Villas-Boas rules out dugout return: “Farioli costs more than I did” | OneFootball

André Villas-Boas ruled out a return to the dugout and reaffirmed that he is fully focused on the FC Porto presidency. Speaking on The Obi One Podcast, hosted by John Obi Mikel, the executive explained the connection that led him to the club’s leadership and praised Francesco Farioli, whose release clause stands at 20 million euros. About Porto’s coach, he assured: “We believe in him a lot, and he believes in us.”

Speaking to the former Chelsea midfielder, André Villas-Boas went through the different stages of a life tied to FC Porto, from supporter to coach and now president. The common thread was clear: leading the Dragons is not a temporary chapter, but the fulfillment of a destiny that began to take shape while he was still coaching Zenit.

The idea of becoming president was born from an unexpected message and grew until it turned into a candidacy. Villas-Boas presented that journey as a mission in the service of the members and the club’s future.

“It was my destiny. It started when I was coaching Zenit. An FC Porto employee sent me a message saying that one day I would be FC Porto president. That message really moved me,” he recalled. “From then on, I embraced that idea more and more. FC Porto belongs to its members, and I ran in 2024 against a historic president who won all these magnificent trophies [points to the seven international trophies]. I won the election and my purpose is to serve FC Porto and leave it better than it was when I took over. That would be yet another dream come true.”

The recollection underlines the personal significance Villas-Boas attaches to the role. In his words, the presidency is the natural continuation of a long relationship with FC Porto, not just another professional step.

It was in that context that he ruled out becoming a coach again. The former manager definitively separated the two roles and put all his energy into the project he now leads.

“No, not really. I separated the two things, I dedicated my life to this project, to serving FC Porto. I was born an FC Porto supporter, I remember going to matches on my uncle’s shoulders when I was 6 years old,” he said. “I held several roles at the club and, when Mourinho arrived, I became his assistant as an analyst. I left and came back as head coach, I won the Europa League, the league title... Now I’ve returned as president, I have a very special connection with this club. This is a life purpose that I need to fulfill. It is destiny.”

The answer shuts the door on the bench and reinforces the centrality of the presidency. Villas-Boas did not frame the decision as a pause in his coaching career, but as a life choice.

The conversation then moved on to Francesco Farioli, FC Porto’s current coach. Villas-Boas praised the Italian and argued that younger coaches are increasingly looking at stability and project conditions before deciding their next step.

“Yes, he is very good. He is special. Will it be difficult to keep him? Nowadays, when they find the right projects, coaches tend to be much more cautious. This club offers stability, training conditions, and the cultural and competitive advantage of a major European club,” he said. “I think coaches are starting to choose projects more than the clubs themselves. The Premier League keeps attracting the best talent, we compete for talent even with Championship clubs, but thinking about his career, a young coach like Farioli, at 38, wants to choose his next step carefully. We brought forward his renewal in December last year, before we won the title. We believe in him a lot, and he believes in us. That is very good.”

The praise combines confidence in the coach with a pragmatic reading of the market. For Porto’s president, the ability to keep him does not depend only on the club’s name, but also on the solidity of the environment offered to Farioli.

The Italian’s release clause, set at 20 million euros, was addressed with a comparison to Villas-Boas’s own move to Chelsea. The executive justified the amount through the coach’s quality and talent.

“It is a bit more expensive than I was when I went to Chelsea,” he noted. “His release clause is 20 million euros. Great professionals, with a lot of talent, are worth a lot of money. That is why we set a 20 million euro clause.”

The comparison, made in a direct tone, reflects the assessment Porto’s hierarchy has of Farioli. More than a contractual figure, the clause serves, in Villas-Boas’s remarks, as a measure of the investment and trust placed in the coach.

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