There appear to be few surprises left in the 2008/9 Portuguese league season. With Sporting drawing 0-0 away to Académica and Benfica losing 3-1 away to Nacional, a win at home for Porto next week against Nacional will secure their fourth successive league championship. Nacional may try to delay the inevitable, but all the European places look to be sewn up at the top of the table for FC Porto, Sporting, Benfica, Nacional and Sporting Braga, seven points clear of Leixões, who lost away to Estrela da Amadora.
It seems that the Liga de Honra (second tier) will go to the wire, with ex-Sporting hero Manuel Fernandes guiding União de Leiria to within a point of the promotion places after they demolished top of the table Olhanense 5-1 at home, the impressive Carlão scoring four of Leiria’s five goals. With Olhanense playing joint top team Santa Clara next weekend, it could give Leiria the chance to leapfrog both teams. Down at the bottom of the table, things are looking better for Boavista, who are a point clear of the drop zone occupied by Gondomar and Oliveirense.
Let us know your thoughts about the weekend’s events by leaving your comments here on the site.
Thanks for listening,
Steve and Phil
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
What a CONUNDRUM this Benfica team is ! It’s not ” that ” Benfica is sitting in 3rd place with 52 pts but it’s ”how” they are sitting there in 3rd place. In all honesty I never expected Quique to revolutionize Portuguese football and win the league this year , but you would think that with 3 games to go we would be seeing a preview of the fantastic team of next year but instead we are witnessing a manger who is still trying to figure out his best 11 …
In the words of the Clash : ” If he goes there will be trouble ! … If he stays there will be double ! … So you gotta let me know , should he say or should he go !!!! ”
Conundrum indeed !
Keep up the great work !
Rob ( Montreal , Canada )
I’m starting to suspect that Benfica might be in a bit of financial bother after yet another year out of the Champions League. There were dismissed rumours that April’s salaries were paid late but I get the feeling there must be some kind of fire with this smoke. They spent a hell of a lot of money last summer and their wage bill must be huge. LFV has certainly brought in a lot more income to the club but I’d be surprised if Rui Costa was given the freedom he had last summer to make so many purchases, at least not without significant cutbacks in the first team squad.
Watching Chelsea tonight and noticing the amount of out of favour Portuguese players there, what’s the reckoning that at least one of them finds their way to the Luz this summer? Who else would have someone like Quaresma?
Quaresma at Benfica would be a disaster for both parties in my opinion, Steve.
If, as you say, money trouble does really hit Benfica, it might just force them to look at good, affordable, hungry players at domestic clubs (your Sougous, Alonsos, Carlãos, etc.), instead of paying the earth for (invariably injured) international ’stars’. And that would be a good thing for their coffers AND their football. They might also be forced to establish some kind of coherent youth policy, well overdue.
I agree with you, Rob – it’s a miracle Benfica are in third place (or even in the top ten!) given the terrible football they’re been playing for most of the season.
I’m sure the club has to be tight on cash after blowing wads of money on certain players and pissing away salaries on players like zoro , balboa and others that are not even being used. But i’m sure it can’t be that bad because they just gave Cardozo a raise…
It’s funny I had the same thought about Quaresma when I found out that Rui Costa & LFV flew out to London to see the champions league games…
The first thing thing that I thought was a loan for Quaresma ( needs desperately to play first team football to bring up his value ). I’m sure he would come to SLB and be a ” Titular ” instead of rotting in the Chelsea reserves.
And the other thought that came to mind was Paulo Ferreira who could be a great help as Left Back … ( even if he probably wouln’t come to Benfica )
And then the wheels started turning !!!! ” What if Quique is already sacked and Rui Costa and LFV are going to London to inquire about certain players that ex Chelsea coach Scolari wishes to have on his new squad ” !!!! Is it really that far fetched ???
To quote a terrible song from the 80’s … ” Things that make you go Hmmmmmm ! ”
I’ll post this link because you hardly see anything about Portugal in the anglo media that isn’t football or McCann related.
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1893946,00.html
Re the revolution you did the other week, I read the retiros were nearly all fascist sympathetic like a lot of old colonialists. Salazar won the vote for top 100 Portuguese.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grandes_Portugueses
Have you heard of all of those, I only knew number 10
They seem to be exclusively politicians, explorers and poets which tells you something I suppose.
How does the fact Portugal was a dictatorship 30 years ago affect attitudes today? Is that anything to do with the conspiracy culture or is that something else.
I’m surprised what you said about Benfica being unfit, as Liverpool weren’t known for being unfit, and the players all praised the coach Pako Ayesteran, he even built a special hill at melwood that was much remarked upon. bizarrely he fell out with Benitez partly because he was too friendly to Mourinho and thus was seen as a traitor.
Wasn’t Manuel Fernandes Bobby Robson’s assistant at Sporting and Porto? He’s had a lot of jobs hasn’t he? There was a stat that in England 50% of managers never get a second job and ridiculously small number get more than two. My impression is the recycling is higher in Portugal.
