Sérgio Conceição: “It’s hard to manage any club but FC Porto in Portugal” | OneFootball

In statements to Maisfutebol/CNN/TVI, Sérgio Conceição was asked about the possibility of accepting an invitation to coach Benfica. The Portuguese manager admitted that Luís Filipe Vieira, a candidate in the club’s latest elections, had shown interest in having him take charge of the Eagles if he returned to the presidency.

“Very difficult given my history in Portugal. It would be difficult, but I can’t say never, because I’m a football professional. At this moment, I feel that any club in Portugal other than FC Porto would be difficult. I won’t deny that Luís Filipe Vieira was interested in speaking to me about coaching Benfica if he were elected, but it never went beyond a simple informal conversation,” he said.

He added that he had turned down several other invitations, both recent and in the past. “Before Al Ittihad, I had the chance to coach a national team that is at the World Cup. I didn’t accept. I got an offer when Tedesco left Belgium. I had two French clubs approach me very recently. At this moment, my career will more likely continue outside Portugal,” he said.

“My departure from FC Porto was not easy”

In the same interview, Sérgio Conceição explained why he decided to speak now, two years after leaving FC Porto.

“My departure was not easy on any level, after a seven-year bond, the end of a cycle with someone who meant a lot to me, Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa,” he said, recalling his last two experiences as a coach.

“In Saudi Arabia it was very difficult. I arrived after a positive year for Al Ittihad. They won the league, the King Cup... I left Al Ittihad with a different kind of experience. Wanting is one thing, doing is another. They’re not used to training during the day. It’s a completely different reality. Milan? Those six months were very interesting.”

Sérgio Conceição became emotional when speaking about his parents, whom he lost while still young.

“There were many sacrifices throughout our lives. I had the chance to spend 16 years with my father, 18 with my mother. They taught me fantastic lessons. Even in his silences, he taught me. I even worked with him during school holidays. The advice they gave us... I have five children. They’ve all been brought up well; the eldest is 11, but he’s on the same path. It was a difficult journey. My father wanted me to finish my studies so I could work with him. He didn’t care about football. Did he praise me? No. I also don’t remember him saying ‘I love you.’ But he showed it in other ways,” he said.

“Where did I find the strength? I arrived at FC Porto and stayed in the academy residence with some players from other countries and cities in Portugal. At a very difficult time, I went to Coimbra whenever I could to bring some money to help. But that journey wasn’t easy. I saw football not only as something that could give me enormous satisfaction, but also so people could look at me and see that their sacrifice had been worth it. I think about that every day, with every title. When I cry, I think about my parents and my brother, the people who helped me and are still present. I don’t value money; I value projects and victories,” he added.

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