Manuel José Marques Pires, better known as Manuel Balela (21 October 1956) is a Portuguese football coach.
Career
Born in
Faro, Manuel Balela has only known one shirt throughout his career as a football player; the shirt of the club of his hometown,
SC Farense
Sporting Clube Farense, simply known as Farense, is a Portuguese professional association football, football club based in Faro, Portugal, Faro in the Faro District, district of the same name and the region of Algarve. Founded in 1910, the club wi ...
. Actually, having completed all his training, from youth to juniors, in the club of the capital of the
Algarve
The Algarve (, , ; from ) is the southernmost NUTS II region of continental Portugal. It has an area of with 467,495 permanent inhabitants and incorporates 16 municipalities ( ''concelhos'' or ''municípios'' in Portuguese).
The region has it ...
, Manuel Balela has continued to wear, exclusively, the "shirt" of
SC Farense
Sporting Clube Farense, simply known as Farense, is a Portuguese professional association football, football club based in Faro, Portugal, Faro in the Faro District, district of the same name and the region of Algarve. Founded in 1910, the club wi ...
throughout 8 consecutive seasons.
Coaching career
Having finished his soccer career, as a player, Manuel Balela then passed on to occupy the position of assistant coach for the club, having immediately helped
SC Farense
Sporting Clube Farense, simply known as Farense, is a Portuguese professional association football, football club based in Faro, Portugal, Faro in the Faro District, district of the same name and the region of Algarve. Founded in 1910, the club wi ...
in obtaining the title of Champion of the 2nd Division, and its corresponding rise to the National 1st Division, in the 19985/19986 soccer season.
During the season of 1989/1990, Manuel Balela managed to obtain a unique achievement within
SC Farense
Sporting Clube Farense, simply known as Farense, is a Portuguese professional association football, football club based in Faro, Portugal, Faro in the Faro District, district of the same name and the region of Algarve. Founded in 1910, the club wi ...
history by leading an absolutely unforgettable campaign for the city of Faro and the Algarve region.
SC Farense
Sporting Clube Farense, simply known as Farense, is a Portuguese professional association football, football club based in Faro, Portugal, Faro in the Faro District, district of the same name and the region of Algarve. Founded in 1910, the club wi ...
makes it to the Final of the
Portugal Cup Taça de Portugal, much to the complete jubilation of thousands of Farense and Algarvian fans, who had travelled twice, to watch them play at the National Stadium Estádio Nacional.
In virtue of his contribution to such a memorable campaign, Manuel Balela was distinguished with a medal of merit, presented by the civil government of Faro.
Balela has his first experience as head coach responsible for the Algarve Team Selection.
From the moment he began his career as head coach, Manuel Balela started to put into practice all the teachings he had assimilated throughout his professional experience as a football player and assistant coach, having prepared himself technically at the highest level and obtaining the
Coach Training Course at Level 4 and following on to become, since 1993, Resident Trainer of the
Algarve Football Association
The Associação de Futebol do Algarve ''(Algarve Football Association)'' is one of the 22 District Football Associations that are affiliated to the Portuguese Football Federation. The AF Algarve administers lower tier football in the district ...
- Associação de Futebol do Algarve.
As Head Coach, Manuel Balela trained soccer clubs such as
Louletano
Louletano Desportos Clube is a Portugal, Portuguese club from Loulé, founded on 6 June 1923. The association football team currently play in the Campeonato Nacional de Seniores (Portuguese fourth level), H series.
The club plays at the Estádio ...
,
Wydad Casablanca
Wydad Athletic Club ( ar, نادي الوداد الرياضي, ) commonly referred to as Wydad AC and known as Wydad, or simply as WAC, is a Moroccan sports club based in Casablanca. Wydad AC is best known for its professional football team that ...
,
Kawkab Marrakech
Kawkab Athlétique Club of Marrakech ( ar, الكوكب المراكشي; KACM) is a Moroccan professional football club based in Marrakech. The club was founded on 20 September 1947 by Hadj Idriss Talbi.
Honours
* Moroccan League First Divisio ...
(whom he managed to crown Champions of the African Confederations Football Cup (CAF)),
SC Olhanense
Sporting Clube Olhanense () is a Portuguese sports club from Olhão, Algarve.
Its football team was founded on 27 April 1912 and currently plays in the Campeonato de Portugal, the fourth tier of Portuguese football. It holds home matches at the ...
,
União da Madeira União is the Portuguese word for Union. It may refer to:
*the Brazilian federal government
*União do Vegetal, a church known for its usage of Hoasca as tea
* Brazilian frigate ''União'' (F45), a general-purpose ''Niterói'' class frigate launc ...
and
SC Farense
Sporting Clube Farense, simply known as Farense, is a Portuguese professional association football, football club based in Faro, Portugal, Faro in the Faro District, district of the same name and the region of Algarve. Founded in 1910, the club wi ...
.
In the season 2009–2010, Manuel Balela was invited to train the
Dong Tam Long An FC, a Vietnamese club, and has fulfilled absolutely in all the objectives which were asked of him.
Manuel Balela was distinguished in 2003 by the National Coaching Association (Associação Nacional de Treinadores), with the coveted "Candido de Oliveira" prize, and distinguished yet again in 2009 by the same Association with the "José Maria Pedroto" prize.
Accomplishments
• Champion of the African Confederations Football Cup, won by
Kawkab Marrakech
Kawkab Athlétique Club of Marrakech ( ar, الكوكب المراكشي; KACM) is a Moroccan professional football club based in Marrakech. The club was founded on 20 September 1947 by Hadj Idriss Talbi.
Honours
* Moroccan League First Divisio ...
football team
• Two climbs to the 1st Division with
SC Farense
Sporting Clube Farense, simply known as Farense, is a Portuguese professional association football, football club based in Faro, Portugal, Faro in the Faro District, district of the same name and the region of Algarve. Founded in 1910, the club wi ...
football team
• Climb to the Honorary League with
União de Madeira football team
• Climb to the Moroccan First Division league with
Kawkab Marrakech
Kawkab Athlétique Club of Marrakech ( ar, الكوكب المراكشي; KACM) is a Moroccan professional football club based in Marrakech. The club was founded on 20 September 1947 by Hadj Idriss Talbi.
Honours
* Moroccan League First Divisio ...
football team
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Balela, Manuel
1956 births
Living people
Footballers from Faro, Portugal
S.C. Farense managers
Portuguese football managers