Sporting Lisbon's New Coach: Joao Pereira

Portuguese team Sporting Lisbon announced that Sporting B Team coach Joao Pereira has been appointed as the new technical director after Ruben Amorim took over from Manchester United.

Having had a successful period at the Portuguese representative Sporting Lisbon, Technical Director Ruben Amorim recently signed for the English team Manchester United.

Sporting announced that Sporting B Team coach Joao Pereira has been appointed as the new head coach, replacing Amorim.

The 40-year-old coach, who also played for Trabzonspor in Turkey for a while, ended his football career after the 2020-2021 season and stepped into coaching.

Club president Frederico Varandas shared his thoughts:

"This presentation is taking place seven months earlier than planned, but the choice was a simple and natural one, which began around four years ago. I have known João Pereira for over 13 years. As clinical director, he was my player on three different occasions and always demonstrated leadership, character and an unusual understanding of the game for a player. These are all decisive theoretical characteristics for someone being a coach. One thing is a project and another is a reality, so João will have to prove he has this.

"In 2021 we invited him to return as a player, to end his career here. We also proposed the challenge of a new career for him and he accepted. He started out as an assistant with the Under-23s, coache the Under-23s for two years and then moved up to the B team. He grew as a coach, put together and perfected his coaching staff and won over the entire structure of the Academy with his competence and leadership.

"Today we are here and I can say that I have the same feeling that I had in this room about five years ago. I said it at the time and today I feel the same: I have little doubt that João Pereira, in four or five years, will be at one of the most powerful clubs in Europe. He will encounter a fabulous group, a fabulous captain, a fabulous staff and a club that will protect him and allow him to grow as a coach. Sporting CP are getting a coach who will allow him to continue growing."

The new coach talked about upcoming tasks and shared his feelings about his new role:

"It is a source of pride, a privilege and an honour to be presented here as coach of Sporting CP. I want to thank the president, plus Hugo Viana and the entire board for the trust placed in me to lead this project. I also want to thank Ruben Amorim for everything he did for Portuguese football, but especially for what he did and achieved at Sporting CP. Ruben leaves behind a legacy here, and the legacy was not just his achievements, victories and records: It was also the unity he managed to create within the Sportinguista family. I know that all of this gives me a great responsibility, but this responsibility comes hand-in-hand with great ambition and great motivation to continue making Sporting CP a winning club and a club of the future.

"I would like to tell you to continue supporting the team as you have been doing, because together we will always be closer to victory.

"As a player, Sporting CP gave me a lot. They allowed me to get called up to the national team, move to one of the best leagues in the world and return home twice. I only won one Super Taça and one Liga Portugal title with them, which was more given than earned. It is a regret that I have, so as a coach I would like to earn more trophies; because Sporting CP deserve it.

"If I had doubts and thought it could go wrong, I would not be here. It does not cross my mind that it could go badly. I know that we are going to go through some difficulties, but I have it in my head that it will work out.

"I asked the president and Hugo Viana to give me Luís Neto as my assistant, for all the experience he has as a player. He will help us a lot, in many aspects and will be very important for the future of Sporting CP. I place a lot of trust in him, as well as in the rest of the coaching staff; those who were never players and those who started as coaches very early.

"We are all prepared. This process was being readied for a long time. The preparation was not done this last week; it would be a mistake if that were the case. It has been done in recent years and I am confident in what I can bring to the club.

"I hate losing, I love winning, I am very competitive, I want my teams to be fierce and I am a person who is much calmer than when he was a player."