Standpoints, in light of Marco Silva’s appointment as Head Coach, are virtually split straight down the middle where optimism and pessimism’s concerned. A manager that favours flare, enticement, Silva bears hallmarks of an innovator, yet when the going gets tough, his eye tends to wander, taking the easy way out of troubled waters when fresh opportunities beckon. He is not necessarily a builder of legacies, he starts hot and ends tepidly, although having taken an 18-month hiatus from the game, the 43-year-old now has a chance to compose something special, afresh, in SW6.
The Portuguese tactician’s career in the dugout’s staggered, with tenures reaching immeasurable heights of excitement to gloomy depths of despair but fear not, this sharply-cladded coach has a certain man by his side that understands precisely how our expectant club ticks, a sweetener in the Silva deal that goes by the fabled name of Luis Boa Morte Pereira.
A fellow countryman of Silva’s, Boa Morte will enhance the Iberian spice that Silva will generously marinade our stale identity with, however I imagine the former juggernaut of an attacking midfielder will also seek to temper his partner’s systematics in an advisory manner that prompts intelligence, method and sporadic lunacy, befittingly.
Hearts thumped frantically during his six-and-a-half year stay, his impulsiveness had backsides perched on the edge seats whenever his influence took centre stage at the Cottage, and beyond, and while he may only be our new head honcho’s presumed second in command, Silva will soon know what it really means to lead our misguided club into battle.
Of course, Silva and Boa are no strangers to one another’s coaching styles. Indeed, they temporarily conducted operations at Everton in 2019, although when we, a fan base starved of congruence, are clamouring for wholesale changes, this is the perfect tonic to soothe our collective angst, and it’s a very astute decision from the Khans, Shahid and Tony, to employ a competent purveyor of practice with a partner that simply gets what we are all about.
Boa’s personal first-team managerial resume may be limited – he’s only taken charge of one senior outfit, Sport União Sintrense, of Portugal’s third division, back in 2017 – although he is familiar to the customary routine training field rigours, as a respected figure of authority, and that is precisely how it was during his playing days. It’s a fair reflection, having Boa back at Motspur Park, permanently, will feel like a brand new, bank-breaking signing to the entire camp and that has to be embraced and appreciated.
He’s taken charge of Sporting CP’s youth ranks, he’s overseen operations at Portimonense SC’s U23s, he assisted Marco Balbul’s Maccabi Haifa, briefly, in 2019, and he was also a scout at Arsenal between July 2015 and January 2017. If anything, Luis’ background experience bodes very well for our aspiring starlets, as he will recognise progression and ability within the likes of Fabio Carvalho, Jay Stansfield and Sylvester Jasper, among other promising students, naturally.
A wiggler of hips, a friend of the exhilarating, a breaker of ankles, a dismantler of opposing XIs, Luis will insight a resurgence within Fulham’s forlorn playmakers, he will ignite the very fuse dampened by Scott Parker’s obstructive blueprints and more importantly, he will reintroduce a vital feel-good factor that’s been left to fester in the cold for far too long.
Yes, Silva certainly has a point to prove and doubters will regurgitate various mishaps and misfortunes of his previous ventures, but with his trusted compatriot by his side, daubed a legend by the supporters, the former Hull City, Watford and Toffees representative will surely steer the Whites towards the Premier League once more, because Boa lived and breathed that particular stage so radiantly.
Defining promotion against Huddersfield Town, terrorising that lot up the road with scandalous sorcery, Luis from Lisboa captured our imaginations, inspired a generation (of which I personally belong), and left the banks of the Thames in January, 2007, with our eternal love and gratitude. Now, 15-or-so-years later, he returns on a strict mission, motivated to stamp his influence, a second coming that’s both divine and wholly essential. He boasts an affinity for the club and its following, and the sentiment’s mutually shared.
Ola, Marco! Bem Vindo de Volta, Luis! Excuse the risky translations, blame it on Google, football’s coming home, so is the Dead Snake, come on you shaggin’ Whites!
