing the dismissed Carlos Bianchi; they ranked 12th at that time,[3] going on to finish the campaign in tenth position.[4][5]
Murcia spent the following four years in the second tier with as many clubs, not managing to finish one single season but with none of the teams eventually losing their league status. On 30 November 2009, after a 2–3 home defeat to CD Numancia, he was fired at Albacete Balompié due to negative results, with the Castilla–La Mancha side in 16th position at that time[6]– eventually ending 15th.
On 9 August 2011, Murcia signed a two-year contract with Romania's FC Brașov,[7] but resigned at the Liga I club after three matches due to family reasons.[8] In June 2014, after nearly three years out of football, he was appointed at PFC Levski Sofia in Bulgaria.[9]
Murcia was sacked on 4 August 2014, due to poor results.[10] In November 2016, whilst working out on his own, the FC Legirus Inter manager suffered a heart attack, slipping into a coma but eventually recovering.[11][12]
^Barbero, Alberto (30 January 2017). "Pepe Murcia: "Estuve muerto 20 minutos"" [Pepe Murcia: "I was dead for 20 minutes"]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 January 2017.
^Jurado, David (22 April 2019). "Pepe Murcia hace historia en Qatar" [Pepe Murcia makes history in Qatar] (in Spanish). Córdoba Deporte. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
