Building the future

When I look back at my start as a coach, I realise how lucky I was to have done it in British football.

At that time, I was not under pressure to get immediate results. My mission was to build a playing philosophy. I had all the roles of a British manager: to plan the vision for the next three or four transfer windows, to invest in young players with great potential, and to have the time to work with them.

From then until now, I have kept that approach, making decisions with a forward-thinking perspective as if I am going to be at the club or the national team for the next 50 years. That is the only way I know how to do it.

Results and the nature of the job may not give you the stability you want, but it is very important for a coach to make decisions with the future in mind. That is how I see it – the British managerial culture, which I have been passionate about from day one.

My start as a manager, at Swansea City in February 2007, was totally like that – trying to build a game philosophy. I drew a lot on my personal experiences in the UK, and all my experiences, to be the best coach I could be.

I had left Spain when I was 21 to play in the lower leagues in the UK. Now it is seen as something normal for a Spanish player to make that decision, but back then – I am talking about 1995 – it was a very big football culture shock. That helped me indirectly to prepare myself to be a coach and, in a way, to try to get to know all the people who make up a dressing room, fighting for a common good.

It was the basis of what I wanted to do when I came to Swansea, a club with a powerful history. In the 1980s, John Toshack had built a team that rose from England’s fourth tier to the top flight, with players of great quality and individual talent, like Alan Curtis and Leighton James. As a manager, I wanted to use all the historical weight of a club that didn’t have as big a budget as Nottingham Forest or Leeds, who were in the same division. They might have had more money, but we wanted to be richer in football ideas and be revolutionary in that way.

“I had always believed that the bigger the dream, the better we could grow together”

We were always thinking about the team we could become, rather than simply trying to win on the next Saturday. The chairman, Huw Jenkins, gave me great support to be able to build this idea, and a club that continued to develop very successfully afterwards. The Swansea fans also understood very well the philosophy that we were building.

In 2009, the chairman of Wigan Athletic, Dave Whelan, wanted me to become the manager of his club. I had a great relationship with him, and Wigan was a homecoming for me. It was the club I had joined as a 21-year-old player in 1995. Together with two Spanish teammates – Jesús Seba and Isidro Díaz – we became known as ‘The Three Amigos’. I was lucky, because meeting them gave me not only great relationships on a football level, but also with my personal growth.

As manager at Wigan, I followed the same idea of building for the future of the club. Wigan’s aim had always been to stay up, but we wanted to change the dynamic – to go head-to-head and try to beat the big forces in English football. It was important to me that everyone pulled in the same direction within the club, without fear of not living up to expectations.

I had always believed that the bigger the dream, the better we could grow together. That is why I said in my presentation for the role that the goal was to qualify for European competition for the first time in the club’s history.

Was it risky? Not for me. I felt strongly supported by the chairman and the board of directors. Also, at that time the club had already been in the Premier League for four years and had a new stadium. So there were very few things that could make us grow – but one of them would be playing in Europe.

To achieve that, our challenge was to compete against the best teams in the Premier League. It was that mentality that took us to the FA Cup final in 2013, my fourth year as Wigan manager.

“It was tough, but I will keep with me forever the experience of feeling the love and support of all the Wigan fans”

It’s funny, because I remember that moment with a lot of different emotions and stories. It was a very significant moment, because it was the first time that Wigan had reached the FA Cup final. It would be an incredible memory for all the fans and people who were there.

The FA Cup final has almost always been the last game of the season in English football. In 2013, however, that was not the case, because the Champions League final was being played at Wembley, too. That meant that the FA Cup final was played two games before the end of the league season. And our last two games were ones in which we were playing to stay in the Premier League.

At Wigan, we were a team that needed to fight for every possible point from every game to achieve our objective of staying up. That is what we had done in the previous three seasons. In 2013, the truth is that we put a lot of energy and effort into that FA Cup final to beat Manchester City 1-0. It was the first trophy in the club’s history – a moment of satisfaction and pride.

But three days later, we were relegated from the Premier League after losing 4-1 at Arsenal. In just 72 hours, we went from winning the first major trophy in the club’s history to relegation.

That contrast describes very well the journey not only of a manager, but also of players and teams. You can go from a high to a low in a matter of days.

It was tough, but I will keep with me forever the experience of feeling the love and support of all the Wigan fans who, after relegation, wanted to celebrate to the maximum the achievement of that first major trophy. And it was a trophy that had been won at Wembley, against the reigning champions of England that season, Manchester City.

“Those 72 hours between winning the FA Cup and relegation were the ultimate learning moment”

That is why I remember that moment with different stories that describe the resilience you need in football. Everything in this sport is a struggle for unforgettable moments. They are situations that allow you to learn a lot and give you valuable experience.

In football, especially among coaches, there is a lot of talk about experience. But what is experience, really? For me, it is about living unique situations that prepare you for what might happen in the future. Those 72 hours between winning the FA Cup and relegation were the ultimate learning moment.

I had always had a very close relationship with Dave Whelan. The day I became manager of the club, he said to me: “Whatever happens, you are going to be in charge for four years.” And we both kept our word, because during that time I had the opportunity to sign for Liverpool and Celtic, but my agreement with the chairman was above all else.

So when I made the decision to go in a different direction, it was not an impulsive one. I felt that my time at Wigan was over after fulfilling the objective we had set ourselves on day one: to build a project. Winning the FA Cup confirmed that this four-year period was exactly what the chairman had planned from the start, and we agreed on this.

All stages of life have an ending. When they are over, there is a sense of sadness, especially when you have lived them intensely and enjoyed them to the full. But it was the right time for Wigan and for me.

