Sérgio Conceição on breaking his silence: “Leaving FC Porto was hard” | OneFootball

Two years ago, Sérgio Conceição left FC Porto, and only now has he decided to speak openly about that defining period at the Dragão. In the first part of the interview given to TVI, broadcast this Monday, the coach explained why he chose to address this important chapter of his career only now.

Conceição also looked back on his childhood and spoke about the pain of losing his father and mother at a very young age. He also discussed his more recent experiences at Al-Ittihad and AC Milan.

Breaking the silence after leaving FC Porto: “Several reasons. My departure from FC Porto was not easy, on any level. A seven-year connection as coach, the end of a cycle of someone who marked my sporting career, president Pinto da Costa. It was the right time; it had to be.”

Saudi Arabia: “I arrived after a positive year for the club. They won the league and the King Cup, but there were known issues within the structure. I leave with a very different experience. They are not used to training during the day. If we had more than one training session a day, it was already difficult for them to keep to the schedule.”

Italy: “The six months at Milan were very interesting.”What would you say to your late father if you had five minutes with him? “I would hug him and thank him. He made many sacrifices throughout our lives. I had the chance to be with him for 16 years and I received fantastic teachings. Even in his silences, he taught. Even in moments when something was difficult after a day of work, he taught. Yes, I did work with him during school holidays. I have 5 children, all well raised; the youngest is 11 and is on the same path. Respect, gratitude, humility… intrinsic values, they are part of me. It was a very difficult journey. My father wanted me to finish my studies so I could work with him. Even though he followed me in Académica’s youth ranks, he never praised me. I don’t remember my father ever saying, ‘I love you very much,’ but he showed it in other ways. I think he would be proud of my career, and my mother would too.”

Where he found the strength to keep believing in victory: “I arrived at FC Porto and stayed at the Costa Cabral residence with some African players and others from other countries and other cities in Portugal. My mother was ill at the time, and I would go to Coimbra to bring some money to help. It wasn’t easy. I looked at football as something that gave me enormous satisfaction. They could look at me and see that all their sacrifice had been worth it. I always fought with that in mind. Yes, I cry. I think about them, about my brother, about the people who helped me and are still alive.”

Money: “Money is important, it makes life easier, it helps you enjoy some of the pleasures of worldly life, but it is not something I value tremendously. It is important, we work for it, but the pleasure of winning titles, of being successful in life... There was care in managing money, but it is not something I prioritize. Maybe that is why it happens naturally; I am at peace on that front now. What concerns me most is the next project, not money.”

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