The guest for our 12th edition is João Lucas, a player for Santa Clara: besides being a huge fan – and a bit of a cheater… (laughs) – of Football Manager, he's also a success story and a childhood dream that, thanks to all the dedication he's always put in at every club he's played for, ended up coming true!
Having spent his entire youth career at Sporting, Corroios, Belenenses and finished his last year as an Under-19 at Benfica, it was at Sport Benfica e Castelo Branco (Campeonato de Portugal) that he took his first steps alongside the senior squad. And it couldn't have gone better! An undisputed starter with standout performances, which got him an immediate jump to professional level in the 2nd season: Leixões where he spent two seasons, also as a regular starter.
In the 2018/2019 season he achieved what he'd long dreamed of: he reached the Primeira Liga by signing for Santa Clara where he remains a regular for the Azorean side.
Join us in this conversation!
FMPortugal.net: How did this passion of yours for CM/FM come about? What's your fondest memory from when you first got 'hooked'?
João Lucas: I've always really liked football, not just playing it but also the part most people don't know about: preparing for matches, managing player fatigue, the strategy for each game depending on the opponent, etc. And FM focuses exactly on that! Not just picking the starting eleven and signing the best players in the world, but also discovering new talent, building a playing model, choosing squad dynamics, running the club, etc. I remember playing before going to sleep and always thinking 'just one more match and I'll rest', but it ended up being more than one and hours would go by. (laughs)
FMPortugal.net: What was your reaction when you saw yourself included in the game's official database? Did you start signing yourself for every team you managed, or did you let your player 'fly free'?
João Lucas: It was a source of pride, because I always wanted to have my player in the big football video games. Whenever I managed a club I'd always sign my 'player' first and make him captain, corner-taker, free-kick and penalty taker — the only thing I didn't have him do was goal kicks (I left that to the goalkeeper)! (laughs)
FMPortugal.net: Quando iniciavas um save, a tua intenção inicial era crescer no seio do clube até te tornares um Sir Alex Ferguson ou tornavas-te um globetrotter?
João Lucas: I like joining a club and only leaving once I've reached the top, that is, winning everything there was to win, and then moving to another and doing the same! So I end up becoming a globetrotter!
FMPortugal.net: Relativamente à forma como estás retratado no FM, o que alterarias para melhor e… pior? Nós poderemos pensar no assunto… (risos)
João Lucas: Overall it all looks great to me (well done!), although I might raise the long shots and positioning ratings a bit…. Here's an open invitation for the FM research team to come to Ponta Delgada and watch training, to change their minds! (laughs)
FMPortugal.net: Have you ever won everything there was to win with a team? What's your greatest achievement and which club did you do it with?
João Lucas: The one I'd highlight most was at Sport Benfica e Castelo Branco, I won the Taça de Portugal, and a few seasons later I managed to reach the Primeira Liga. With the big clubs it was always easier to win leagues and cups, so this was the achievement that gave me the most satisfaction!
FMPortugal.net: Confess: do you usually restart when 'that' final or 'that' vital match goes badly for you, or do you face the board and fans after the setback and try to win them back with new results?
João Lucas: That's something I used to do regularly, especially in Cup or Champions League finals. It's always so hard to get there that I had to win one way or another! (laughs)
FMPortugal.net: : Lastly, setting 'virtual reality' aside for a moment, you've worked your way up 'the hard way': Sport Benfica e Castelo Branco (CP), Leixões (Segunda Liga), and currently at Santa Clara (Primeira Liga). What are the main competitive differences you've felt between the three Portuguese divisions you've played in?
João Lucas: The main differences are that players are smarter, think and execute faster, and make fewer mistakes, so it's these small details that make the difference at professional level. That said, I'd stress (impartially) that there's a lot of quality in Portugal's lower divisions, so clubs just need to pay attention and give these players opportunities to get good short/medium-term value at low cost.
Quick Questions:
First edition you played?
2013
Favourite edition?
2015
Favourite league to play in?
Premier League
Favourite team to play as?
Belenenses
Opposing team that always gave you headaches?
Benfica
João Lucas is an example for any young player currently finishing their youth training or playing in the Campeonato de Portugal: just like João made it, with dedication and focus you too can reach the professional level!
Thank you very much for your time and great kindness in giving us this interview, letting us get to know a bit more about you and this addiction of yours to Football Manager. Wishing you a great 2019/2020 season, and we hope to see you flying even higher next year!
Fiquem com alguns dos seus melhores momentos enquanto estava ao serviço do Leixões in the 2016/2017 Season:
https://player.vimeo.com/video/213717580
