Varandas eyes Sporting’s winter window, hints at big-money move | OneFootball

Frederico Varandas spoke about the 200 million euro investment that Sporting is making in its infrastructure and left the door open to attack the winter market. The green and white President was at the Football Summit, where he gave an interview and mentioned the most important current and future topics of the Alvalade Club. Read the full interview below.

Has it been forty years since a Sporting president served a second term? Are you considering running again?

"Indeed, it has been 40 years since many things happened at Sporting that are happening today, perhaps the most important being stability. About a year ago, we presented a ten-year strategic plan, and we believe that this should be the path to follow with or without Frederico Varandas."

Do you make history with so much work?

"What goes down in history are the titles and the work done. In 2018, I accepted the challenge, with as many missions as a military man. It's a mission. My pact is with the club, only with the club. The mission was to return Sporting to its rightful place. Which was this. To be in history... I have a very skeptical view. The best version of Sporting was the Five Violins, and few know the president's name. I win the titles, and then Varandas will just be a name. We are achieving titles and works, but the name is not very relevant. There is nothing that time does not take away. It doesn't matter who the name is."

Timing of the 2006 stadium works to meet?

"We have a game changer for Sporting underway, a major work. The first phase is the stadium, which is not yet completed. It started with the seats, the second and third floors, the closing of the moat. There is still some work to be done, and it will take place this year. During the year, we will have videoscreens and a sound and lighting system that does not exist in Portugal. And by 2029, the Alvaláxia. We hope to have the light show by the end of the season. Then there is a very heavy and differentiating work in Portugal, the recovery of Alvaláxia. It was sold due to financial difficulties, unfortunately. It will allow us to have the best sports museum in Portugal, sports bar areas with interaction for the stadium, we will have shops, Loja Verde of the size we need. The experience of going to football will be different, we will have the best offer experience in Portugal. To give you an idea, we have already invested about 50 million euros, and there will be another 150 million euros. There will be a before and after for Sporting."

Is it compared to Bilbao due to the revitalization of the Guggenheim? Do you believe it will revolutionize the area?

"André Bernardo will present the strategic plan for Sporting's sports city, for Alvalade. We have an advantage in the location of the Stadium, it is on the central axis of Lisbon. Lisbon is a booming city, safe, it is the city of fashion, and the location is decisive. The square meter is skyrocketing, a residential center is being built. The project will be a great asset for Lisbon."

Sporting's position on television rights?

"We analyze what is happening in Portugal and Europe. At the moment, television rights are suffering. It happened in France, Switzerland, Belgium. It will not be an easy process for those in the League. The rights are highly valued, but those of major competitions. Domestic leagues lose interest at the European level. Sporting must face it with responsibility, be in the process, in the construction, and support the League in the process."

When did you realize that modernization of the facilities was necessary?

"I joined Sporting many years ago. Before being a clinical director, I already didn't like the stadium. I took over in 2011, I never had the dream and ambition to be president, so it never crossed my mind to do works, except in my medical offices. Then, when I assumed the presidency, we had to take responsibility. First, it was at a survival level, then it was to be competitive, and we managed to be number one. Now it is about looking to the future and improving the members' experience."

Is the pitch road a success?

"At the time, we were heavily criticized. If we had double the offer, it would be sold out. Everything sold out. They even said, 'you see, the value could be higher.' But the value is adjusted. The goal is always to give and improve the member's experience, but first is the club's survival. My pact is with the club."

About the sports:

"We had to reduce costs, but we became more efficient. We took the example of futsal, which was a winner, and made it even more successful. Futsal has now won four titles in four years. We created the best handball team in the history of Portuguese football. Hockey, we caught an expensive team, but a winning one. These sports have to live like football. I can't demand to have young players in football and not in others. And the truth is that we have honored the club's history."

The B team:

"The goal is only one: to place players in the B team. When we joined, the B team did not exist, it had been extinct. We recovered the B team, we had to use seven or eight players last year to be champions. I understand the member who wants to be a champion in the under-17, under-19, in the B. But it is not the priority, and I assume it."

Are there more talents in the pipeline?

"Yes, there are."

Sporting lost the top scorer, the coach... How to find the balance?

"The departure of our coach left excellent memories forever, of the sports director Hugo Viana as well. And continuing to win demonstrated how much the club's structure has grown. They know it's not easy to lose a coach in November and a sports director in January and be a champion. You need to have baggage and resilience, and Sporting has it. Before, at the first gust of wind, it would collapse, now it withstands even storms. It's good to understand how resilient Sporting is today. We lost one of the most remarkable players, who left wonderful memories, and then comes the next day. We made surgical signings and showed that we have the potential to continue winning."

Do you leave the transfer window satisfied?

"I entered as the most valuable team in the League and left as the most valuable team in the League. Either we win, or we go to the final decisions. That is certain. It's true that a great player left, but that locker room is a pride. They know it wasn't a player who won the championship."

Did Rui Borges ask for reinforcements?

"We are in October. We have the most valuable, most competitive squad with the most solutions in the I League. Our coach is happy, we are happy. It doesn't make sense to talk about the January market. It may happen to act to anticipate some situation, that can happen."

1949 was the last three-peat championship. Do you hope to lead the team to a three-peat?

"A year ago, I said I believed very much that I would be a two-time champion. We are in the eighth round and occupy only second place. And we occupy it solely because of our own fault, only ours. Our players know it, and the coach knows it. They believe they are the best group in the League and know they have to show it on the field. I believe very much in our players, in our coach. I would be lying if I said I didn't believe."

The proximity to the team:

"On game day, I don't talk, whether we win 5-0 or lose 5-0... I only watch games. It's a day of emotions, it's not a good day to talk. During the day-to-day, yes, we are very close."

Where does medicine fit in?

"I am a doctor and a military man for the rest of my life. I practiced sports medicine specialized in high performance, it's a great background in terms of performance, team loads. A good asset to have. The family? Always present. I can never fulfill everything, due to the position I hold. It's very absorbing, there are always things to solve, requests, solicitations. For Sporting to be well, the president has to be well. I don't stop being a husband, being a father. I will not give that up."

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