Antonio López (footballer, born 1957)

Antonio López Habas (born 28 May 1957) is a Spanish professional football manager and former player who played as a defender. He is currently the technical director of Indian Super League club Mohun Bagan Super Giant.

Antonio López Habas
López Habas in 2012
Personal information
Full nameAntonio López Habas
Date of birth (1957-05-28) 28 May 1957 (age 67)
Place of birthPozoblanco, Spain
Height1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s)Defender
Team information
Current team
Mohun Bagan SG (technical director)
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1976–1977Pozoblanco
1977–1978Sevilla B28(6)
1978–1980Sevilla8(0)
1980–1982Burgos45(14)
1982–1985Murcia74(11)
1985–1986Atlético Madrid0(0)
Total155(31)
Managerial career
1990–1991Atlético Madrileño
1991–1992Las Rozas
1992–1993Aranjuez
1993–1994Bolivia (assistant)
1994–1995Bolívar
1995Bolivia
1995–1996Lleida
1996–1997Bolivia
1998Sporting Gijón
2000–2001Bolívar
2001–2003Valencia (assistant)
2005Valencia
2005Tenerife
2007–2008Celta (assistant)
2008Celta
2009–2010Mamelodi Sundowns (assistant)
2010–2011Mamelodi Sundowns
2012–2013Bidvest Wits
2014–2016ATK
2016–2017Pune City
2019–2020ATK
2020–2021ATK Mohun Bagan
2024Mohun Bagan SG (caretaker)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Playing career

Born in Pozoblanco, Córdoba, López had an unassuming career as a professional footballer, appearing in 48 La Liga matches over four seasons, eight of those for Sevilla to where he arrived in 1977 from local amateurs Pozoblanco, first being assigned to the B team.

He also represented Real Murcia,[1] Burgos and Atlético Madrid (no appearances for the latter), retiring from the game at only 29 years of age due to a knee injury.[2] In 1981–82 he scored an astonishing 13 goals in 32 games for Burgos,[3][4][5] which nonetheless suffered Segunda División relegation due to financial irregularities.[6]

Coaching career

López started coaching in the early 1990s, with Atlético's reserves. After one season apiece in amateur football, also in the Madrid area, he took charge of the Bolivia national team, first as an assistant to Xabier Azkargorta, and eventually appeared with it them as head coach at two Copa América tournaments.[7] He then returned to club action with Club Bolívar, followed by a spell in his homeland with Lleida in the second tier – whilst at the Catalan side, he briefly accumulated with his work as the national coach of the South American country, which he left for good in 1997[8] to sign with Sporting de Gijón of the Spanish second tier, being dismissed shortly after his arrival.[9]

Three years after his last job, with Club Bolívar, López was hired by Valencia as assistant to Rafael Benítez.[10] However, after the sacking of Italian Claudio Ranieri, he managed the first team for 14 games as the Che, the previous league champions, eventually finished seventh.[8] Additionally, he worked at the Mestalla Stadium as youth system coordinator.[11]

López became Tenerife's second head coach of the following campaign in November 2005,[12] being fired himself after only six second-division matches. Two years later, he joined Hristo Stoichkov's staff at Celta in the same tier. With the Galicians constantly battling relegation until the last month of competition, he was named interim coach for the final three months[8] as the team eventually stayed afloat; he was the third manager for the club in approximately one year, after replacing Juan Ramón López Caro.[13][14]

In 2010–11 López, who was assistant to Stoichkov at Mamelodi Sundowns of the South African Premier Division, took over the reins of the senior team.[15] They made their best-ever start to a season and topped the standings at the end of the first round, eventually staying in contention for the league title until the second-last match; he resigned in February citing personal reasons, and went back to Spain.[16]

In January 2012, López was appointed director of the Target Football Academy in Bangkok, Thailand.[17] On 13 July he signed for South African club Bidvest Wits, agreeing to a two-year contract[18] but leaving on 4 January of the following year.[19]

In August 2014, after a short spell in Atlético Madrid's youth system,[20] López was named coach of ATK in the Indian Super League.[21] On 25 October he was given a four-match suspension and fined ₹5,00,000 for his involvement in a spat with Goa's Robert Pires,[22] which was reduced to two upon appeal.[23]

After a dip in form from midway through the season, López led his team to the semi-finals by drawing with Goa,[24] meeting the same opponent once again and defeating them on penalties.[25] In the decisive match, against Kerala Blasters, he benched marquee player Luis García and also-compatriot Jofre, for which he was praised by critics,[26] and the side won thanks to a goal by Mohammed Rafique in extra time.[27]

On 25 April 2016, López was appointed at fellow top-tier club Pune City.[28] On 16 September 2017, after a run-in with the board of directors, he left his position.[29]

In May 2019, López returned to ATK.[30][31] On 14 March 2020, in a final played behind closed doors, he won the national championship against Chennaiyin to become the first manager to achieve the feat twice with the same team.[32][33]

López signed with the newly formed ATK Mohun Bagan on 15 March 2020.[34] In his first season his side finished level with Mumbai City in the first stage, but pushed down to second place on head-to-head points and lost the final 2–1. On 3 April 2021, he agreed to a one-year contract extension.[35] On 18 December 2021, he resigned after a poor run of results.[36]

López returned to Mohun Bagan – now renamed Mohun Bagan Super Giant – in June 2023, as technical director.[37] He was again appointed their head coach the following 3 January, after the sacking of Juan Ferrando.[38]

Managerial statistics

As of match played 15 April 2024
Managerial record by team and tenure
TeamFromToRecordRef.
MWDLGFGAGDWin %
Atlético Madrileño1990199192341316−3022.22[39]
Las Rozas19911992
Aranjuez199219932375112723+4030.43[40]
Bolívar19941995
Bolivia19951995102441514+1020.00[41]
Lleida19951996227692528−3031.82[42]
Bolivia19961997219482723+4042.86[41]
Sporting Gijón199819989135612−6011.11[43]
Bolívar20002001
Valencia25 February 200530 June 2005144821814+4028.57[44]
Tenerife14 November 200521 December 2005603348−4000.00[45]
Celta200820089225910−1022.22[46]
Mamelodi Sundowns4 June 20105 February 20111811252812+16061.11[47]
Bidvest Wits12 July 20124 January 2013164751417−3025.00[48]
Atlético de Kolkata8 July 201420 December 201533131194534+11039.39[49][50]
Pune City25 April 201615 September 2017144461316−3028.57[51]
ATK3 May 201931 May 20202112453919+20057.14[52]
ATK Mohun Bagan10 July 202018 December 20213317885137+14051.52[53][54]
Mohun Bagan SG (caretaker)3 January 202431 May 2024129212812+16075.00[55]
Total2701047690362295+67038.52

Honours

Player

Murcia

Manager

Bolivia

ATK

Mohun Bagan Super Giant

References