Even without being physically present, Abel Ferreira filled the TFS room at the Thinking Football Summit for a real lesson on what it is, for him, to be a coach and what this triumphant stage at Palmeiras has been like. The coach gave a ‘powerpoint’ presentation where he explained the principles by which he is governed, leaving some curious revelations in the middle. And he took the opportunity to publicize the book that he will publish in December in Portugal, entitled ‘Cabeça Cold, Heart Warm’. “The competence of a coach has no nationality. There are good Portuguese coaches and others less good, there are good Brazilian coaches and others less good. I even consider it an offense when they talk about this dichotomy between Portugal and Brazil. There are different ideas, but that helps us growing. That’s how it is in all areas. Competence has no age or nationality”, said Abel Ferreira, choosing Paulo Autuori and Luiz Felipe Scolari as the two Brazilian coaches who most impressed him: “One picked me up at the 2nd Liga, the other called me up for the National Team. It was just for training because I didn’t play, but it was still an incredible experience.” More specifically about Palmeiras, the coach spoke of a highly professional club with a series of resources that are nothing more than a mirage for the reality that we live in Portugal. “We have 20 people in the medical department. But it has to be like that because we play every three days and there is essential recovery work that has to be done”, he stressed, adding that the club’s facilities have “a dentist, a hairdresser and all the clinical equipment to carry out tests as soon as an injury is detected”.
With five titles won by the São Paulo emblem, Abel Ferreira has also been important in valuing players, with the young Endrick being the most recent pearl to emerge in Verdão’s main team. But there are other stars on the prowl. “There’s been a lot of talk lately about Endrick, Veron and Danilo have been talked about. Pay attention to the names of Estevão and Guilherme, you’ll hear a lot about them too”, pointed out the coach, who never tired of emphasizing that “the players have to feel what it’s like to leave the ego at home”, making a series of appeals to the importance of putting the collective before the individual.
Finally, asked if he’s going to follow the Worlds even though he’s on vacation, Abel Ferreira replied in a joking way. “I’m going to wear shorts and flip flops. Football is important, but I’m going to dedicate myself to what’s really important, to my family which is my balance”, concluded the coach.
