Q&A - July 2019

@Hadenwood - Who’s the next Wolves signing Alex? Portugal has been very kind to us - Wolverhampton is now an enclave we’d quite like another import.

I think we’re all rather excited to see who Wolves’ next addition is going to be! It has been a quiet window as far as Wolves are concerned, though I can’t see that lasting much longer. It’s unclear whether Nuno is planning on raiding the Primeira Liga again/bringing in more Portuguese players to increase the Portuguese contingent, although there are a lot of names that you could imagine moving to Wolves this summer. Andre Silva is one that has been linked with the club almost relentlessly, almost to the point of frustration for many Wolves fans, but that now looks unlikely, even with the connection between him, Jorge Mendes and Nuno. If it were up to me, I’d be advising Wolves heavily to bring in Rafael Leao; a player for the future that is ready right now for first-team action, the perfect option up front to, initially, even act as something of an impact sub and backup option to Raul and Jota, and he would really bolster Wolves’ front line. Gedson Fernandes in midfield would also be absolutely ideal, while keep an eye out for Joao Filipe; he’s one of the most promising attacking players coming through Benfica’s academy, yet he currently has a release clause of just 30 million euros. Clubs really should be pouncing on that option before Benfica get the chance to renew it.

@Foghorn_LEGH0RN - How is it that so many Portuguese players are so technically gifted compared to other nations ? There seems to be another generation of highly skilled individuals on the way.

You’re absolutely right, it is definitely the major strength of Portuguese players, and it really has a lot to do with the way they are educated in their respective academies from a very early age. The academies of the “Big Three” in Portuguese football are particularly highly acclaimed, and technical ability has always been a major focal point of Portuguese football. So a lot of credit has to go the education and training in the youth teams and academies, as it really is something that is heavily focused on in the Portuguese game. You could also point to the fact that technical ability is often a requirement to counteract the lack of physicality many Portuguese players have, and it creates a lot of footballers that are excellent with their ball at their feet, able to demonstrate excellent passing and dribbling ability. It’s proved to be very effective and, as you say, yet another generation seems to be emerging from Portugal’s youth team. Portugal are also a truly football mad country; almost everything revolves around the sport, and young children from an incredibly early age are always playing the game on the streets, looking to improve their general skill and technique. That dedication leads them to the academy, where they only get better.

@Bloseph - Why do you think Diogo Jota has been called up to the national team but not played?

Diogo Jota can consider himself incredibly unlucky to have not yet featured for the senior national team, particularly after the season he’s just had. It’s a shame that he hasn’t made his debut yet - but that moment will come. To answer the question, he’s been called up because he’s one of Portugal’s 6 best forward players right now - but he hasn’t played because the other five players are all currently ahead of him in Fernando Santos’ eyes. It’s testament to the sheer depth Portugal have in that department. Cristiano Ronaldo, Bernardo Silva Joao Felix, Goncalo Guedes and Rafa Silva are all ahead of him in the pecking order right now, which really makes it impossible for him to get a look in. It’s just unfortunate that this is the way that it’s panned out - that he’s regularly in the squad, but not able to make that final progression to the pitch - and that’s simply due to the depth Portugal have in attack. His day will come, though, especially if he keeps up the form he’s been showing with Wolves.

@cal_575 - If Wolves were to continue improving their academy across the summer, what players do you think could potentially join from Portugal?

There’s a great deal of talent available in the Portuguese league and academies for clubs across Europe to be taking a look at, particularly from the “Big Three” teams in the country, and Wolves are one of the clubs that would be a particularly interesting proposal for young Portuguese players after what they have achieved over the last couple of seasons with a solid Portuguese contingent - and the fact that they play in the Premier League. There are so many names to choose from. 16-year old Ronaldo Camara of Benfica, for example, is one that has shown great promise, already looking like a really well-rounded central midfielder, while Umaro Embalo is another very exciting prospect. Porto’s Tomas Esteves also impressed from right back too. There’s just so many. Any of those would cost several million pounds though, and I’m not sure if Wolves would be willing to pay that much for potential, but it just gives a rough idea that there are players there that may be less heard of outside of Portugal, but are showing real promise, and a club like Wolves could swoop in for them before the giants of the game spot them. After all, Valencia turned down the chance to sign Joao Felix for 2 million euros last summer - so incredible deals can be found!

