Football craft is about the art of football, Benfica, my interpretation to what I see in the Liga Zon Sagres and football Involving Portuguese clubs, also grassroots and non league football in England.
Scouting at lower level and players expectations.
There were mixed emotions for the last round of games in the Champions League for Portuguese teams.
Braga having won their first group match 2-0 against Partizan made sure it counted in the Liga Zon Sagres the following weekend, when they beat Olhanense 3-1 at home to go second in the league.
Benfica were not to be as lucky as Braga and went down early to Lyon and had a man sent off, it followed up by another Lyon goal to lose 2-0. The following weekend they managed to beat Portimonense 1-0 in a somewhat scrappy performance.
Benfica v Lyon 2/11/10
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This Tuesday will see a Benfica team take on Lyon for the return leg of the CL.
Jorge Jesus men had a fine win over Pacos Ferreira in week 9 of the Liga Zon Sagres. The return to fitness from Fabio Coentrao and the tactics of Jorge Jesus working in the 'Eagles' favour. Benfica seemed to dominate the game.
Pablo Aimar opened the scoring with a superb goal, followed by Alan in the second half for the 2-0. Benfica played well, with what it seemed a bit more maturity and confidence in their football.
This will be a big week for Benfica, with the encounter against Lyon; the team from Luz will make the trip to Porto for the 'Classico' against FC Porto with the hopes of closing the gap to just 4 points.
So what will the match offer?
Benfica will bring out a more or less full team; Nico Gaitan who got sent off in the game in Lyon will definitely miss out. Ruben Amorim and Oscar Cardozo are still a doubt as they recover from injury along with Javier Balboa who returns from surgery.
Lyon are without Lisandro Lopez who will be out for 3 weeks and Michel Bastos is a doubt following the 2-1 win over Sachaux when he was subbed at half time with a bruised knee.
The game will offer some good football, should Benfica play the sort of tactics and the style of attacking football, they played against Pacos Ferreira with a hint more strength, which is what missed from the game in Lyon, then I have no doubt that a victory will be possible, so long as Saviola if starting does not waste as many chances as he didn’t in that game.
One of the main problems in Lyon was the failure to close down the opposition with efficiency. Michel Bastos ran riot down the left with Benfica offering vast amounts of space and time for them to run into.
On Lyon it will be a game they will need to win again, and the faults above, if repeated by Benfica, they will know only too well, what to do.
1-0 victory for Benfica, in an encounter, that will bring out the best in some of the highest paid players in Portugal.
Partizan vs. Braga 3/11/10
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Braga having beaten Partizan, the team from the Minho region went on to beat Olhanense 3-1 in the domestic league. This week Braga managed to lose their game against Rio Ave after going down to ten men, after Moises was sent off in the 27th minute.
From then on Braga fell apart, despite the penalty being saved and being in control of the game prior, the 'Arsenalistas' could not over turn the 1 man deficit. Rio Ave went on to score 2 goals in the late stages of the match.
What ill the game offer?
Braga should count on a full squad but with the absence of Hugo Viana on Saturday is still a talking point; Viana is not injured and was left out at Domingos Paciencia's choice not to include him.
But it will be a different game in Belgrade as the atmosphere will be much different from the city of Braga.
Partizan has enjoyed a good game this Sunday, having won their 'Derby' match against Jagodina 3-0 with Portuguese, Moreira (aka Doctor Ma) on target.
I will predict a 1-1 draw with Braga just holding on.
Although I don’t condone cheating and I truly support fair play.
Nani's goal yesterday was a freak incident that in true fairness points to the pressures of financial involvement in the world of football today, the position at the end of the season counts on goals if equal on points, the pize kitty is bigger the higher you finish, the Champions League spot is worth £50 million.
In a local park today you will probably see a player stop as the ball went out or he thought he was offside, when the referee has not blown the whistle, you will also hear his coach scream 'why did you stop, did the ref blow?
So why would a player stop play in the premiership when the ball is STILL in play?
Fair play would be considered if a player is down injured and you put the ball out, or you pass the ball back from the same throw in.
Obviously cheating should and is discouraged from the game. Diving is a major part of the problem, but when you are presented with a chance to score a goal because the opposing goalkeeper chose to believe it should have been a foul, and then I am afraid Spurs should point the finger at their keeper Gomes.
Clatenburg has been involved in many incidents; he should be disciplined for not blowing the whistle, regardless of whether he thought Spurs had the advantage or not.
Would I have done the same in a Sunday league match? Yes, it gives my team 3 points.