And isn’t Cascais the posh area were a lot of the footballers live?
Interesting post kt. The top 10 “Grandes Portugueses” voted by the public is one of the best examples of general political sentiment in Portugal today. The top two positions, a Fascist and a Communist, followed by a man who disobeyed the Fascist/Catholic dichotomy to save the lives of thousands of Jews and died in poverty because of his actions. However, only a small percentage of Portuguese actually voted and most Portuguese are fairly apathetic to either of the top two “Grandes Portugueses”, the only thing which is certain is those who were apathetic to the TV vote would not like either a junior Salazar or Cunhal to run their country.
Regarding the TIME article, personally I believe that drug possession in small amounts shouldn’t be a criminal offence. However, drug abuse is a terrible problem in Portugal. There’s a couple of local addicts where I live who seem to time their evening hit with me coming home from work. I was also walking up to the castle in Lisbon with my girlfriend the other day, where we and a bunch of Italian tourist were treated to the site of two guys shooting up on some stairs leading up to the castle. Also, if you live in the interior of the country, drug addiction seems even more out of control than it is in the cities and burglary of property is rife. So overall, I’d say Portugal is no shining example in the war against drugs.
Your info re. Pako Ayesteran is intriguing. I seem to remember Benitez saying that he’d forgotten what his role was supposed to be at Liverpool. Benfica looked terribly unfit yet again last night, hanging on for dear life in the last 10 minutes. Quique looks a very unhappy man at present.
I’m no expert on Manuel Fernandes, hopefully Phil can fill in the blanks there. Cascais is a posh area but it’s favoured more by TV stars and politicians than footballers because it’s a bit out of the way when it comes to getting to the training ground.
Steve
Hi all, just my 2 quick cents on the podcast:
1) The problem with the clubs that don’t pay salaries, added to the problem of the clubs which get sponsored by the Portuguese taxpayers (both Madeira clubs have half their budget sponsored by the local government; all those clubs with Euro 2004 built stadia – some of them having maintenance contracts supported fully or partially by local councils; etc), makes this a really tough problem to tackle because no one will give “in”.
The writing is on the wall for Portuguese football. If things don’t change drastically we’ll soon see the 3 Grandes departing for an European League and leaving all the rest scrapping the very bottom of the barrel.
2) I tend to regard the revolution as a great thing because it opened Portugal up to the world and brought an end to decades of narrow-mindedness. But I can’t give the Portuguese “Povo” (people) all the credit since the “Revolution” only went ahead with the “blessing” of Henry Kissinger and the CIA. Had they (Kissinger and the CIA) waken up indisposed that day and it might not have happened.
Salazar as the greatest Portuguese of all time is a complete joke. It is unbelievable how small-minded the Portuguese can be sometimes. How much lower is this once proud nation going to fall? It just proves how dependent and sheep-like we are.
3) Another Porto title in the bag, mostly due to the opponents inability to compete. It saddens me that a sub-par Porto team can win this league so easily just by waiting that Sporting and Benfica shoot themselves in their feet. Repeatedly.
4) My wish is that Porto joins the Spanish League asap. There is no more incentive to stay in Portugal playing against incompetents and bankrupt.
kt – Manuel Fernandes was indeed assistant to Bobby Robson at Sporting, in the infamous 1993-94 season when Robson got the push by the then president Sousa Cintra after Sporting were knocked out of the UEFA Cup by Casino Salzburg … only, Sporting were top of the league at the time! Robson’s interpreter? One José Mourinho.
Hugo – your “sub-par Porto team” were within a whisker of getting into the Champions League semi-finals – I think we should remember that.
We’ve mentioned it before on the podcast, but I think some re-formulation of the league would be a good idea – something along the lines of the Scottish Premier League, with one difference: I think the quality of the also-rans in Portugal (especially Nacional and Braga this year) is better than that of their Scottish counterparts, and they could give the Big Three a good run for their money.
Unfortunately, as the clubs all have a vote on big decisions like that, the smaller clubs are obviously going to vote against such a drastic change, so it’s unlikely to happen … in my opinion.
Phil
Phil,
(sorry for another long post)
Comparing to the previous season when Porto finished with over 20 points difference from 2nd place and bearing in mind the team’s big wobble in October (2008), I still think this was a sub-par Porto.
I agree that what was achieved by Porto in the Champions League was never short of brilliant, but internally it was, in my humble opinion, a sub-par campaign, only acceptable due to the fact that 6 first-team players were new to the team (Sapunaru, Rolando, Cissokho, Fernando, Rodriguez, Hulk), and credit to Jesualdo for such a splendid transition.
Re: the Portuguese League, I want to see a truly professional league, where referees are not used every second to excuse poor performance; where clubs that can’t pay their expensive players end up above than “honest” clubs who can afford their modest players; where the government does not sponsor a few selected clubs; where the game is more important than who is being “helped” by whom.
