A New Era for Portugal: Roberto Martinez Takes Over as Coach
The Portuguese national team has seen a change in leadership since the departure of legendary coach Fernando Santos. Taking over from the former coach is Roberto Martinez, who is now in charge of the 2016 European champions.
Despite having superstar Cristiano Ronaldo still on the team, Portugal was eliminated by Morocco in the quarter-finals of the World Cup in Qatar. Qualifying for the tournament was also challenging, and Santos was eventually fired.
Ronaldo admitted that training under the new coach has changed significantly, saying that “the balance of the first days is very positive. All of us, the players, are very happy. The training sessions are very dynamic. The conversations with the coach too. The coaching staff has a different mentality.”
Compared to the Santos era, Ronaldo added that “you feel a change, and that’s good. It’s nice to have variety. The air is healthier and fresher, and there is a good atmosphere. The intensity of the training is very good, it’s different. My teammates also told me that they loved the training.”
This change in coaching staff may also be interpreted as a hidden tip against the ex-coach. During the World Cup, there were apparent disagreements between the coach and the superstar, with Ronaldo being dropped from the starting XI. There were even rumors that he wanted to leave the national team immediately.
After Santos’ exit, Ronaldo’s mood seems to have improved, at least with the national team. He has also spoken about his inglorious departure from Manchester United, saying that “I have no problem saying that I’ve had a bad phase in my career, but I don’t have time for regret. Life goes on and whether I’m fine or not, it’s been part of my evolution.”
He added that “now I’m more prepared and the study was important because I’ve never been through it like I’ve been through in the past few months. Now I’m a better person.” Ronaldo’s contract with the Premier League club was terminated after a scandalous interview where he attacked the club, coaches, and owners. He has since moved to the desert in Saudi Arabia, where he should collect 500 million euros for two and a half years.
Although Ronaldo has positively remarked on the competitiveness and balance of the Saudi League, he admitted that it is not at the level of the Premier League. However, he believes that it may rise in the ranks of the strongest leagues within the next six or seven years. Only time will tell if his prediction will come true.
