I coached him in the youth and junior teams at Benfica and he was different
• Photo: Paolo Calado
Record – many players who have already reached the top have passed through his hands. How do you feel when you see them on those stages?
Bruno Lage – It’s a huge pride. Coaching is a lot of people’s work and I don’t just mean coaches. It helped some more and others less. I have great affection for them all, but I do not insist on being a father to anyone. I’m just the father of Jaime and Manuel.
Response: Do you maintain your relationship with everyone?
PL – On schedule… I exchange messages in the Benfica youth team’s Whatsapp group as often as I can congratulating Ruben Dias on his Champions League win. My eldest son has often asked for his birthday gift to go to Barcelona to watch Joao Felix play. He went to see Felix, and I went to see Felix and Cancelo.
A – Was there ever a player who thought he was going to be a star who didn’t have a career that matched everything he promised?
PL – There was… depending on what he did in the youth teams, whether in junior or senior, always with a very high performance. But then, and the fact that there was no B team at that time, he could not join the main team. I’m talking about Andre Karvalhas. Despite my football career, I feel he has not lived up to his potential. The context changed, the training center emerged, investment in training became effective and the creation of the B team was an essential step for many players to approach the professional team level.
Record – many players who have already reached the top have passed through his hands. How do you feel when you see them on those stages?
Written by Sergio Krythenas and Valter Márquez
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