Fernando Sá: “This team has talent and cohesion” | OneFootball

Fernando Sá, coach of FC Porto’s basketball team, reflected on winning the Super Cup in Albufeira, secured after an 80-76 victory over Sporting. He acknowledged a first half below their usual level, highlighted the defensive response after the break, and pointed to the group’s unity as a reason for confidence, assuring: “this team has talent and cohesion.”

In a match that forced FC Porto to get back on track, Fernando Sá found the most encouraging sign in the collective response. The change in attitude, also driven by the players’ voices in the locker room, underpinned a comeback that left the coach motivated and optimistic about what still remains to be played.

In his analysis of the game, Fernando Sá did not hide the difficulties they faced against a motivated Sporting side. Limited ball movement, the spaces conceded on defense, and the gap in three-point shooting efficiency forced the Porto team to change several aspects of their game.

“It was a very complicated game. I think the motivated way Sporting came out, even without Liam O’Reilly and Gustavo Teixeira, had a very negative impact on our team. We were not at our usual level in the first half, with too many individual plays, little ball-sharing, and too much space given away defensively,” he said. “Obviously Sporting was shooting 50% from outside by the end of the second quarter, while we had only made two out of 16 attempts, so we had to change a lot of things. The intense way we started defending allowed us to create more advantages in offensive transition, more space to attack and shoot. We also started grabbing more rebounds, which was important.”

The coach’s reading is based on a clear turning point: it was defensive intensity that opened up the floor for a more effective offense. Improvement in rebounding and transitions gave FC Porto the space it needed to change the course of the game.

Halftime was therefore more than just a break. Fernando Sá revealed that the reaction did not come only from the coaching staff’s instructions, but also from the players’ own ability to identify what was going wrong and demand a different attitude.

“At halftime, something very positive happened. There were many voices in the locker room besides mine. The players were fundamental in the way they analyzed the first and second quarters and then changed their attitude,” he revealed. “I think we coaches have our role, but increasingly I believe that their voices, within the many rules and situations we have to manage, are fundamental. I would especially highlight the words of James Woodard, who had gone the whole week without training, spent quite a long time on the bench, and was even doubtful to play, but gave a speech that left me very satisfied and optimistic about the future.”

The emphasis placed on James Woodard reinforces the idea of a participative locker room, capable of finding answers even in the most difficult moments. For Fernando Sá, that internal voice within the group does not replace the work of the coaches, but it has become a key part of the response.

Despite winning the trophy, the coach refused to treat the success as a guarantee for the rest of the season. The confidence is there, but it comes with the awareness that there are still many months of work ahead and factors the team cannot control.

“We always have to be confident. As last season taught us, we have to stay focused on what really matters, because it is in the big moments that we can win competitions,” he stressed. “We know there are still nine months to go, there is still a lot of work ahead, and we need luck—no injuries, or only short-term injuries—to reach the playoffs in a position to fight for the title. Obviously this team has talent and cohesion, both in training and in games, which makes me very motivated and optimistic about the future, but we depend on several factors and we have to work in order to achieve our goals.”

Fernando Sá’s optimism does not erase his caution. Talent and cohesion fuel ambition, but the road to the title race will still depend on hard work, squad availability, and the ability to reach the decisive moments in the best possible condition.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.