Estrela and Farense sack coaches after poor start to Primeira Liga
The weekend results in Portugal’s top flight proved the last straw for the boards of Estrela da Amadora and Farense, who decided to sack their respective head coaches Filipe Martins and José Mota.
The two clubs currently occupy the last two positions in the Liga Portugal and are the only teams yet to win this campaign after six matches of the 2024/25 season.
High hopes dashed
Expectations at Estrela were high after a number of high-profile signings in the summer, not least former Seleçao star Nani, who returned to Portugal to play for his hometown club. Two other former Sporting playes Alan Ruiz and Jovane Cabral were also contracted – something of a coup given the stature of the club from the Lisbon suburbs.
But Filipe Martins, who did such an impressive job at another Lisbon minnow, Casa Pia, failed to get the best out of the talented new recruits. Rumours of an uneasy relationship with the board going back to the summer did not help the situation, and the 1-0 defeat against Santa Clara in the Azores on Saturday proved his last game in charge.
Estrela have not named Martins’ successor as of yet, but former Estoril manager Vasco Seabra is believed to be well placed.
Related: The Long Ball Futebol Podcast – Lage takes over at Benfica and two managers sacked
Nightmare start
Six defeats out of six and a horrendous goal difference of -11 made the dismissal of veteran coach José Mota by Farense inevitable. Even the continuing superb form of goalkeeper Ricardo Velho could not prevent the losing run. The 1-0 defeat at home to Arouca led to the axe falling on the 60-year-old manager.
Nevertheless, Mota may feel hard-done by given the fact he led the Algarve outfit to a highly respectable 10th-place finish last season, and then had to contend with the departure of most of his best players, notably the talented trio of Mohamed Beloumi, Bruno Duarte and Mattheus Oliveira.
Farense have wasted no time in appointing Mota’s successor, with former Gil Vicente and Tondela coach Tozé Marreco handed the controls at the Estádio de São Luís.
The double dismissal brings the total number of managers sacked up to three just two months into the season following Roger Schmidt’s exit from Benfica in August.
By Tom Kundert