Private conversation on Facebook in which the mayor criticizes the coach, accusing him of lack of fair play, was made public and provoked many reactions. Cheerleader came out in defense of Sérgio Conceição, as well as many other fans, through social networks. Exclusively to O JOGO, the mayor explains the reasons for the criticism he made of the coach.
Rui Moreira criticized Sérgio Conceição, whom he called a « failure » in a conversation on Facebook, which was made public yesterday and ended up being targeted by several Porto players on social networks, with Fernando Madureira, leader of the Super Dragões returning the criticism ( » Failed is the mayor, accused in a corruption case ») and defending the blue and white coach.
But let’s start with Rui Moreira’s statements. « Now we’ll have Mini (Francisco Conceição). Who left saying bad things for free. And SC (Sérgio Conceição) back to making scenes on the bench. And everything is still blind. They blame SAD, the players, the referees, the VAR, even the ball pick-up, the opponents’ anti-game… No one sees the obvious. We have a failed coach. Let’s thank the past and « bye » that it’s late. Because with him we won’t go there. And there’s no fair play « , wrote the mayor of Porto on Sunday, shortly after the draw with Arouca.
Contacted by O JOGO, Rui Moreira reiterated what he wrote and explained his reasons. « It wasn’t a publication, but a conversation in a private Facebook group, which someone sent out, in which they were attacking SAD. SAD is slaughtered when it goes wrong and when it wins, it’s Sergio’s merit. I like a coach who he knows how to win, he knows how to draw and he knows how to lose. But he doesn’t contribute to the good name of the club, he lacks fair play. It’s not worth hiding, what happened in the Super Cup went around the world. Members and fans have the obligation, even statutory, to dignify the club and the emblem. What he did does not dignify, as well as refusing to wear the coach’s armband or the successive expulsions », said the mayor of Porto, recalling that last year, when there was an attack to the trainer’s family in Dragão, he was « the first to raise his voice to ask that the administration take a firm position in his defense ».
For this reason, he underlines, he has « professional respect » for Sérgio Conceição, but considers that he is « not good for the club ». « I am entitled to my opinion and I will always give it because I am independent. There is a clear problem with the team that cannot be permanently endorsed to third parties, to SAD or the commission agents or the players who are no good. But they are no better than those in Rio Ave, Farense or Arouca? Blaming SAD’s hiring policy is deceiving ourselves. Who wanted David Carmo? », he asks.
Regarding the publication of Fernando Madureira, the mayor recalled that he is not accused in any case of corruption. Also accused of, as a member of the Superior Council, not being present at the meetings of the club’s advisory body, Rui Moreira defended himself. « The Chairman of the GM Board (Lourenço Pinto) is the one who calls the meetings of the Superior Council and knowing that I have a very busy agenda, he does not bother to articulate them with me, he just sends the notice, often close to the date, and at that point I already have other commitments. Since I was the head of the list, it would be normal to have a desire to articulate. On the other hand, the only time that, in writing, I requested the appointment of a meeting, without specifying the date, it did not consider it convenient to do so It’s your right, but you could have done it », he explained.