By Ibrahim Karim Bangura (Tanko)
Reporting reaching Africa-24 has discovered that Antonio Jesus Flores is a UEFA Pro Licence coaching license holder born in 1972. He holds a Spanish level 3 coaching football license, the CAF B License. He speaks English, Spanish, German and Russian. Flores is a cousin to former Watford and now Espanyol manager Quique Sánchez Flores.
Interviewing coach Flores, he said he had worked in the FIFA competition like Uganda Super League, Lesotho Premier League, Futve Liga Venezuela, and National First Division in South Africa. He managed clubs in Spain (youth), (2 andaluza), Villa SC, Nyamityobora fc in Uganda, Sandawana FC, Lioli FC both in Lesotho and lately Super Eagles FC in South Africa National First Division, and Yaracuyanos FC in Venezuela.
On 13 July 2015, he was unveiled as the head coach of Villa SC by Villa SC boss Ben Misagga and penned a two-year contract. But in November 2015, he parted ways with Villa SC and was linked to Gor Mahia FC but the deal failed on the eleventh hour.
He had played Sarl Star Football Algérie (U-17). In September 2016 he was signed as the coach for the U-17 to develop players for La Masia in Algeria.
In January, 2017 he was a head coach in Lesotho Premier League club Sandawana FC and agreed on a one-year deal with the club management. Flores worked with American coach Eric Sarno as his assistant. In his first match, he registered a 2–1 win over Linare FC on 12 February at Maputsoe DiFA Stadium. He saved the club from the relegation successfully and in June 2017 he parted ways with them.
Meanwhile, in July 2017, he was appointed as the technical director coach for Lioli FC where he guided them through 23 games and making the best record of winning with 78%. In November 2017 he left the club leading the table of the Lesotho Premier League to join National First Division club in South Africa.
In 2017 he was appointed as the head coach in the National First Division Super Eagles Football club in South Africa and replaced player Tshegofatso Mashego, who was demoted following a poor start to the season and that saw the team winning just two of their first 10 league matches. Antonio guided them through 17 games where they won 2 games of the Nedbank Cup games, winning to Black Leopards 3-0 and losing in extra time 2–1 against Free State Stars. In March 2018, he parted ways amicably. He signed a contract on 28 August 2018 as the technical director at Nyamityobora FC.
He signed contract as head coach with CD Roquetas (U-17) on 7 March 2019 till 30 June 2019. Despite his outstanding track records over the years, Coach Flores says his door is open to manage more football in West Africa especially Sierra Leone because the country is a football loving nation, and ready to upgrade the standard of the profession specially the Sierra Leone Primer League in the future.
“I have passion for Africa football based on my work experience, we have great talents and skillful players in the continent, Africa players are doing well in Europe. If I had the opportunity to coach any Premier League club in Sierra Leone, I would appreciate that with joy,” he said.