▁manager ▁of ▁Spanish ▁descent ▁and ▁a ▁former ▁footballer . ▁L ope z ▁has ▁co ached ▁many ▁Italian ▁a cademy ▁clubs , ▁sc out ed ▁for ▁At al anta ▁B . C . ▁and ▁A CF ▁F ior ent ina , ▁and ▁managed ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁clubs ▁throughout ▁Eastern ▁Europe ▁and ▁Asia . ▁He ▁holds ▁a ▁UEFA ▁Pro ▁Co aching ▁Lic ence . ▁ ▁L ope z ' s ▁first ▁senior ▁manager ial ▁role ▁was ▁at ▁FK ▁B anga ▁G arg ž da i , ▁starting ▁in ▁January ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁He ▁is ▁known ▁for ▁his ▁strong ▁leadership ▁qual ities , ▁his ▁ability ▁to ▁analy se ▁and ▁solve ▁problems ▁and ▁his ▁excellent ▁inter person al ▁and ▁communication ▁skills ▁with ▁players . ▁ ▁Play ing ▁career ▁ ▁A ▁goal keeper , ▁L ope z ▁started ▁his ▁playing ▁career ▁in ▁the ▁a cademy ▁of ▁A . S . ▁Roma . ▁Ult imately , ▁he ▁was ▁forced ▁into ▁early ▁ret irement ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁a ▁serious ▁kne e ▁injury ▁picked ▁up ▁while ▁playing ▁with ▁A gi at ese ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 2 – 9 3 ▁season . ▁ ▁Early ▁years ▁L ope z ▁graduated ▁secondary ▁school ▁with ▁a ▁di pl oma ▁in ▁Rome . ▁After ▁ret iring ▁as ▁a ▁footballer , ▁he ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁become ▁a ▁football ▁coach ▁for ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁semi - prof essional ▁club ▁and ▁youth ▁teams . ▁At ▁age ▁ 2 8 , ▁he ▁won ▁a ▁Youth ▁Cup ▁in ▁an ▁international ▁tournament ▁in ▁Um b