In the eyes of Palmeiras Football Club fans, Abel Ferreira is their hero. For them, he is the true stimulus to the team’s success. After winning its latest trophy, the Brasileirão-2022 title he can boast again, but he doesn’t. He’s a man on a mission to continuously improve!
Abel shines by standards which have been developed over his professional career and background as a Portuguese player. Having played as a right-back defender in an illustrious career he was forced out because of a leg injury. He turned to teaching others by becoming a Manager for Sporting’s juniors, and then went on to manage Braga B in the same division. Soon after he was at the helm of Braga’s first team that led them into qualifying for the UEFA Europa League.
A few years later and he was at PAOK in Greece where he led the players to a fifty-one-match unbeaten record in the Super League while reaching the semi-finals of the Greek Cup.
In 2020 he was invited to Palmeiras as Head Coach, and his career rose to the next level of winning trophy after trophy from the champions of the ‘Brazil Cup’, to the ‘Brazilian Super Cup’, to the winners of the ‘Paulista Championship’, and then to two times winner of the ‘South American Liberation Cup 2020/2021’, and runners-up at the ‘FIFA Club World Cup’ 2021. This record sets Abel apart from the rest, already classified as one of the world’s best!
According to Tim Vickery, South American correspondent for ESPN, “There is something of the young Jose Mourinho about Ferreira. He is ferociously intense, and often gets himself in trouble for his behaviour on the touchlines. And the quality and detail of his work has won over the players.”
He went on to say, "He always has a plan," is a comment frequently heard from the Palmeiras players, who have learned that following his instructions is likely to increase their chances of success.
Take care!
Prof. Carl Boniface
Vocabulary builder:
Stimulus (n) = incentive, spur, inducement, impetus, provocation, motivation, incitement
Helm (n) = wheel, rudder, tiller, controls
Unbeaten (adj) = undefeated, winning, champion, top-ranking, triumphant
Touchlines (n) = either of the lines that bound the long sides of the field of play in rugby and soccer.