The first time I ever Google searched the name Antonio Flores, the links I got led to a romani Spanish singer-songwriter and actor.
Flores’ first appearance on the Ugandan football scene was last year in March as a football scout.
He will probably go down in the history books as the first football scout who was unveiled by a football club with a club jersey, his name and number at the back.
At the time Sam Ssimbwa was coaching at Villa and when he was fired, his assistant Ibrahim Kirya took over on an interim basis. Little did we know that Flores would take over at the beginning of this season.
Eventually Flores was unveiled and not alone, but with another Spaniard Francisco Martinez, who was to assist him with Kirya dropping to second in the pecking order.
The task was very simple for Flores and Martinez from Villa head Immanuel Ben Missaga, get the results with immediate effect.
That included the Idd Cup which Villa lost to Maroons on spot kicks, it was clear Antonio and company needed time
With all the PR going right for Villa which in return made sure the fans followed the team diligently, Flores failed to get results on the pitch.
Bright Stars subjected them to their first league loss, before excuses started to crop in, from poor pitches to unfit players, name it…
He probably didn’t do enough research on his first arrival to Uganda, but I remember him spending enough time at Villa Park and other grounds. Did he expect them to improve before he returned?
Probably Flores wanted Villa to go and play their matches in Spain where the pitches are much better.
That attitude was never going to help his stay in Uganda not even to improve him as a coach.
Flores won just two league matches, drawing as many and losing three – representing a 29 per cent winning rate.
Villa are yet to play a league after his departure but we wait to see if there will be any improvement from the side he has been in charge of. Back in the dugout is Mr. Fix It, Ibrahim Kirya.
Before I forget, while unveiling Flores as a football scout in March, Missaga said:
Flores was shocked when I told him that Ugandan players normally go to Vietnam for professional football. That’s a shame because Vietnam doesn’t improve them.
Did Flores improve any Villa player, for the period he handled the team? We wait to see if his new role as the club’s ambassador will take the club to the next level.