@coach_dasilva - Best Portuguese academy? Most underrated Portuguese club outside (top league)? Can the likes of Beira-Mar make it to the top flight again?

Best academy, right now, probably has to be Benfica’s. It’s fine reward for the investment they’ve put into the youth team that they are getting so much out of their youngsters. It’s close though, as Porto’s deserves a mention too, and the fact that they have just won the UEFA Youth League shows that you can definitely make the case that they have the better academy of the two. Sporting’s was undoubtedly the best of the previous generation, but it seems they’ve been caught and overtaken by their two rivals.

In terms of the best Portuguese club outside the top league, it has to be Estoril, surely; would be surprised if they didn’t manage to earn promotion back to the top flight next season. But in terms of the most underrated side, I think in many ways it could actually be Leixões. Of course they’re a well-known side with good history, but I think that they are actually overlooked quite considerably and could finally be set for a return to Primeira Liga football. Since being relegated in 2010, they’ve been stranded in the second division for about a decade now, but have been making good progress over the last two seasons, improving their squad and creeping up the table. After so nearly dropping down to the third tier back in the mid-2010s, they’re getting back on track again - and who knows, they may mount a serious promotion push next season, which some may not see coming.

With regards to Beira Mar, they have a long way to go to get back to their previous lofty heights, which is such a pity for a club with such history. But been making great progress though, getting promoted to the Campeonato de Portugal last season (the Portuguese third division), so they are heading in the right direction. They are probably a fair few years away from the top flight though - perhaps even decades. Hopefully not though.

@ezzalodge - I am looking at going to Porto in October and was hoping to catch a couple of games, Porto and Boavista. When do dates and times for games get confirmed? And what’s the weather going to be like?

Dates and times for Primeria Liga matches only get confirmed about 2 weeks before the game week starts unfortunately, so it doesn’t leave a huge amount of time for planning. Hard to say about the weather, could be fairly warm and sunny, or could be absolutely pouring down. Sorry I can’t be more helpful on that one!

@Iantoadinhole - How close is Carvalho to becoming a full Portugal international and do you agree with so many Portuguese plying their trade in England?

He’s getting there. Certainly the fact that he was such an important player for the recent Portugal U21 team would at least suggest that he has the capabilities to make the progression to the senior side in the near future, although that generation of players weren’t the best, and there is a huge amount of talent in the country just before and after his generation that will provide stern competition for spaces in the senior team. I think it’s fair to say that, as long as he and Nottingham Forest are in the Championship, he has no chance of getting a call up to the senior Portugal national team, at least for competitive matches, even if he puts in a player of the season display. We saw that Diogo Jota and even Ruben Neves were overlooked for the World Cup while playing in the Championship, even though they earned promotion by finishing 1st in the league standings, and so, in that respect, Carvalho is still a long way off making his first appearance for Portugal, at least competitively.

As to whether I agree with so many Portuguese players plying their trade in England, absolutely. And it’s not just England either; Portugal have a lot of players playing all across the continent, be it France, Spain, Italy, Greece… It’s brilliant for the national team, as it means that there is a much larger pool of talent available for Fernando Santos to choose from, while the players are also getting tremendous experience in various different highly competitive leagues across Europe, which also helps them improve and therefore is great for the strength of the national team. It’s certainly very interesting to see how Portuguese contingents such as Nottingham Forest, Wolves, Lille, Monaco, Olympiakos etc are getting on throughout the season, and I think it’s a source of pride for Portugal that they do have so many players impressing in different countries.

@Etothe2power - What role (if any at all) does the colonial legacy play in Portuguese clubs signing young Brazilians?

