Sporting‘s Rocky Road: Ex-President Blames “Amateur” Leadership for Recent Setback
Following Saturday’s disappointing home defeat against Santa Clara, a former high-ranking Sporting official has launched a scathing attack on the club’s leadership. Jaime Marta Soares, a former president of the Board of the General Assembly, accused club president Frederico Varandas of lacking the necessary experience and professionalism to guide Sporting through the turbulent world of top-flight football.
A Lack of Footballing Acumen?
Soares’ criticisms centered on the appointment of João Pereira as the man responsible for selecting Sporting’s technical team. According to Soares, this decision exemplifies the “amateurism” that he believes is hindering the club’s progress. “You can’t be an amateur in these things,” he declared during an appearance on the Bola Branca program on Rádio Renascença. “You need to know how to deal with the professional football structure of a team like Sporting. That didn’t happen. And I think the current president is still an amateur. He appeared and things went well, with signs that we were seeing of this amateurism, which sooner or later could give bad results. It is there in plain sight, unfortunately.”
Pressure Mounts on Sporting Leaders
While Soares acknowledged that Pereira was not solely responsible for the recent setback, he expressed a clear lack of faith in the current leadership structure. “There seems to be a panic,” he said, “and if there is a new setback, the fans’ discontent will come to the surface. And from then on, there will be no excuses,” he warned.
The Ref: A Convenient Scapegoat?
Soares didn’t completely absolve Cláudio Pereira, the referee who officiated the disastrous match against Santa Clara. While not pinning the blame solely on the official’s performance, he did describe the perceived poor officiating as a “robbery of arbitration.”
However,RAD he maintained that the problematic refereeing wasn’t the primary factor behind Sporting’s poor showing.
“Despite the robbery of arbitration, this cannot serve as an excuse. What we didn’t have was a guideline,” Soares concluded.
Does Jaime Marta Soares believe that Frederico Varandas’ leadership can be salvaged, or does he think a change in leadership is necessary?
## Interview: Sporting in Crisis?
**Host:** Welcome back to the show. Following Sporting CP’s concerning defeat against Santa Clara over the weekend, tensions are rising in Lisbon. Joining us today to discuss the situation is former Sporting CP board member, Jaime Marta Soares. Mr. Soares, thank you for joining us.
**Jaime Marta Soares:** Thank you for having me.
**Host:** Let’s get straight to it. You’ve been quite vocal about your concerns over the leadership of current President Frederico Varandas. Can you elaborate on your criticisms?
**Soares:** Look, I’ve been a lifelong supporter of Sporting CP. It pains me to see the club struggling the way it is. In my view, Mr. Varandas simply lacks the necessary experience and footballing acumen to navigate the complexities of managing a top-flight club. This isn’t just about recent defeats. It’s a pattern we’ve seen develop under his leadership.
**Host:** You mentioned a lack of experience. But Mr. Varandas has overseen some significant developments, including the modernization of club facilities [[1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sporting_CP)]. Doesn’t that demonstrate his vision for the future of the club?
**Soares:** Of course, those developments are important. But they don’t address the fundamental issue: sporting success on the pitch. A club like Sporting needs a leader who understands the intricacies of the game, who can build a winning team and inspire confidence in the players and the fans.
**Host:** Do you believe Mr. Varandas’s leadership is irreparable, or is there still time to turn things around?
**Soares:** Time is running out. The current trajectory is simply unsustainable for a club of Sporting’s stature. There needs to be a serious change in direction, whether that involves a change in leadership or a fundamental shift in strategy.
**Host:** Strong words, Mr. Soares. Thank you for sharing your insights. We’ll be following this situation closely.
**(End of Interview)**
