THE absent stop at Craven Cottage for Swansea City's trip to Fulham in December was the world for perhaps the most surreal moment of the Premier League period. With kick-off approaching, the Putney End was abuzz with the typical pre-match gossip from Swansea followers shuffling towards their seats, anticipating what was a fairly routine game against yet another mid-table team. in the stands Chico in the away end at Craven Cottage early in the day this year. on the mike Swansea City's Chico Flores. But a rush of excitement soon rippled through the group, as Swansea's fans looked to one corner of the stand to locate a familiar face within their midst a' Chico Flores. Omitted of the matchday squad as director Michael Laudrup wanted to keep his people clean within a hectic Christmas plan, Flores had pushed to West London together with his wife Davinia to watch the game. myprint-247 Printing voucher Our heavyweight cards have FREE UV cotton finish, FREE following day shipping & VAT included. Select from 1000's of pre-designed themes or distribute your own artwork. Requests dispatched within 24hrs. Terms: Visit our site for more products: Business Cards, Compliment Slips, Letterheads, Leaflets, Postcards, Posters & much more. All objects are free following day delivery. Contact: 01858 468192 Logical until: Tuesday, April 30 2013 Eschewing the benefits of the directors' field, the Spanish defense, who joined Swansea from Genoa for A2.5 million last summer, chose to join in with the travelling Jack Army and immediately guaranteed in full herself hero status. "I couldn't play against Fulham therefore I went there with my spouse to view the overall game with the fans," Flores recalls with an easy grin. "When we found myself in the ground, most of the fans turned to me and began chanting 'Chico! Chico!' "I was like, 'Oh my God', and I made a decision to join in with the chanting! That match was really enjoyed by "i. I felt such as a Swansea fan. "When we won our two ambitions against Fulham, I was embracing my wife, the fans, everyone! "I love basketball. I've been enthusiastic about baseball because I was an infant. I am a footballer now, but I have for ages been a fan." The roars of Flores's name rang around Craven Cottage as loudly while the goal activities as Swansea won 2-1. The chants prompted several perplexed expressions in the press box, with some writers even examining their group blankets to ensure they had not missed the Spaniard's name. But a post-match interview with Swansea chief Garry Monk established that Flores have been placing himself with the supporters and increasing his ever-increasing cult following. "I love the Swansea fans," Flores says. "I love reading the supporters chant my name. It's perfect for a new player in a new category. "Swansea fans always help us and encourage us, helping to make me happy. "I have really enjoyed my time in Swansea. It had been hard in the beginning, with the language and the winter. "But it has been a very good learning experience to play in the Premier League. "It is real and fast, and I've been very happy to play inside it. "I have really enjoyed playing in the Premier League. It's an excellent competition." It has undoubtedly been a testing first period for Flores, who has had to adapt his sport in Britain. The 26-year-old was only a little rash in the first months of the plan, and the former Real Mallorca centre-back was sent down for a dangerous tackle on Sunderland's Louis Saha in September. Luckily, Saha was unhurt by Flores's neck-high challenge, and the Swans defender thinks the incident has led him to control his aggression. "I am a player, but the Premier League," he says, this year and, I have played in Spain, Italy. "Each category differs. In Spain, it's never as normal to obtain a red card for that (tackle on Saha). "The fans may think I was very hostile, but I think it's because the leagues will vary. "I learned after that red card to regulate my violence, that the Premier League is different. "It is typical for a person in a fresh league to make a mistake and to master from it." Even though that red card was a lesson for Flores, it was by no means the cheapest ebb of his first time in Swansea. When a leg injury pushed the former Barcelona N player off the subject through the 4-1 win over Queens Park Rangers, only fourteen days ahead of the Capital One Cup final, that time arrived on February 9. Flores tried all method of methods to help his restoration, browsing the physiotherapists at Barcelona and using state-of-the-art technology at Swansea's training ground. But his attempts were in vain, and he was required to sit out Swansea's important 5-0 triumph at Wembley, the club's first ever major trophy. "It was a really difficult time for my career. It would have already been great to perform in a final," he says. "I caused the physios at Swansea and the physios at Barcelona. I devote a lot of work to perform at Wembley. "But one day ahead of the game at Wembley, after training I knew I would maybe not manage to play. "I went to see my wife and I was very unhappy, I cried. "That was an extremely sad day but, at Wembley, it was enjoyed by me for my team-mates, cheering them on. "I would have preferred to have played in the ultimate, having played in all the fits leading up to it. "It would have been excellent to play at Wembley, with so many supporters there. "But it's typical in basketball to obtain accidents. I worked hard to play in the ultimate nonetheless it was impossible." After the tears of the initial attack, Flores was at Wembley to join his team-mates for the celebrations, and the sight of the Spaniard dressed as a matador on the frequency continues to be one of the absolute most enduring pictures of Swansea's Capital One Cup win. Flores's cult status among Swansea's fans has long been recognized, and he seems likewise common with his fellow participants, striking a really strong bond with fellow centre-back Ashley Williams. "Ashley speaks a of Spanish and I talk a of English," Flores brings. "During the match, connection could be difficult but it is very a great combination between your two folks. "We speak with each other and I do believe this year the defense has been great, not conceding several targets. "Ashley is a very good person and a very good player. I am happy in Swansea."
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