Pinotes Batista open to Rui Borges staying at Sporting, despite doubts | OneFootball

Unanimity around the renewal of Rui Borges' contract with Sporting. André Pinotes Batista, André Mestre, and Bruno Mascarenhas support the continuation of the Mirandela coach at the helm of the green and white team, although the first member of this trio does not fully agree with the timing of it.

"Although I have agreed from the start with the renewal of Rui Borges, I believe that the aftermath of an epic night should not divert us from the principles of good management," stated the socialist deputy, in declarations to the newspaper Record, clearly alluding to the 5-0 victory on Tuesday over Bodø/Glimt in the second leg of the Champions League round of 16.

"The president trusts the coach and the coach trusts the president, so the end of the season would be the best time to make assessments and renewals," continued the commentator, emphasizing: "This is the opinion of someone who believes that, regardless of the season's outcome, Sporting should renew with a competent coach."

Alexandre Mestre, former Secretary of State for Sports and Youth, also has no doubts about this. "This renewal comes at the right time. It shows that Rui Borges is a key factor in the project, motivating everyone for the demanding challenges of this season and also the future," he predicted, to the same source.

Mestre diverges slightly from Pinotes Batista in terms of management. For the lawyer, the renewal of the national champion coach "is an intelligent and effective management act of a SAD that knows well the virtues of the maxim 'don't change a winning team.' What is intended is to achieve more victories while maintaining stability."

Bruno Mascarenhas, councilor of Chega in the Lisbon City Council and former club director, aligns with the theory of a good management act, regardless of the chosen timing. Especially because, in his view, "it's normal that the conversations" between Frederico Varandas and Rui Borges "started quite some time ago" and continue now, a day after the Sporting president began his third term.

"It's a deserved renewal, as reaching this stage of the Champions League with the merit the coach has shown is not within everyone's reach. It also constitutes an internal reinforcement of the coach's authority," Mascarenhas emphasized, also to the same newspaper, highlighting another aspect that justifies the coach's continuity at Alvalade.

"Sporting is in a position to win the title again this season. But, being already one of the eight best teams in Europe inevitably makes this season already a great success," considered the International Relations graduate.

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