I am convinced that the best decisions are made from the heart. Feelings arise, and make you understand that you are taking the right path. That is what happened when I went to Everton in 2013, after my time at Wigan.

“I felt that if the opportunity ever arose to go to Everton, I had to grab it with both hands”

A year earlier, with Wigan, we had faced Everton in the quarter finals of the FA Cup at Goodison Park. For Everton, playing at home against a team like Wigan was seen as a great opportunity to get through. We managed a resounding victory, however, with total control of the match and a 3-0 scoreline. The reaction of the Everton fans towards their team, despite that result, left me with a very special feeling.

From that moment on, little by little, a passion grew in me. I felt that if the opportunity ever arose to go to Everton, I had to grab it with both hands. And so it happened. From the moment I arrived, the connection with the club, the fans and the chairman was very natural and strong.

I remember my time at Everton with great satisfaction. Firstly, because it is a club with high standards. Over three seasons we achieved a lot. In the first season, we reached 72 points – the highest Premier League points tally in the club’s history, and an achievement that reflects the consistency and daily work of the team.

From then on, expectations went through the roof. We didn’t get into the Champions League, but we did qualify for the Europa League and had some very special moments, such as beating Manchester United at home and away. That hadn’t happened since the 1960s, when Harry Catterick was manager. We also achieved a 3-0 win against Arsenal at home and had memorable experiences in European competitions.

I always thought Everton should fight for trophies, but the last time the club had won was the FA Cup in 1995. We reached two semi finals in 2016, in the League Cup and the FA Cup. In the League Cup we lost the second leg to Manchester City 3-1 after winning 2-1 at home, and in the FA Cup we lost 2-1 at Wembley to Manchester United.

Despite that, I have great memories of those three years at Everton. The great pity was not being able to finish the project with a trophy, because I firmly believe that Everton and their fans deserved it.

“Belgium had the ‘Golden Generation’. For me it was essential to protect the legacy of these players, even after their retirement”

Then came the big change for me.

It is natural that when people are offered a change or a different challenge, their initial reaction is to say no. But since I was a child, I have always had a different mentality and asked myself: “Why not?” I have always been curious about the unknown.

After seven consecutive seasons in the Premier League, taking charge of a national team was admittedly not what I expected for my career at the time. But when the opportunity arose and I realised that I could manage a national team at a World Cup, it was a compelling opportunity. Ever since I was a child, my football memories have been linked to watching World Cups on television, especially those of 1978 and 1982. My passion for football was born out of those moments.

The biggest change in my time as Belgium coach was internal. I found myself in a personal struggle as I realised that being a club coach and a national team coach are two completely different jobs. I learned to accept that even if I didn’t have daily contact with the players, I could still follow their development, watch their games, maintain communication and build a strong relationship with the national team.

Belgium had the ‘Golden Generation’. For me, it was essential to protect the legacy of these players, even after their retirement. That is why we promoted a programme to enable them to obtain coaching licences.

We managed to get 21 players to complete their development as coaches, which allows them to continue to make an impact from the bench when they leave professional football. Examples include Thomas Vermaelen, who joined the national team’s coaching staff, as well as Steven Defour and Sébastien Pocognoli, among others.

“It was a feeling rather than a rational decision that led me to accept the challenge of coaching Portugal”

What was initially a two-year project with Belgium – with the aim of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup in Russia – turned into almost seven years, in which we played in two World Cups, Nations League finals and a European Championship, as well as occupying the top position in the FIFA ranking for four years. These are things that are not always planned, but they happened because the project kept growing.

After finishing third at the World Cup in Russia, I was offered the chance to combine my job as coach with that of sports director of the Belgian federation. Thanks to the money we received from FIFA for our third place in the World Cup, we built a new sporting city. My commitment, as always, was to help build the Belgium of the future.

When my cycle in Belgium came to an end, I had time to reflect on my next step. I was not planning to continue in international football, but again it was a feeling that led me to accept the challenge of coaching Portugal’s national team.

Portugal offered me the chance to apply the experience I had gained in seven years with Belgium, as well as my career as a Premier League manager. The national team had four generations of iconic players, combined with talented and hungry youngsters. That mix has always appealed to me; I felt I couldn’t turn down the challenge.

Over the years, I have learned to assess players on three key aspects: their individual talent, their experience and their attitude/commitment. When I talk about a player like Cristiano Ronaldo, I also evaluate him on these three key aspects. His talent is indisputable; he is one of the best in the history of football. His experience is also unique, as the only player to have played six European Championships and more than 200 international matches.

“The big dream with Portugal is to win the only trophy this team is missing – the World Cup”

But the most remarkable thing is his commitment. His passion for representing Portugal is contagious, and motivates the whole team. Today, he is not in the team for what he has been, but for what he still is – the top scorer, with 17 goals in the 21 games we have played in two years.

The big dream with Portugal is to win the only trophy this team is missing – the World Cup. It is not a question of avoiding pressure, but of taking it on with ambition. We want to find the balance between immediate success and building a project with a vision for the future.

But to get to a World Cup, there are many steps. We are in the quarter finals of the Nations League and we achieved a historic qualification of 10 wins in 10 games towards Euro 2024. We reached the quarter finals of the European Championship and lost on penalties to France. In short, we continue with a process that is preparing the team in the best way to reach the 2026 World Cup.

It is a path with many steps, and I am very happy with the commitment and attitude of the players and the good atmosphere within the national team. Now we are growing and getting better from the experiences we are enjoying.