Quique Sánchez Flores

Infobox Football biography
playername = Quique Flores


fullname = Enrique Sánchez Flores
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1965|2|2
cityofbirth = Madrid
countryofbirth = Spain
height = Height|m=1.76
nickname = Quique
position = Right-back (retired)
currentclub = SL Benfica
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1984–1994 1994–1996 1996–1997
clubs = Valencia CF Real Madrid Real Zaragoza
caps(goals) = 232 (14) 63 (2) 9 (0)
nationalyears = 1987–1991
nationalteam = Spain
nationalcaps(goals) = 15 (0)
manageryears = 2003–2005 2005–2007
2008–
managerclubs = Getafe CF Valencia CF
SL Benfica

Quique Flores, full name Enrique Sánchez Flores (born 2 February 1965 in Madrid), is a Spanish football coach and former full back. He is currently the manager of S.L. Benfica.

Playing career

During his playing career, Flores spent ten seasons with Valencia, from 1984. However, at first, he did not enjoy his time at the "Estadio Mestalla" as the club were relegated in 1985-86, and when they got back into the top division, they finished 14th in 1988. However, from that point until 1994, they never finished lower than 7th.

In 1994, the defender moved to Real Madrid where he would stay for two seasons and win the league title in 1995. Following his time in Madrid, Flores had a brief spell with Real Zaragoza before turning his hand to coaching.

He made 15 appearances for the Spain national team and was selected to the 1990 World Cup squad.

Coaching career

Quique followed in the footsteps of one of his predecessors at Valencia, Rafael Benitez, by taking charge of the Real Madrid youth team. After winning plaudits during his time with the youth team, Flores was approached about the manager's job at newly-promoted club Getafe CF.

After an impressive 2004-05 season with Getafe, which managed to finish a respectable 13th place, Flores was given the opportunity to coach his former club, Valencia, succeeding Claudio Ranieri. In his first season, he guided the club to third place in "La Liga". This performance qualified the club for the 2006-07 UEFA Champions League where Valencia reached the quarter-finals. As of 24th May 2007, the club guaranteed a top-four league finish, and consequently a place in the 2007-08 Champions League.

On October 29, 2007, the Valencia board of directors fired Flores after a string of average results with poor performances. He was appointed as manager of SL Benfica on May 24, 2008.cite news
title = Benfica appoint Flores as coach
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/7418607.stm
publisher = BBC Sport
date = 2008-05-24
accessdate = 2008-05-24]

Personal life

Sánchez Flores is the nephew of Spanish Flamenco singer-dancer Lola Flores. [ [http://www.lasprovincias.es/valencia/prensa/20070916/ocio/carmen-flores_20070916.html Article on Flores' mother, Carmen] es icon]

Notes

External links

* [http://www.lfp.es/historico/primera/plantillas/historial.asp?jug=4809 Stats at Liga de Fútbol Profesional] es icon
* [http://rsssf.com/miscellaneous/qflores-intl.html RSSSF international data]