Antonio Tapia

For the following two years, Tapia had spells in the second level and his native region, with Ejido and soon-to-be defunct Granada 74 CF, with relegation in the latter. He then returned to the top flight and Málaga – freshly promoted– and almost led the team to qualification to the UEFA Europa League, after finishing eighth.

Tapia returned to Málaga on 21 August 2012, joining the club's football directory as a sporting adviser.

After refusing a new deal in order to listen to other offers, Tapia would eventually leave his place to Juan Ramón López Muñiz (who returned from Racing de Santander after just one year), signing with Real Betis of division two. After a series of bad results, the last a 0–1 loss at Levante UD, he was sacked on 24 January 2010, only being in charge for six months.

Tapia returned to Málaga's reserves in 2002, attaining another second division promotion. After Gregorio Manzano's dismissal midway through the 2004–05 season, he took the reins of the first team – in La Liga– being sacked in the same period of the following year and replaced by director of football Manolo Hierro, in an eventual relegation.

In 1994, Tapia joined Málaga CF's coaching staff as assistant, staying there for two years before moving in the same capacity to neighbouring Cádiz CF. He had his first spell as head manager with Polideportivo Ejido – still in Andalusia – in 1997, helping the side promote to Segunda División in 2001, although he would be sacked 11 matches into the following campaign due to bad results.

Antonio Tapia Flores (born 13 November 1959) is a Spanish football manager.