Aguia Vitoria as she is known, is SL Benfica's mascot who also have the nickname if 'Red Eagles' This Imperial Iberian Eagle will fly before every home game at Estadio da Luz. You wont find the Sporting Lion roaring around the stadium or a Dragon of FC Porto breathing fire around the Dragao. This eagle makes most visiting teams hairs stand, and to this day even the regulars still get goose bumps.
Portuguese football and the Apito Dourado (Golden Whistle) Case.
The Apito Dourado judicial case over alegations of Corruption, Bribery and Influence, in Portugal brought down the long running scandal, involving Club Presidents, League Presidents, Official, referees and players agents.
Although people have been charged and some acquitted, these people are still in charge of football clubs and yet a few a few stories still arise of other games and new clubs and presidents bribing referees.
It all began in 2003 and that’s as early as it has been recorded.
Interestingly the first of a few recorded conversations goes back to 2003, when FC Porto’s president Joao Pinto da Costa (JPD) asks Journalist Tavares Teles to print a false story regarding Deco's possible Suspension for throwing a boot at a referee.
He can be heard asking the Journo to make out, Deco would consider pulling out of Euro 2004 due to being miss-treated by the league and his name dragged through the mud. In the hope the league would not punish him.
Conversations with JPD and the Journalist can be heard about how it will run, and then JPD with Deco to confirm he will go with it.
The first heard of match fixing was JPD, with the bribery of referees for the game vs Estrela da Amadora and the game vs Beira Mar in 2004.
The Offers of 'Fruits' to sleep with (prostitutes) in tapped telephone conversations can be heard mostly arranged by Antonio Araujo, a players agent working with JPD. Araujo can be heard arranging with JPD the request of the referee's who would then go to his office to finalize the match demands.
For the Beira Mar game, Araujo is heard calling the match referee, Augusto Duarte, to arrange the final detaisl over lunch the next day.
Also involved in some of this was Boavista president 'Major' Valentim Loureiro (whom was also the League President), and also the Boavista chairman and Valentim's son Joao Loureiro.
in one conversation Joao Loureiro is heard calling the a person (non recognizable but with influence over the match referee) to make sure that the ref would give it all Boavista's way, in exchange they could do whatever they wanted.
-In other conversations between VL and JPD can be heard discussing the punishment of Liedson for elbowing Jorge Costa in a match between Sporting and Porto.
-On another two JPD can be heard with the referee’s selector, picking referee’s for a cup match and also dismissing 3 referees for a semi final match to get his favoured man’
-In an different unrelated premier match VL calls a retired referee to accuse him of influencing a decision on a third division match involving the constituency he governs.
In the Apito Final (Final Whistle), there have been four high profile people actually charged.
Pinto da Costa was punished by the league with a 2 years suspended Sentence
Joao Loureiro was Punished with 4 years suspended sentence
Valentim Loureiro punishment was a 3 year suspended jail term for abuse of power
The five referees involved and the league officials also involved were all suspended.
FC Porto had 6 points deducted but still went on to win the league, Boavista were relegated to Liga de Honra.
Recently Benfica’s president has been accused of also picking referees for a cup game in 03/04 cup semi final, but never charged.
So that was the last we hear of Apito Dourado... or was it?
This season Luis Felipe Vieira has accused referees of being bias against Benfica in the early part of the season, Could this be another form of bribery? Pay refs to throw games of your closest rival?
The Benfica president has also been accused by many as the man to ruin Alverca, after irregularities in the Mantorras deal to Benfica, when he was Alverca president.
In a society where all league official phones seemed to be bugged by the police as early as 2003, and with charges being brought in 2008, it seems a long time to charge someone with all the evidence pointing at them. Even when the people involved are still working in football, despite being charged, does not seem like justice or a fresh start to a corrupted league.
Along with many other countries football clubs in Portugal are a lot more than just a football club.
In some countries in Europe sport is taken as part of an organisation, in Portugal from the major clubs to the lower clubs, social activities and a community feel is given from most clubs.
Lacal club offers handball.
People will notice that Sporting not only grows majority of Portugal's best players but they also turn out a lot of good runners and Portuguese Cycling is made up of mostly Sporting cyclists.
Sporting's Obikwelo 100 meters runner
SL Benfica and FC Porto have great European roller skating hockey teams from both youth and adults.
There is also Andebol (handball) which is one of the most viewed and covered sport after football, and obviously Futebol de Salao is highly followed.