I know, utopia and Portuguese football are an impossible combo. Hence my yearning for Porto to join the Spanish League, which, far from being perfect, at least can offer competent and competitive rivals.
Alternatively, let the Portuguese League have 18/20 clubs again (the longer the league, the more competitive it becomes), reformulate the League Cup to something more manageable and not ridiculously organised (or drop it entirely), and see Benfica and Sporting to get competitive again by having serious competent people running the clubs/SADs, and at the same time encouraging Braga, Guimarães, Leixões, Académica, Marítimo, Nacional, Belenenses and Setubal to grow to be positive threats to the established 3 Grandes.
Clubs need to renegotiate TV rights in unison. It’s ridiculous the little money Porto, Benfica and Sporting (and the other Liga Sagres clubs) are getting from their TV deals negotiated separately.
Either the Portuguese league cleans its own mess or Porto (and Sporting and Benfica) will soon walk out the door.
I’ve got to say, I’m with Phil here. Reduce the league to 12 teams, just like the SPL. I’d also like to have the division split at the 3/4 mark of the season, just like the SPL. The one thing that is absolutely vital for the survival of Portuguese football is an increase in attendances, and this will only happen with an increase in big games.
What is the opinion in Spain regarding the arrival of Porto or any other of the grandes? I think it must be a case of Portugal wanting Spain but Spain really not wanting Portugal. The threat of Porto pipping Real Madrid or Barcelona is too strong. Along with this, the threat of Benfica or Sporting spiralling down the Spanish league pyramid is quite real too.
Re: Bobby Robson at Sporting, I heard that his sacking actually came about from Figo conspiring with Queiroz to get rid of him, them both being friendly with the president.
There used to be a quite a few British coaches in Portugal, most of them even before Phil’s time! Have any of them made a lasting impression? I know Souness was a disaster but also Tommy Docherty, but as he was only at Porto for 4 months I’m guessing he wasn’t a great success (they both characterised Portuguese players as mentally flaky maybe explains why). Another famous one was Malcolm Allison. According to this http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/skills/6270994.stm there at the same time was Jose Mourinho, is that accurate? Manuel Fenandes played for him too to bring it full circle.
This is a film I’ve found about Sousa Cintra http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yz4hQYFEBFA
I remember you saying that Sporting presidents tended to be tall and aristocratic, he must have been the exception! Being a Portuguese president seems to involve non stop hugging (are they always that touchy feely?) and dining with refs? If anyone watches, is that Valentim Loureiro near the end? Can’t imagine what they’re talking about.
Don’t know what this is about, young Vitor Baia and Cadete I think.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAWhYxIbOQ4
Steve, agree with you in all counts except reducing the league to 12 clubs. That would kill the Portuguese League as it killed the SPL. No wonder Celtic, Rangers and even Hearts or Aberdeen might want to join the English leagues.
Attendances in Portugal will rise when the clubs start playing games at reasonable hours (i.e. afternoon), when the prices are more in line with Portuguese working class budgets, when clubs play to win rather than not to lose, and when the game is respected by those that promote it – media and club directors/presidents.
Re Porto / Sporting / Benfica (and maybe others) in the Spanish league, I believe that it is a real possibility within 10 to 20 years time. Especially if things stay as they are. Platini advocates regional leagues over a European Superleague, so in time we may see the Celtic and Rangers move to the Premiership, Porto, Sporting and Benfica to the Spanish league, the top Ucranian clubs joining the Russian league, etc, etc. Or we may just see the European Superleague against Platini’s wishes.
Can quite honestly say that, since coming to Spain in August 1999, the idea of a Portuguese team joining La Liga has never even been remotely countenanced … In fact, Portugal is entirely forgotten by Spain – never any mention of it whatsoever in any context, and even blackened out on weather forecast maps, so the idea that Portuguese teams would join La Liga has just hit me right out of leftfield …
I must admit that I also found this a bit strange, Lodz … I’ve heard it mentioned before, but only by columnists or pundits and in a slightly ironic way. I mean – why would the Spanish League bother? They have a very healthy thing going as it is.
Obviously it’s something that is not going to happen in a few months or even a few years. It may not happen at all. I think it will, but that’s just me.
However the signs that indicate European football will change are all there. And it only takes 2 countries to open up a precedent.
At the moment it is unlikely that Spain may even become curious about the idea. But let both FA’s organise the 2018 World Cup, and let other countries’ leagues merge up sponsored by UEFA, in their attempt to foil the European Superleague project.
It is unlikely but not at all impossible, and although the Portuguese Grandes would stand to win more, it would be just a question of improving what is already a great product (La Liga) with 3 big European clubs without breaking the bank because all TV contracts would have to be renegotiated on high.
Think credit crunch and desirable economic growth within UEFA parameters. This is not something for tomorrow, but may come about well within our lifetimes