Vipers SC Appoint Brazilian as Assistant Head Coach

Vipers Sports Club have announced the appointment of Assistant head coach Jose Esdras Costa Lopez.

"In a bid to further bolster the coaching department, Vipers SC have appointed Brazilian-cum-Portuguese coach Jose Esdras Costa Lopez." The club noted in a statement. 

"He has joined the Venoms as an assistant coach on a two-year employment contract, and assumed duties last week."

He is the second Brazilian on the technical bench, with head coach Leonardo Martins Neiva alias Leo Neiva, the other.

Lopez, 65, also joins other assistant coaches including Richard Wasswa, Richard Bakabulindi Kasule, Ibrahim Mugisha and Democratic Republic of Congo native Lukusa Kayembe Raoul.

Meanwhile, Lopez boasts enviable coaching experience that dates back to the late 1980s as head coach of Sao Cristovao Futebol e Regatas in Brazil (1987-1990).

He has had coaching roles at SC Rucife, Fluminense FC, America FC, Goias SC, SC Bahia, Caldense SC, Mogi Mirim ES, Verdy Kawzaki in Japan, Al Wasl Club in UAE, Al Saad in Qatar and Club Alianza Lima in Peru.

Lopez also had other coaching spells at Uberaba SC, Botafogo Football de Regatas, Sharja SC (UAE), Gremio Esportivo Juventus, Al Shabab Al Arabi (UAE), Al Garaga in Qatar, Al Shorta in Iraq and Muharraq SC in Bahrain.

His most notable stints had him at Petro Atletico de Luanda (Angola) as an assistant and physical coach in 2004, Smouha SC in Egypt as an assistant head coach in the 2017/18 season and as head coach of Thailand between 2003-2004.

However, Lopez’s most recent job had him at Taguatinga Esporte Clube as a Physical Coach in Brazil between December 2021 to March 2022.

As a player, Lopez featured for Fluminense (1973-1977), Olaria FC (1978-1980) and Estrala do norte (1981) in Brazil.

He also played for Oliveirense (1981-1982) and Maritimo between 1983-1984, with both sides in Portugal.

Vipers will expect Lopez to use his over three decades’ coaching experience to good effect as they compete on all fronts this campaign.