I've allways been optimistic concerning Benfica allthough they did not win a single title since I support them .
But I will stay optimistic. So my vote goes for 2002 .

 

ok the thing is, its been what like 7 years since benfica have won anything? (i dont know if im exactly right so dont jump on me if im a year out or whatever) you guys better realise its gonna get worse before it gets better. the last two championships have been the most open in portugal's history. benfica will get left behind by the improving boavista, braga, sporting and porto teams. and thats makes it harder for ANY team to win the league let alone benfica. benfica have had it tough enough when porto was winning 5 championships in a row with not much competition so imagine benifca with all those other teams to contend with. its gonna be about 15 years at least bfore you guys win another championship. benfica is a shambles and believe me id rather they got their act together cos it looks bad on portugal to have a club like that in the league.

 

I have always had a soft spot for the lisbon eagles, but i see no championship coming for a while for various reasons.

* Incompetant Boardroom. O.K things have been slightly better since JVA was given the arse, but the present board still to me seems undecisive the way it handles it's affairs. This Summer gives the club a chance to separate the men from the boys & start giving the coaching staff its goals it DEMANDS to acheive and just not accept mediocrity.

* Coaching staff . I beleive the Club stuffed up bad by letting Mourinho go so easily while he was in charge things seemed to be back on track. WE just have to accept now Antonio Oliveira is the man. I just hope Benfica show support for him if he tyies to rebuild this team somewhat & give him some reasonable resources to do it. If they do 2 years can be acheived, that is if they can hold on to Meira & Tomas. They should maybe put a bid in for Paulo Sousa. IMO all good teams are built from the back forward.

* Players . There really is some overpaid crap on this team who shouldv'e been given the flick instead of JVP. JVP gave everything for this club & what did he get.. The sack. If he was backed up by his team mates he would not have been hung. Pierre Van Hoordonk might have scored afew goals this season but this guy is a Fu(ken sook. He should be sold of immediately just because he acts the way a proffesional should not act. If something goes against him or someone says something he does not like , he bloody cries. Ibet his family are happy he lives abroad. As for the rest of the players they should resect the history of Benfica & try and uphold its traditions.

 

I voted "2003" - I cite the following reasons (in no particular order):

- Despite all the crap that went on with the club this season; three coaches, $100 mil in debt, only a handful of players the current coaching staff & personel staff feel will be here next season, stadium issues, new president, etc. - they were within one game of first place just a couple of months ago. Everyone agrees that they have put together one of the worst campaigns in club history, but despite all that, they're within 5 or 6 points of 3rd place/UEFA Cup. I know everyone expects a title every season, but to play as bad as a team can possibly play and STILL be within 2 or 3 wins of contention with clubs of Sporting/Porto/Boavista/Braga's caliber is encouraging to me (believe it or not!)

- As I indicated above, much of the dead wood will be gone next season. A short list of players may include Maniche, Kandaurov, Ronaldo, Paulo Madeira, Escalona, Marchena, Carlitos, and Van Hooijdonk. Once gone, the club will be formed in Toni & Simoes image.

- The financial picture is dramatically improved from the beginning of the season. The stadium issue appears to be resolved as of today, so that's one less thing hanging over the club's head next season.

- Stability in the boardroom; people went into a panic when there was rumors of Vilarinho stepping down, but give the guy credit. He basically stated that if he had known that things were this bad, he never would have run for president; but that he had made a committment and that he would see this rebuilding process through. I haven't agreed with every thing he's said/done, but I'm very confident that he'll get the club back on its feet again with his plan.

- Despite the club's recent form, I think Toni is more than capable of recapturing success. Given the turmoil around the Luz this Spring, I think he and Vilarinho decided long ago that the rest of this season is dedicated to seeing who can play and who can't. Next season is when we see what the future really holds.

- Enke (maybe Quim if they sell Enke), Meira, Ednilson, Mantorras are a good foundation to build on

In all, I'm confident that they're on the right track.

Forca Benfica!

 

Razor ,you don't think joao Tomas has nothing to offer th club ?

 

In fairness I think Benfica on the playing side of things are starting to get things right. Instead of buying rubbish English players you are buying some decent young players and already have some great youngsters I wouldn't mind to see at FCP, like Mantorras, Carlitos, Ednilson.

So I think in about 3 or 4 years time Benfica will be strong enough to make a reaistic championship challenge.

 

It's hard to not get sucked in to the weekly emotional roller coaster rides of a season. But, when detached from the emotion what you see is exactly what you expect when there is a change in leadership and philosophy.

Vilarinho is building a team for the future, in all aspects. And he's doing from way below ground zero. To the short sighted, such as the Portista on here, the situation looks grave, but in reality we took the necessary step back in order to proceed forward. Think of it as a building with two elevators. One takes ya to mediocrity (second, third place every year) the other to a long haul of championships. The trick, however, is you got to take the elevator of mediocrity and use to go down a couple of floors to catch the elevator that can take ya to those championships. The problem is, once in the elevator of mediocrity, it is extremely tough to resist the pressure of going up on that elevator because of the demand to go up immediately as fast as possible. For us short sighed fans, we just know that we're going down when we could have gone up, but in fact we're on our way to the only elevator that can takes to the promise land.

The signs are there for those who understand that short-term solutions produce short-term success. A long-term solution is slower progress, but produce extended return.

The plan is there, the foundation is being laid. The key is to stick to it despite the current pain.

You're right on the money, Razor!

 

Razor ,you don't think joao Tomas has nothing to offer th club ?

