It has been less than a week since Ricardo Sa Pinto has been sacked by Sporting. “B” team manager Oceano Cruz took charge of the squad on an interim basis for their tilt vs FC Porto this past Sunday. Of course the game ended in a loss, which in my opinion was to be expected. Porto as a team is just superior to us all over the pitch, with the exception of between the sticks.
Even today as I type, that man to my right (Luiz Felipe Scoalri) is the front runner to take on the position of head coach. Some of you might remember Scolari as the manager of Portugal’s national team where he did quite well, although wasn’t able to win any hardware. Other coaches include: Luis Fernandez (former PSG, Bilbao, and Israel national team manager), Ernesto Valverde (won 3 titles in Greece with Olympiakos), and Davide Ballardini (former Cagliari boss).
Personally, I don’t see any coach from the aforementioned list lasting long, except of course Scolari. If hired, he’ll bring EXPERIENCE, something that Sa Pinto lacked. Not to mention he has coached some of the best players in the world, he knows how to play (smart) attacking football, and knows when and how to defend. Hopefully the Sporting board can make the right choice here and give os adeptos (the fans) something to cheer about.
Diary of a Sportinguista 