Chico Flores is no Gilbert Arenas, but he’s traveling down that same avenue inhabited by violently misbehaving professional athletes.
Police were called to Swansea City’s practice facility last Friday after an argument between Flores and teammate Garry Monk looked like it might take a violent turn. Flores threatened to hit Monk with a brick, according to the Telegraph.
“A member of the public, believed to be the mother of a youth team player at the club, phoned police after claiming to have spotted a screaming Flores brandishing the brick,” the report says.
Police arrived minutes later, spoke to a few people and soon left.
“Club officials were spoken to, and no police action was required,” a South Wales Police statement said.
Swansea City confirmed that something happened between Flores and Monk but downplayed the incident.
“Chico Flores and Garry Monk had an exchange of words, which is not uncommon between players in training grounds across the country, but no threats or altercations took place between the players in question,” a club statement said.
Monk, an English center back, has played for Swansea City for nearly a decade. The 34-year-old is a former club captain, but his playing time has diminished since Michael Laudrup became Swansea City’s manager before the 2012-13 season. Monk has made only one appearance in the current campaign.
Flores, 26, has been a regular starter in Swansea City’s defense since Laudrup signed him from Genoa before the 2012-13 season. Flores was an integral part of Swansea City’s League Cup triumph last season, but the Spanish stopper also has contributed to his team’s struggles this season.
The Swans have won just two of their last 13 games (in all competitions). The dreadful run continued Sunday with a 3-1 loss to Tottenham in which Flores scored an own goal.
A schism between Swansea City’s Spanish and British players has emerged recently, and Flores’ personality is a contributing factor, according to the Mail.
“Concerns have been growing about the attitude of Swansea’s squad towards their eight Spanish players, with an ‘us and them’ culture developing,” the report says. “The British players feel Flores, once a popular figure, has become egotistical, and they are growing tired of his histrionics.
“Flores is known to have a short fuse, and his teammates sometimes enjoy trying to provoke a reaction.”
Laudrup must now build a bridge between the two camps. He can ask Flores to help him lay the first — wait for it — brick.
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Photo via Twitter/@ChicoFlores12