It’s very fair to say that the colonial legacy does play a significant role in that. It’s true that a huge number of Brazilians play in the Primeira Liga, from top to bottom, and the long-lasting relationship between the two countries plays a significant role in enabling that to happen. At the same time, though, it’s really the whole of the South American continent that has close ties to Portuguese football; it has proven to be an excellent avenue for South American players to get into European football. But yes, Brazil is the almost certainly main country, and the colonial past is a likely cause of that. It’s the same with other countries too, of course. You see the likes of Nani and Gelson Martins, who were born in Cape Verde, coming to Portugal and representing the country. Danilo Pereira and Portuguese hero Eder were then born in Guinea Bissau, with William Carvalho in Angola. So the African influence on Portuguese football as a result of the colonial heritage is both huge and vital for the strengths of the national team - and the strength of many Portuguese clubs.

@Terinho6 - #JoãoFélix's new signing with #AteticoDeMadrid, should he had stayed in #Benfica/ #LigaNOS for another 1 or 2 develop his football potentials, considering his only 19?

I think the vast majority of fans would definitely have advised João Felix to stay at Benfica for another season - the warning signs as to what moving on too soon can do to a player’s career have already been shown, Renato Sanches the perfect example. Even Fernando Santos weighed in by saying that he would have advised Felix to stay at Benfica for another year considering his age and relative inexperience, but ultimately Felix chose to leave. It’s a magnificent deal from Benfica’s perspective, there’s no two ways about it. Whether it will prove to be for Felix and Atletico Madrid remains to be seen, but yes, you do have to wonder when these young Portuguese players will learn that good things come to those who wait.

@NeeRajyuv - About Jota... Isn't he the best teenage winger talent out in the world? Absolute craft by him on pitch...

I’m incredibly excited by Jota, he really is a huge talent and I expect him to have a huge season ahead of him with Benfica. He’s certainly one of the most exciting youngsters out there right now. But, of course, there are some incredible teenage talents currently in the game, Joao Felix being one, Jaydon Sancho another. They both have far more senior experience to their name than Jota and are, actually, younger than the Benfica winger, who is now officially no longer a teenager, having turned 20 in March. So, while I absolutely agree with what you say about him being one of the top youngsters around with his incredible skill and craft, now is the time that he needs to start playing regularly for Benfica to prove it and to ensure all that potential doesn’t go to waste.

@TrickyTreesNZ - If you were a gambling man, which of the new #nffc players would be the most likely to be successful?

I think that Tiago Silva will be the one that the fans appreciate the most and will therefore do the most to impress the Forest faithful. That, I think, will make him the most successful of the three. The reason for that is due to his tenacity; he will work hard for the team at both ends of the pitch, goings forwards and defensively, while he also possesses very good technical ability, so should be the source of good creativity too.

@dingdinghopkin - Are Portuguese football fans paying attention to Nottingham Forest since the signings that have been made?

Absolutely. Like Wolves, Nottingham Forest are also the source of great interest for Portuguese fans, and it’s understandable. After all, this is an incredibly historic club, and the Portuguese flavour that the club currently possesses certainly makes them an even more interesting club for football fans in the nation to keep an eye on. It’s not quite to the same extent as Wolves, which is also understandable; the quality and reputation of player that Wolves brought into the club was on a higher level to those that Forest have brought in so far - but that’s not to say that they aren’t very keen to see Forest succeed this season. Portuguese fans have always been quite knowledgeable of European football, and Forest is the latest in a fairly long line for them to ‘support’.

@Coachdiary - What’s the average wage for a footballer in the top division?

Average annual wage for a footballer in the Primeira Liga, the top division in Portugal, is around £260,000 - which comes to around £5,000 per week. There’s a huge disparity between the top 3 and the rest of the league, of course, which skews that average wage upwards; indeed, without including the Big Three of Porto, Benfica and Sporting, that average annual wage drops down to about £62,000. So it shows the huge gap between the top 3 and the rest of the pack.