How Luis Castro plans to revive one of Brazils most famous clubs

Luis Castro sits, with his assistant Vitor Severino, in the office of the Pestana Hotel on Chelsea Bridge, clad in a Botafogo tracksuit, as he prepares his team for a friendly first with Charlton Athletic, and later with Crystal Palace.

There is a queue in the hotel lobby for his attention as he spends 10 minutes talking to supporters, signing autographs and posing for photographs. Even if he is a manager with self-confidence, experience, and also ambition, there is no sign of arrogance.

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That might be unexpected, given he coached Porto in the Europa League quarter-finals, made the tournament’s semi-finals with Shakhtar Donetsk, twice defeating Spanish giants Real Madrid, and also in that brief spell as interim head coach at Porto, which he describes as “amazing”, faced Manchester City in the Champions League.

With almost 10 years at Porto, two years at Shakhtar, a year in Qatar and now with one of Brazil’s most historic clubs Botafogo, Castro can call upon plenty of experience. He was appointed by the Brazilian side in March to steady the club upon its return to the top division. 

On Thursday, his side faced Charlton at the Palace academy training ground and on Saturday they visit Selhurst Park for the first time. If that might seem a peculiar matching during this enforced Premier League break due to the World Cup, then the link is John Textor. The American businessman owns a 90 per cent stake in the Brazilian club, and is also one of the four owners of Palace.

Textor, he tells The Athletic, “wants the club to get to a higher level and become a giant again. I was very happy to be associated with that and to make the decision”.

But Castro’s journey to Brazilian football, of which he has been a passionate observer since childhood, has taken time. A playing career entirely spent in Portugal gave way to management in 1998, but he has seldom spent longer than two years in charge of any single club. In 2006, he left Penafiel, moving to Porto’s academy and then their B team, where he enjoyed success.

That spell in charge of the Portuguese giants afforded him an opportunity once again as a manager. The sacking of Paulo Fonseca in March 2014 led Castro to take interim charge of the senior team. But despite a win record of 56 per cent from 16 games, it was not made permanent.

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Does he feel any disappointment over that decision, though?

“I didn’t even think about that,” says the 61-year-old, with his assistant acting as an interpreter. “I look at it in a realistic way. This was a flash in my life. I didn’t even feel like the head coach of Porto.”

But he insists he only takes “good memories” away from the experience, after which he resumed duties in charge of the club’s second string. “Some of the players I had are now at the World Cup. It was a good squad. I served the club for 10 years and I have a good relationship with these players.”

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The sense is that Castro is someone who is eager to move on sooner rather than later. To make the most of experiences while he is there, and enjoy success, but not someone to stay in one place for too long. There had, supposedly, been interest in him from Scotland with Rangers, and within Brazil from Corinthians and Flamengo.

He is non-committal when discussing those rumours, the absence of a denial not telling but suggestive. His focus, he insists, remains with Botafogo, at least until his contract expires in a year’s time. So what of the rumours?

“It’s normal sometimes,” he says. “I was with Porto’s youth academy for seven years and coached in the Champions League, Europa League. We won titles in Europe, and in Asia (with Al-Duhail in Qatar). With Botafogo, we had a very interesting season for the first year of the project, so it’s normal that my name is associated with other clubs. But I am very focused on my commitment with John Textor and Botafogo, that’s it.

“But I don’t think I will be a coach who spends a lot of time at clubs. I will develop myself, I have a big range of objectives to achieve. I want to work in other regions of the world so it’s normal I am in a rush — because of my age as well — but with a professional conscience.”

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The club’s supporters are fanatical, and more than 1,000 will be present at Selhurst Park for Saturday’s match. They make themselves known on social media, have high expectations of their club, and dream of returning to its former glory. By the time of the 2014 World Cup, no club had contributed more players to the Brazil team for the tournament, and a year later they had racked up the highest total of participants in the national team’s history.

They compete in the top flight after being crowned second division champions in 2021, with Castro appointed in March, at the end of the campaign. Last term, his first season in charge, they finished 11th in Serie A.

Pressure has accompanied him throughout his tenure. Firstly in trying to establish a squad capable of competing at the highest level in five weeks, with only three players having featured in the top division, and subsequently in stabilising the club.

That did not come without its challenges. Not all supporters are behind him, even if they appreciate his knowledge of the club’s history. On the pitch, results have occasionally underwhelmed but Textor has always backed his manager. “Every time I speak with him, I feel his enthusiasm,” says Castro. “I know this process and project will be successful.”

Where to go next on The Athletic…

Textor’s investment had allowed for an overhaul of the club’s backroom staff and playing squad. “He told me I was his partner,” Castro says. “Now I have the opportunity to say the same thing, that he is my partner in this process.”

Castro demonstrates an awareness that things move quickly, particularly in football, and with it brings further pressure. “We live in a society of rush. Everyone wants everything ready immediately. We need to rush as well.” He realises that, in time, the club must “challenge regularly for the title” but believes it is achievable.

In doing so, they may look to a young talent in Matheus Nascimento. The 18-year-old striker has reportedly attracted admiring looks from some of Europe’s most successful clubs, including Real Madrid.

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“He has an amazing relationship with the ball, is technically very good, tactically he understands the game well, the spaces, physically and psychologically he is developing,” the manager explains. “He has very good qualities and will be a very good player.”

The Brazil Under-20 international has not travelled to London due to an injury, but it may not be before too long that he is facing Premier League opposition. Castro acknowledges the reality that holding onto him will be a challenge, believing he can establish himself in his national team’s senior setup in time. 

Castro’s side have trained over the last week at Palace’s £20million academy. Castro is impressed by the facility, and by Palace’s manager Patrick Vieira. “He has experience in international football, and works well with young players. Now he is revealing himself as a good coach. They have a good attacking dynamic without losing defensive balance and we know we will have a difficult task, even in a friendly.”

An exhibition match may not present a platform upon which he can boost his reputation, but it is clear Castro is a man in a hurry. Saturday’s friendly in south London may not be the last time his path crosses with English football.

(Top photo: Alexandre Schneider/Getty Images)

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