Benfica Hockey
Stadiums from the smaller clubs to the biggest always have a sports complex next to them, or they offer it in the stadium as was the case at Estadio da Luz prior but now it’s at a pavilion next to the ground.
The smaller clubs are able to offer football plus another sport. It just means that their presence in the community is strong and they are able to accommodate everyone’s preference of sport.
Almost all clubs have a pavilion
Around Europe and the World great teams like Real Madrid, Barcelona, Roma, CSKA Moscow offer a different sport and are openly involved in more projects then just football.
Flamengo Swimmer
Around England, the stadia’s and areas of football grounds are deserted or used as tour for clubs to make money, the grounds seem to be a fortress with flat greying walls, shut doors and only a tour guide door and a couple of offices open for the director of football if he does not happen to be at the training ground.
I have long believed that not a lot more then football is offered but organisations that make millions of pounds and also pay out millions.
We have cricket in season by some counties who struggle to make ends meet, ladies hockey is popular but again the struggle to get a spot at a local astro-turf, or for funding and recognition is amazingly high. The Basketball league is considerably famous in England but couldn't the competition be between a Spurs vs Arsenal sometimes?
I am not saying that there should be total dominance by major clubs, but what about lower clubs being given the grants to maybe start one of these projects?
"Redbridge FC opens door to local basketball team"
Barcelona vs Real Madrid
One team I know in London are offering this, Kingsbury London Tigers offer Basketball, Badminton, Athletics etc.. Tigers have organisations stretching from Redbridge to Westminster and seem to do well in their first team in the Spartan Premier Division. From when I first heard of Tigers they were a local youth side who offered a few sports to local youngsters, I understand they have partnered old Kingsbury Town FC.
There might be a few organisations out there offering the same but how many are offered by clubs at a level seen in Europe and around the world whilst the king sport is football.
How could we go about trying to change this? Can bigger clubs follow suit and start other projects then football?
Benfica Futebol de Salao
Although Project such as reading, Kick It Out, Community in the school’s football is great, do all kids actually want to play football? What if John is a basketball fan, what if he was more suited to hockey?
Although I understand that these sports are offered individually but independent organisations who often struggle, What costs to pay for one players, one week wage costs to run some of the of these sports for a year, and with a bit more investment I am sure a lot more kids would benefit from being associated with clubs be it Major or Non League.
Futebol Clube de Alverca, founded in 1939, and based in Alverca do Ribatejo, Vila Franca de Xira,.
After many decades in the lower levels of Portuguese football, the club was promoted to top level in 1999, and had five presences in the Portuguese Primeira Divisão afterwards.
Alverca was relegated to the Liga de Honra in 2004, and folded, for financial reasons in 2005.
They returned in the 2006/07 season at amateur level. They played in Lisbon District Championship (FA Lisboa) - 2nd division, which is 6th level of Portuguese League, and in the same season they finished 5th. In the 07/08 season they finished as champions and got promoted to FA Lisboa- 1st division
Alverca now play in the District League in Lisbon, with their long history, they enjoyed a good spell in the top divisions and were a club that turned out good local players.The club also used young loan players from Benfica when they acted as a feeder club.When they reached the top division and had to terminate that agreement to be able to compete in the then Primeira Divisão.
In 2005 FC Alverca SAD were forced to file for bankruptcy with debts of 5 million EUROS, according to many reports.
The Final reason has never been given and till this day, fingers are pointed at the then president Luis Felipe Vieira (LVF), who incidentally became Benfica president in 2003, for his bad management.
Many blame the case of Pedro Mantorras ownership and the money owed by Benfica to Alverca.
Different reports say Benfica owned 50% of the players when they bought him, and Alverca believed they owned the other 40%, and the agent Joreg Manuel Mendes owning the other 10%. According to some documents it was LVF whom had purchased that 40% out of his own money from Mantorass former club Progresso in Angola.
The FC Alverca SAD (Anonymous Sport Society) with debts to the Tax Office and Social Security Office, had no choice but to cease from playing senior football.
The return to the lower leagues of Portuguese was resumed in 2006 under FC Alverca and without a SAD.
The new president Helder Vieira elected last year has plans to try and get the club back into the National Competition and counting on new manager Paulo Gomes to deliver with local players.
and with their local support, everything is possible.
FC Alverca also have plans for a new sport complex and with their bright start in the lower leagues, It might not take too long before we see them in the Liga Orangina or Liga Zon Sagres (surely the names will change long before then).
