As Odion Ighalo put Watford FC ahead against Swansea City in the 59th minute a week ago, it wouldn’t have been a surprise for Quique Sanchez Flores to blow off a bit of steam with his celebration. But testament to the man and his character, a smile and a fist pump would suffice; he knew the game wasn’t over and his fears were well-founded. In the 64th minute and a Behrami ‘stamp’ later, the Hornets were down the 10 men. Their backs were now up against the wall and the Swans poured forward. It was a rollercoaster of emotions but after 98 gruelling minutes in his fifth Premier League game in charge, Flores had gained his first three points in charge of Watford FC.
After the game, and understandably unwilling to get carried away, Flores chose instead to focus on the style of football his side plays rather than the significance of the victory; “In the second half we had to defend a lot, I don’t like to play like this. I’m really pleased and would like to dedicate this win to the fans.” Leading up to the Newcastle game, where Flores masterminded another victory, he again displayed his understanding of modern challenges facing players. “The crowd atmosphere will mean we are under high pressure, but it’s very exciting to think about getting a win at the stadium,” he said. “If we can make them silent and we can get a good result, then it’ll be very good for the future”, how right he was.
Flores is showing a remarkable ability to adapt and cater his tactics quickly to the pace and complexity of Premier League football. Whether it is the pressure of playing at the Etihad Stadium or St. James Park, the difficulty of sterilising a strong Southampton attack, or blending the new arrivals with old heads, Flores is displaying every attribute and skill needed to create a successful team. Watford FC have a manager that they won’t want to get rid of any time soon.
Son of the late Isidro Sanchez Garcia-Figueras – former Real Madrid defender and enforcer – Flores was born in February of 1965 in Madrid. Flores currently has a 44.8% win ratio across his management career. And although that may alter substantially over this season, this article will look only at the man that is Quique Sanchez Flores, with minimal reference to the Golden Boys of Hertfordshire.
With the great Angel Di Stefano as a godfather, mother as an actress, father as a footballer, and auntie as an internationally-acclaimed flamenco dancer, Flores has not had an easy life. His parents separated in the 1970s and his auntie, Loa Flores, passed away from breast cancer. After which her son committed suicide. From these experiences Flores developed an ever-stronger bond with Di Stefano. Flores continues to this day to describe the late Di Stefano fondly, “He had personality, experience, the smell of football, character”. He recalls how Eusebio once told him that the best player the latter had ever seen in his life was Di Stefano. It is evident that Flores still holds his godfather in high esteem and it wouldn’t be amiss to suggest that his managerial ethos is shaped by the relationship.
Having been in charge of ‘La Fabrica’ – Real Madrid’s Youth team – for seven years from 1997, Flores coached players such as Alvaro Arbeloa, Borja Valero, Rodriguez, Javi Garcia, Soldado and Jurado, to name but a few well-known graduates, and gained a reputation for promoting individualism and skill among his players. Flores then took up his first open age role with Getafe before moving on to Valencia a year later. In his first season he guided Los Che to third place in La Liga and reached the quarter-final stage of the UEFA Champions League upon qualification the following season. However after a string of average performances, Flores moved to S.L. Benfica in 2008, here Flores won the domestic league cup and moved onto Atletico Madrid in October 2009. At Atleti, Flores enjoyed his most successful reign. He guided his side to the UEFA Europa League final where they beat Fulham 2-1 and Copa Del Rey Final, losing to Sevilla. Although, after numerous clashes with Diego Forlan, Flores soon left for UAE Pro-League sides, Al Ahli and Al Ain. He returned to Getafe after a short hiatus in early 2015, yet left for personal reasons under two months into his reign. On June 5th Flores replaced Slavisa Jokanovic and became the Hornet’s fifth manager in 12 months.
As a player Flores was similarly well decorated and was a reliable right-back who could read the game well. He won the Segunda Division with Valencia in 1987 and La Liga in 1995 with Real Madrid. He made 272 appearances for Valencia and 63 for Real Madrid, before finishing his career at Real Zaragoza at the age of 32. On the international stage, Flores also made 15 appearances for Spain, making his debut in 1987 in a 2-0 friendly win against Luxembourg. He loved to move forward with pace and enjoyed the wider elements of football. Flores was the type of player that liked to work hard on and off the pitch but never wanted to hog the spotlight or media headlines.
Flores continued in this vein as he entered the managerial ranks. “I am not the protagonist” he told the media prior to the start of the season, “The coach, we should be behind the stage… I am the director. I have the final cut of the film”. It is for the players to take centre stage and become the protagonists. This ethos has been valuable for a Watford side with strong personalities and leaders. The players take responsibility for their actions on the pitch and make their own decisions according to the play, “you are dealing with human beings so it is not good enough to say ‘these are the tactics, get on with it’”. Flores guides, instructs, educates, but never orders and never commands.
Evidently, Quique Sanchez Flores has had a colourful past and the future will undoubtedly be similar. With the experience, ability, and potential to take on the world, the sky is the limit for the Spaniard. But ensuring Watford’s survival will likely be his biggest test to date. Yet Flores is aware of the challenge he is faces, nevertheless his role at the Hertfordshire club is about more than survival: “It’s only the start”.
