Luís Castro admits that his professional future “will hardly pass through Portugal”
Coaching Al Duhail, from Qatar, he was satisfied with the decision to leave Portugal and admitted that he did not foresee a “reversal” in his career.
“Things happen so suddenly. But I don’t see a reversal in my career right now. When we go abroad, then we want to enjoy as much of the experience as possible, so when we return, we return with a feeling of accomplishment. It’s hard to leave, but it’s a day when we promise them that we have to return with our mission accomplished. I have to complete this mission before I return. It’s about gaining as many titles and experiences as possible,” he said.
Luís Castro, who today gave a class on “The Role of the Football Coach in Different Professional Contexts”, as part of his Master’s Degree in Sports Training in Football, at Universidade Lusófona do Porto, was very satisfied with his experience in Qatar, “ a country that is all about football”.
“It’s a country facing the World Cup. You live every day, because you see the stadiums all around us. Within a radius of 20 kilometers, there are six stadiums, and then if we extend it for another 70 kilometers, two more appear. There are meter networks to be built for links between stadiums. The whole city is turned to football. Therefore, Qatar lives the game a lot, a modality”, said the Portuguese.
The coach recalled that he went from “a country with temperatures of -20 to one of 50 degrees”. “It’s a different country, with a different culture, a country where people are very good and accept our knowledge. The coach is respected. I’m really enjoying it. At this stage of my career I tried to win titles, I try to play for them in an effective way and I’m just as I’d like to be”, he said.
About what can be expected for Mundial2022, Luís Castro ‘painted’ the best of scenarios.
“They will find paradise. Lawns are authentic mats, stadiums are being built and we are not playing there. They designated four stadiums and there are teams that play after others. I’m used to the pitches in Portugal and Ukraine, those are authentic rugs. As weather conditions of humidity and temperature are ideal. In stadiums, we can have 40 degrees to play at 19 or 20 degrees because it has air conditioning. It’s going to be the best Worlds so far”, he guaranteed.
The coach also took the opportunity to talk about the Portuguese championship, admitting that it is “very good and very balanced”.
“Last year, they were waiting for Sporting to fall and now they look at it thinking: ‘will it lose?’ This year there is more certainty. the reuben [Amorim] did a fantastic job. FC Porto is continuing what it has been doing and Benfica, despite having fluctuated a little, remains glued and remains open in the Champions League”, he concluded.