Looking Back

Although it is an honour to be the (relatively) new Sporting manager, taking over didn’t come without moments of doubt.

I was coming off a very satisfying period at Wolfsburg, where I had turned the squad around entirely and secured Division 3 football. Moving to another team in the midst of such an exciting time, after several seasons of intense rebuilding, was tough. There were moments of regret — I cannot hide from that.

Thankfully, time heals, and ahead of us stood a new, invigorating challenge: steadying the Sporting ship. Ultimately, Sporting represented a bigger club, a stronger squad, and very clear expectations. After relegation to Division 2 the previous season, the brief was simple and uncompromising — get Sporting straight back to Division 1.

Transfers: Fine-Tuning, Not Rebuilding

Unlike Wolfsburg, this was not a rebuild in the traditional sense. The squad I inherited already had genuine top-end quality. Players like Vitinha, Nuno Mendes, Gakpo, and Gyökeres gave us a strong foundation to work from, and our focus in the transfer market was on fine-tuning: improving balance, upgrading key positions, and aligning the squad with how we wanted to play.

The most debated move came early. We traded Ben Seghir (88), Schjelderup (84), and Vermeeren (87) for Verbruggen (89 → 90), while also moving Mamardashvili (91) for Pavlovic (89 → 90). At the time, it attracted plenty of criticism — it looked risky on paper.

Fast forward to now, and both Verbruggen and Pavlovic have developed to 90-rated players, somewhat vindicating the decision. It was a bet on profile, development, and long-term balance rather than chasing headline ratings alone.

Other notable deals followed a similar logic:

• Upamecano (92) arrived in exchange for Tapsoba (91) & Ugarte (90 → 89)
• Coman (91) & Bazoumana Touré (82 → 84) came in for Lucas Hernandez (91)
• Eric Garcia (88 → 89) for Djed Spence (86 → 88) & Gloukh (86)
• Mainoo (88) in for Gittens (88) & Santiago Lopez (77)

A few minor youth ins and outs under 80 were made as well — nothing crucial this season, but worth monitoring over time.

The overall philosophy was clear: the squad was strong enough to challenge immediately, so transfers were about small margins, fit, and improving consistency rather than a wholesale rebuild.

Finding Our Identity

Initially, we struggled on all fronts. Things just weren’t clicking. I suppose it wasn’t a massive surprise, as the team needed time to adjust after a long spell under club legend João Alves, who built the Sporting we all know today.

We began the season with the classic 4-2-3-1. Unfortunately, we didn’t initially respond well to this formation, so we quickly switched to a 4-4-f*cking-2 (which, nicely, allowed Nuno Mendes and Kerkez to play together). This worked in patches, but wasn’t consistent, so we experimented with a version of the 4-3-3. Again, inconsistency was the answer.

Finally, a 0–1 loss to Augsburg on 30 November prompted a return to the 4-2-3-1. For reasons I can’t fully explain, the formation that failed us at the start has now borne fruit… Roles are clearer, performances more consistent, and we’ve gone unbeaten since the switch (knock on wood). It’s the formation everyone trusts, and now it’s working as it should.

Did someone say Cup? Admittedly, our cup runs were lacklustre. However, this season was always about the league. While Sporting competed in the League Cup, League Shield, and World Club Cup, none were genuine priorities. The Youth Cup was skipped entirely, despite having a strong youth setup. Cup runs were secondary; the focus was singular: Division 1.

Looking Forward

With five games remaining, there is still everything to play for. Although we sit comfortably in first after a recent run of good form, we take nothing for granted. Managing a big team like Sporting brings with it a different kind of pressure — it’s one thing to rebuild an underdog, quite another to step into a club where expectation is immediate and unrelenting. Anything less than winning the league would invite scrutiny, and so we remain extremely humble.

When managing a club of this stature, the challenge isn’t just about getting results — it’s equally about not royally screwing things up. At the same time, standing still is not an option. As Roosevelt once said, "the worst thing you can do is nothing". We continue to test the waters, make calculated adjustments, and take measured risks. After all, That willingness to act decisively, to push the team forward rather than play it safe, is perhaps why I ended up at Sporting in the first place — and perhaps, too, why João Alves ultimately fell short and was let go after the club slipped to Division 2.

On that note, I am wishing everyone a Happy New Year and a fantastic 2026!