At a news conference, João Diogo Manteigas stated: “Benfica needs to be well-led to be able to lead. We are prepared to propose an alternative vision and are not afraid to make decisions. This candidacy will sow the seeds of success for a management that will respect the credentials, values, ​​and principles of Sport Lisboa e Benfica.”

The Lisbon club’s presidential candidate claims that the alternative he wants to put into place will be built around five main pillars.

The first is associativism, which includes ideas to give members and fans more voice and authority by allowing them to assess the outcomes of the sporting seasons in yearly assemblies designated for that purpose.

In this regard, Manteigas pledged to host nationwide congresses to deliberate on Benfica, any statutory modifications beyond those anticipated in the most recent review, and the cancellation of any future galas that do not include attendees who are not members or supporters.

The sports vector will be the subject of the second pillar, which promises to introduce a management philosophy whereby Benfica will cease training with the intention of selling players right away and instead train to keep quality.

“Winning culture”

“It is not possible to create a winning culture when we sell our best players shortly after launching them at the highest level. We will not join the merry-go-round of player arrivals and departures, nor will we be part of the commercialism of the club's current sports policy,” he said using the example of João Neves.

João Diogo Manteigas claims that institutional ties make up the third pillar and that Benfica must take back the mantle of leadership in Portuguese sport.

“I assure you that we will be vigilant in the Portuguese Football Federation, and we will have an active voice in the League. There is no centralisation that can cope without Benfica, nor are there any professional leagues that can cope with 36 teams, so we have to demand the reformulation of the competitive frameworks.”

The fourth pillar will focus on the business side, and the candidate will guarantee a transparent and reputable audit that will include all 12 entities from the SAD to the Foundation.

The fifth and final pillar will address infrastructure: “We have to try to regroup all athletes from different sports, to reinforce the infrastructure of the Olympic project, to expand the Seixal Campus through Quinta do Álamo, because we are constrained by the overcrowding of football teams.”

Author

A passionate Irish journalist with a love for cycling, politics and of course Portugal especially their sausage rolls.

Rory Mc Ginn