English football has its third Portuguese manager as Bruno Ribeiro is handed the reins at Staffordshire side Port Vale. The 40 year-old, who like José Mourinho was born in Setúbal, had an illustrious playing career at Vitória de Setúbal as well as spending time at Leeds United and Sheffield United between 1997 and 2001.
Fours years ago, early in his managerial career, Ribeiro had a brief spell at SC Farense. The former midfield player has been quick to recruit three players from his native country: midfielder Paulo Tavares, defender Kiko and striker Carlos Saleiro have signed two-year deals.
Kiko and Tavares played for Ribeiro at his previous club Vitória de Setúbal while Saleiro joins from Lisbon side Oriental.
The third Portuguese manager in English football? Carlos Carvalhal at Sheffield Wednesday who, in his debut season, took the Owls to the verge of the Premier League as they lost to Hull City in the Championship play-off final in May.
Few really knew what to make of Carvalhal when he arrived in Sheffield and fewer still when it emerged that he had written a book called Soccer: Developing A Know-How which threw around ideas such as “tactical periodisation” and a “conceptual matrix”.
He is now highly rated and if Bruno Ribeiro and his Portuguese recruits can work the same magic at Port Vale, then the potteries will be in for a smashing time! C.W.
