Portuguese coach Abel Ferreira made history again in Brazil with the second title won by Palmeiras. And there is one remarkable moment in this glorious journey, a dressing room conversation with the players at some point in the Brasileirão, when the club was in fifth place, 14 points behind then leaders Botafogo and the title seemed like a mirage. .
Abel also has this gift. In addition to the game’s own tactics and strategies, it is also a motivator. Not in the ‘big daddy’ style like Scolari, but with aggressive speeches, full of messages that push the players’ feelings and reactions to the limit.
The Portuguese coach made the revelation at the press conference just after the title celebration at the end of the game with Cruzeiro (1-1), before the players entered the room and literally gave him a shower of ice water. For Abel, this conversation a few months ago, driven by the pride of the players, determined the course of events.
“I remember when we were fourteen points behind, we had a meeting with the players and we set two goals: one in terms of results, which was to fight for the title. We said we had only one path and that was “To fight for the title until the end. And the other was our pride, our character, of a team that consistently wins titles. More than anything it was to bring that pride and character that I know this team has and that was lost at some point this year,” he said Abel.
From here the team got back on track, achieving victories and obviously benefiting from the fall in the rankings of then leader Botafogo. “We have gone a step further, we have created our own challenges. We have gone beyond our own limits, against many, because clubism often speaks louder, but this group is resilient. People ask me what the secret is and I can don’t explain it.” there is a lot of respect, friendship and competitiveness in the group, these are values that accompany us,” he explained, leaving a declaration of love to the athletes: “I love these players, that is the great truth, I really find them nice. they are my second family. I have two daughters, but I like these guys.”
Stay or leave?
In recent months, the coach has further deepened the mystery surrounding his continuity at the club, despite having a contract that runs until December 2024. Messages such as “I’m fed up”, combined with the interest of Al Sadd, from Qatar, who want to call on his services and offer him a million dollar proposal – according to some Brazilian journalists he could become the highest paid coach in the world – they seem to indicate that the Portuguese will really step out of the green.
But for now the taboo remains, and despite the insistence of journalists, Abel has not made his future clear. “I have a contract and contracts have to be fulfilled. The clauses have to be fulfilled. For both parties, but I can’t guarantee anything. I’m tired, it’s been three years in a row, the more you earn, the more you earn.” The bigger the demand, the more they charge you, the more energy I have to give to others. Now I need rest. I want to be with my family, enjoy my country and friends. It is still true that I have a good contract here But I want to have time to spend my money,” he said.
Leila Pereira, president of Palmeiras, also spoke on the topic. But it wasn’t very enlightening either. “We haven’t talked about it yet. He works in the same way as in recent years. This controversy just arose, not so long ago. And of one thing the fan can be sure: my wish is that Abel stays with us for a long time Palmeiras, and I will do everything possible and impossible for that. That is what I can guarantee,” he said.
Palmeiras’ intention is to keep Abel at all costs, and a salary upgrade for 2024 is on the table. Today the coach will meet with the management to prepare a report with the analysis of the season, and it is the intention of the Palmeiras directors now focus on the future.
In the speech he gave to the players in the locker room after winning the championship, Abel never directly referred to an alleged departure. But he left a sentence that could have different interpretations: “I’m not going to say goodbye to anyone, because I don’t have to say goodbye to anyone, okay?”
Abel Ferreira arrived at Palmeiras in October 2020, taking on a difficult challenge in a country where it is common for coaches to find themselves in the first negative phase. He came to replace Vanderley Luxemburgo and successfully completed the fourth season, the third entirely, at the service of Verdão. There were nine titles in total, with an emphasis on the two Brazilian Championships (2022 and 2023) and the two Copa Libertadores (2020 and 2021), to which a South American Super Cup (2022) and a Brazilian Cup (2020) were added . , a Brazilian Super Cup (2023) and two in Paulistão (2022 and 2023).
With Brasileirão’s victory again, the Portuguese became the second coach with the most titles at Palmeiras, surpassing Vanderlei Luxemburgo (eight) and only behind Oswaldo Brandão (10). He became the foreign coach with the most titles in the history of football in Brazil (surpassing Uruguayan Felix Magno) and is also the only foreigner with two Brazilian championship titles in the history of the competition.
A success that came at the cost of many sacrifices, as he recalled yesterday, even giving the example of his playing days, when he did not attend parties: “Baladas, zero. I stayed at home with my parents and watched the soap opera Tieta do Agreed. It is these sacrifices and these renunciations that I try to pass on to my players.”
Source: DN
