Opinion – PVC: Portuguese have theory and discover Brazilian football in practice

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Of all the top Portuguese coaches, Jorge Jesus is the most Brazilian. The least theoretical, least academic. The distinction of Portugal’s coaches, winners of 74 trophies in 30 countries in the 21st century, comes from their ability to combine the knowledge of college banks with the field.

Of those who are successful around the world, the most complete is José Mourinho. Up close, Paulo Sousa. A star in his days as a midfielder for Benfica and Sporting, Champions League champion for Juventus and Borussia Dortmund, Sousa combines the knowledge of someone who was coached by Swedish Sven Goran Eriksson, English Bobby Robson, Italian Marcello Lippi and German Ottmar Hitzfeld.

He combines leadership with the tactical knowledge and practice of someone who was an ace. He has the patience to deal with fans and the press and, in other words, he should be champion wherever he has gone.

It was not.

Winner in Switzerland and Israel, he had his biggest success in Basel, Switzerland, when he eliminated Liverpool in the Champions League group stage, in 2014. The following year, he took over at Fiorentina. He reached the leadership of Serie A after beating Internazionale, in Milan, by 4-1. First placed for five rounds, he finished in fifth place.

His Fiorentina left the game with three men, playing in 3-4-2-1, the same system used by Jorge Jesus in the current Benfica (see illustrations).

Paulo Sousa is mentioned here because he could be Flamengo’s new coach. There are five Portuguese evaluated. Paulo Fonseca prefers to wait for England, Jorge Jesus will probably remain at Benfica, Rui Vitória did not do well at Spartak, Carvalhal has a fine of 2.5 million euros (R$ 16 million) to leave Braga and Paulo Sousa can easily get rid of the Poland selection.

It would be a privilege to have Paulo Sousa in Brazil. It would add knowledge, and that would possibly make him another victim. If the biggest deficit in this country is education, it is precisely theory that does not win us over. The enchantment with Jorge Jesus, the most empirical of the great technicians in Portugal, is not casual.

Since the departure of Flamengo, the champion coach of Libertadores in 2019 has also changed. He liked to scale his teams with a line of four defenders. He passed to three defenders and defended in 5-4-1. Benfica is similar to Abel Ferreira’s Palmeiras, from a tactical point of view.

Jorge Jesus is offensive. No more than Paulo Sousa, who made Fiorentina play in groups, opened the field with his wingers and arrived at the attack with exchanges of passes.

Overseas coaches have contributed ideas and game systems. But we, press and fans, seem unwilling to listen. The list of those who arrived and left has 14 names: Jorge Jesus, Jorge Sampaoli, Eduardo Coudet, Miguel Angel Ramírez, Diego Aguirre, Antonio Oliveira, Jesualdo Ferreira, Ariel Holan, Hernán Crespo, Diego Dabove, Rafael Dudamel, Domènec Torrent, Ramón Díaz and Sa Pinto.

Relegated by Sport, Gustavo Florentin will continue in Serie B. In three seasons, 18 foreigners played in Serie A teams in 2022. That leaves Vojvoda, Gustavo Morínigo and Abel Ferreira.

The Portuguese have the theory and discover Brazilian football in practice. It’s no use bringing us mirrors like discoverers. We don’t want to look at our own faults.

future of the cruise

Ronaldo has not changed the history of Valladolid. Neither for the better nor for the worse. In Spain, he is sometimes accused of absenteeism. This cannot be your sin on the Cruise. Entrepreneur investing in Brazil is excellent news. Whether the Cruise will be a success is still doubtful.

Risk for Corinthians

Benfica and Jorge Jesus try to hire João Victor, from Corinthians. Of all that went right at Parque São Jorge, the defender is one of the best. Corinthians should not run the risk of hiring veterans and selling revelations. The ideal is to keep your best defender.

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