Yes and no. He's obviously got some talent, but at 26, I think what you see is what you get with Joao Tomas. I think he definitely has a future with the club, but maybe as a #3 striker/#2 if necessary. I'm going on the assumption that Van Hooijdonk is gone after this season. I would be totally jumping the gun to count on Nuno Gomes return (as is being speculated in the dailies this morning), but for purposes of this discussion I see the following scenarios as far as depth charts if he comes/doesn't:

With Gomes:

1) Nuno Gomes
2) Mantorras
3) Joao Tomas
4) Andre

Without Gomes:

1) Mantorras
2) Joao Tomas
3) TBD
4) Andre

Although they won't need it next year, a club needs three proven strikers to be competitive in UEFA tournaments. Suspensions, injuries, extra games, etc. all wear on a team's depth over the course of playing in these tournaments and you need to have three guys that can perform. Joao Tomas definitely can be one of those guys, but I still think we need one more horse in the stable.

 

I am a fan of Tomas. He's been the more consistent goal scorer, without having to resort to free kicks or penalties. He should be kept as I think he will have a prominent role next season. VH might be gone. However with the acquisition of the next superstar in Mantorras, acquiring Nuno for alot more salary would not suit us fiscally imo.

So I see Mantorras/Tomas up front.

With that said our improvements should occur in the defensive and midfield areas. We have no playmaker...Roger has not impressed in this role so far, but if he goes down we're very limited. My preference would be to play Ednilson on this role, with Meira backing him up. Also we need wing play from the midfield. After Poborsky left us no one has stepped up in this role. Carlitos and Sabry aren't getting it done.

I'd like to see this midfield:

Luis Felipe-Ednilson-Meira-Roger(playing the wing)

Marchena is not leaving us this season I don't think...although Ronaldo is. That leaves us with little depth back there. Get Litos, and keep Madeira.

Dudic-Marchena-Litos-Diogo Luis

Enke

Btw I think we have the possibility to vastly improve next season, depending on who leaves and who we get. Nuno as much as he would be welcomed is not a priority imo. Although Rui Costa would be...but right now too many big fish want him.

 

All good points, Red - I have a couple of other points to add as well:

- Toni seemed intent on trying Roger out on the left hand side when he first arrived, despite the brat's protests. Why do this unless you have someone else in mind for the central playmaker role next season (i.e. - Rui)

- The game versus PSG was interesting in that they basically played with a 3-back set (Paulo Madeira, Marchena, & Ronaldo), with Meira as a libero and Diogo Luis & Esteves on the wings. It worked remarkably well IMO, creating some deep pushes into PSG's end, spreading their defense, and opening room for Andre & Roger/Kandaurov in the middle. I think Diogo's got good speed, but his crossing just isn't there. I don't know how many times that game I saw him get unmarked deep on the wing but unable to deliver a decent cross into the middle. I didn't really care for him while he was here, but I can't help but think that Bruno Basto would have flourished in that position with this formation; and you're right - Luis Felipe would be spectacular in that role!

- I haven't heard anything new on the Litos front, but I am very happy this morning with the news that the deal to bring Cabral to Benfica from Belenenses is 99% done. A big upgrade defensively IMO from any lateral defender they have now.

 

Cabral is stupendous...and will be a big improvement. Bruno Basto would have helped but we sold him. Diogo will hopefully learn to cross the ball this season. I don't think Rui will be coming this season...but you never know. He is the only answer to our playmaking drought. Luis Felipe is the winger we need though...Vilarinho has to suck up to Futre to get him here next season.

 

Cabral is stupendous...and will be a big improvement. Bruno Basto would have helped but we sold him. Diogo will hopefully learn to cross the ball this season. I don't think Rui will be coming this season...but you never know. He is the only answer to our playmaking drought. Luis Felipe is the winger we need though...Vilarinho has to suck up to Futre to get him here next season.

I'd love to see Felipe here as well...here's a question: who would you rather see here? Hugo Leal or Felipe?

 

How old is Hugo Leal?

 

21 years young :strong:

 

Excellent! Hugo it is! Where do I sign?

 

I think Felipe's 20; the age argument is basically a wash. I guess it comes down to who you'd rather have, a solid winger or playmaker...

 

I didn't want to choose the playmaker without knowing how much of a future he has, not that I was simply trying to pick the younger player.

 

Both will do nicely. But Leal will be moving to Italy if Atletico doesn't move up (likely) and that means Luis doesn't want 2nd division play...so he's more viable for Benfica. Both are spirited and skilled players that we can use.

 

Hugo's got a tremendous future - bigger than Fillipe's IMO...

 

However if Rui and Leal aren't available can someone please tell Simoes to come here to the States and get CLINT MATHIS!

 

I'm cut'n'pasting this from a post in the Fio forum. Interesting comments from Rui:

"Rui Costa explained carefully his situation last night on Rete 37 a Tuscan local network: "I would like to reply what Mancini said this morning: I'm not influenced or troubled by rumors on negotiations, instead I'm exalted. Everybody knows I'd like to reach something very important here in Florence. At the end of the season I'll decide basing on Fiorentina's behaviour. I don't require for a team fighting for the title. I don't require anything. I only would like to give my contribution to a team fighting for something important. It's not important to understand who arrives, but who leaves...Obviously I can't accept the principle about everybody is transferable but me. Has Sconcerti suggested my managers an increase of my hiring? Thanks, it's not the right moment to speak about that."
Rui Costa declared few days ago he would have spoken about his future only at the end of the season in a face to face with Vittorio Cecchi Gori, Fiorentina's President."

 

I think the moves they appear to making are promising. If the financial resurgance is legitimate and not simply posturing, then with sound football managing, Benfica could win in the next couple of years. With the pull and popularity they have in Portugal, they could even rise back to power if the changes are built on a solid foundation. We'll see if the foundation is solid in the next year or two.

 

Hehehe seems a lot of Porquistas participated in this poll.