A number of names had been circulating in the sports press, but the man chosen to lead SC Olhanense next season is José Carvalho Araújo.
The 38-year-old coach has spent most of his football career at SC Braga and, for the past two seasons, has been in charge of Os Arsenalistas Under 23 team.
Present indications are that Olhanense will once again be competing in the Campeonato de Portugal despite having finished top of their division when the league was suspended. The intransigence of the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) has not gone down well with many of those in the wider football community.
The Olhanense squad is beginning to take shape. Last season’s captain Leleco, Caleb and Tiago Jogo – who had already put pen-to-paper – have been joined by centre-back Joshua Silva (17 apps last season), striker Djamanca Varela, goalkeeper Rúben Dionísio and Diogo Martins who hails from Tavira and is in his fourth season at Olhanense.
The first external signing is striker Juan San Martin from SC Real (Lisbon). The 26-year-old Uruguayan arrived in Portugal eight years ago destined for Benfica’s juniors, after putting in some outstanding performances for Peñarol in his native country. Benfica loaned him to Farense for a season, but he returned to Uruguay before making his way back to the Algarve where he spent time at Louletano. The well-travelled centre-forward was a member of Uruguay’s U17 national team that were runners-up to Mexico in the U17 World Championship in 2011.
By CHRIS WRIGHT