Alverca's great players of the past include; Deco (Loan)
Ricardo Carvalho (loan)
Maniche
Nuno Assis (Loan)
Bruno Bastos
Pedro Mantorras
Sergei Ovchinnikov
Among a few others that are big in Portuguese football and abroad past and present.
We all get excited about the FA Cup.
Some people who dont follow lower league will probably not have even paid attention that there was a draw.
What does the FA cup mean to lower league clubs?
Apart from the much needed money from TV coverage and also higher attendances which in turn bring in a bit more money, it is also the enjoyment of the locals with the aim to see their team upset one of the big boys.
There are a lot of talented players in the lower leagues and with a good run in the FA Cup it is also a good shop window from where the talents such as DJ Campbell are discovered playing for a local non league side.
In bold are games I will follow closely.
Full FA Cup first round draw
Ties to take place on 6/7 of November
Colchester United v Bradford City
Corby Town v Luton Town
Harrow Borough v Chesterfield
Notts County v Gateshead
Stevenage v MK Dons
Southport v Sheffield Wednesday
Rotherham United v York City
Havant & Waterlooville v Droylsden
Bury v Exeter City
Cheltenham Town v Morecambe
Hayes & Yeading v Wycombe Wanderers
Dagenham & Redbridge v Leyton Orient
AFC Wimbledon v Ebbsfleet United
Lincoln City v Workington or Nuneaton Town
Mansfield Town v Torquay United
Hereford United v Hythe Town
AFC Bournemouth v Tranmere Rovers
Carshalton Athletic or Chelmsford City v Hendon or Metropolitan Police
Portuguese teams had a mixed week in the Champions League. Braga won their first game, in the Champion League group stages, Braga also scored their first CL goal from Lima and then Matheus scored the second in their 2-0 win, over FK Partizan of Serbia.
In the other Champions League game, Benfica lost against Lyon 2-0 after being reduced to 10 men early in the first half. Jorge Jesus will now have some work to do to get into the next stage.
In the Europa League, FC Porto beat Beskitas in Turkey 3-1 despite being reduced to 10 men in the first half goals from Hulk (2) and Falcao. Sporting CP managed to outclass their opponents AA Gent with a 5-1 score line Goals from Liedson (2), Salomao, Maniche and Postiga.
The Liga Zon Sagres is still on its 8th game of the season; FC Porto leads the table with 19 points followed by Benfica on 12 along with Olhanense who have been a surprise package this season having gained promotion in the 08/09 season.
FC Porto now under management of Andre Villas Boas whom most will remember as the assistant manager of Jose Mourinho. Vilas Boas will try to keep the advantage over the rest of the teams with the visit of Uniao de Leiria.
Leiria have recently enlisted controversial former Portuguese international Ricardo Sa Pinto as their assistant manager. Sa Pinto famous for punching the national manager Artur Jorge in 1997 for not picking him for an international, has also recently left his role as director at Sporting CP over a dressing room punch up with striker Liedson.
The game promises to be highly entertaining as Leiria will be a tough opposition, given their mid table placing and having established themselves as a team capable of upsetting the big boys. Manager Pedro Caixinha will be thinking outside the ''Caixa'' to bring the 3 points to Leiria.
Benfica look to put behind their bad start of the season, and with the game against Portimonense who will look to upset the Red Devils from Lisbon to climb up the table from 13th place.
Benfica's coach Jorge Jesus is confident that despite the 6 defeats the team can turn their season around. Despite six defeats in all competitions so far, which is the same number of defeats that Benfica had the whole of last season, Jesus will be taking a the same squad that he had available Wednesday for their trip to the Algarve.
Sporting will be on a high from their midweek win over AA Gent, Paulo Sergio is still without seven players. Although he will soon be able to count on Yanick, Grimi and Saleiro. All three have left the physio's table and are now doing some light training.
Sporting's position in the table isn’t a pretty sight, they lay 10th but they may be glad to face a Rio Ave who are bottom of Liga Zon Sagres.
Academica's game against Nacional da Madeira has been delayed until Saturday as it was due to be played on Friday, but Nacional were unable to travel to the weather in the beautiful island of Madeira.
Ivo Vieira will take his squad into the continent hoping to get a result against the 'students' of Coimbra, saying that although it might be a hard task, it is not impossible.
Academica however have kept working, whilst they wait for the islanders to land in town, they are without Pedrinho.
Olhanense will travel to Braga in what will be an interesting clash, the team from Braga known as 'gverreiros' due to the steam region of Minho will look to keep the stream flowing, following their champions league victory during the week, Paciencia will also want to get back into the top two or three very soon, so not to be labelled one season wonderers.
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