Born in Baena (13/11/59), Tapia returns home once more. Antonio’s success story last time around started to be written in gold letters in the unforgettable 97/98 campaign. He was physical trainer of a team that was promoted to the Second Division at the hand of Ismael Díaz, following an agonising promotion league in which Pablo Guede, our current coach, became a Blue and White hero scoring seven goals.
Tapia, who as a young player was part of Atlético Malagueño, began to forge his legend with the Malaguista second team as coach. His peak, in the 02/03 season, took Málaga B to the Second Division and remain in the silver division the following year.
In 04/05, following the dismissal of Goyo Manzano, Tapia made the leap to become Málaga CF’s first team coach during a very difficult sporting situation. He built a winning team in record time that produced a historic second round with ‘Champions’ numbers. His final experience in the MCF first team’s dugout was just as successful, in the fantastic 08/09 season in which, as a newly promoted team, the lads fought for European places, finishing the League in an outstanding 8th place.
Antonio's relationship with Málaga CF, beyond the Entity's first and second teams, is closely linked to The Academy. Not forgetting his brief time as Sports Adviser in 2012, his penultimate service to the Club was as coordinator of the MCF Academy (2017-18). During his time at the helm of grassroots football, Atlético Malagueño achieved its last promotion to the then bronze category.
Strictly speaking, Antonio isn’t really coming home because he never left. Few like him exemplify that feeling of #LovingOurOwn that makes us, above all, Malaguistas. In the case of Tapia, as in that of Guede, they are also Malagueños even without being born here. From here on in, the Málaga CF coaching staff will have a top-class assistant. He is a legend of the Club, and his name is Antonio Tapia Flores. Welcome and good luck, professor.
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