Folha Seca

O convidado do nonagésimo sexto episódio é Pedro Ferreira, technical director do Nottingham Forest e, entre outros cargos, ex-director de scouting do Benfica. Ao longo da conversa, Pedro aprofunda a reestruturação da captação no futebol de formação do Benfica, a articulação entre o modelo de jogo dos escalões jovens e a equipa principal e a complementaridade entre a observação ao vivo e por vídeo. Entre outros temas, Pedro aborda a avaliação da força mental dos jogadores, a gestão das equipas-sombra, os limites em que o excesso de minúcia na análise dos jogadores pode ser contraproducente, além do impacto das regras GBE e PSR na Premier League, da relevância do departamento de player care e da simbiose entre o scouting, o uso de dados e o networking no mercado.

El nonagésimo quinto capítulo de Folha Seca cuenta con Carlos Aviña, technical director del Mónaco y ex technical director del Cercle Brugge, además de ex director de desarrollo y reclutamiento, entre otros cargos, del Club América. En la charla, Carlos detalla la reestructuración de inteligencia deportiva en América con sus cinco subdepartamentos, analiza la liga belga como puerta de entrada al fútbol europeo por su menor presión exterior. Asimismo, explica la metodología de desarrollo individual del Cercle, la necesidad de replicar microciclos del Mónaco y el valor de principios innegociables (presión alta, intensidad y transiciones rápidas) con cierta flexibilidad táctica. Entre otros temas, profundiza en la gestión del vestuario y el desafío mutuo con el cuerpo técnico, aborda una red de reclutamiento compartida para clubes con distintas exigencias, resalta la adaptación cultural del futbolista, expone el uso práctico de datos, defiende un 'player trading' sostenible y desvela las claves del éxito para el technical director del futuro.

The guest on the ninety-fourth episode is Claus Thomsen, the CEO of the Danish League. Throughout the conversation, Claus reflects on the Superliga’s evolution since 2007, detailing the structural shifts that created today’s format, explains how Denmark became a premier European talent incubator, leveraging systematic academy investments and "strategic bureaucracy" to become the ultimate bridge to the Premier League. He discusses the "Matchday Production" model, where the League took control of its own broadcast output to empower clubs and engage fans directly. From navigating the complexities of Multi-Club Ownership to implementing automated facial recognition for stadium safety, Claus emphasizes a management style rooted in transparency and collective growth. He offers a candid critique of the expanding international calendar, arguing that domestic leagues are the "backbone" of the sport that must be protected from cannibalization. By prioritizing sustainability over endless expansion, Claus provides a masterclass on how mid-sized leagues can punch above their weight in a globalized market.

The guest on the ninety-third episode is Robert Eenhoorn, the former CEO of AZ Alkmaar. A pioneer who bridged the gap between American sports analytics and European football, Robert’s transition from a New York Yankees player to a top-tier football executive is a masterclass in disruptive leadership. Throughout the conversation, he reflects on his decade-long tenure at AZ, which was a period marked by sustained organic revenue growth and a multi-fold increase in squad market value that solidified the club's financial elite status. Robert details the "do more with less" philosophy that defines AZ, explaining how the Club utilizes data as a compass to outperform giants like Ajax and PSV. He discusses his unique journey from winning the 2011 Baseball World Cup as a technical director to implementing Billy Beane’s principles in the Eredivisie. From navigating the 2019 stadium roof collapse to clinching the 2023 UEFA Youth League title, Robert emphasizes a management style rooted in objective transparency, high-stakes efficiency, and the willingness to think differently.

The guest on the ninety-second episode of Folha Seca is Jacob Lennartsson, CEO of Mjällby AIF. A true "club man" whose history with the organization began as a six-year-old ballboy, Jacob’s journey to the executive office is as remarkable as the club’s own ascent. Throughout the conversation, he reflects on Mjällby’s incredible turnaround—from the brink of bankruptcy and the fourth tier in 2016 to winning their first-ever Swedish League title in 2025. Jacob details the unique "farmers and fishermen" spirit of Hällevik, explaining how a club from a locality in which only approximately 840 people live manages to outperform giants with much larger budgets. He discusses his transition from academy coaching and communication to the role of CEO, where he emphasizes a leadership philosophy rooted in efficiency, transparency, and empowerment.

O convidado do nonagésimo primeiro episódio do Folha Seca é João Amaral, head of scouting do FC Barcelona e ex-director-técnico do Rio Ave. Ao longo da conversa, João detalha a sua evolução desde a formação do Benfica até à elite europeia, analisando como a bagagem técnica e a experiência no mundo do agenciamento de jogadores potenciaram a sua leitura de jogo e capacidade negocial, respectivamente. O convidado explica a importância vital do contacto humano e da validação pessoal no processo de recrutamento de um jogador, revelando como identifica 'red flags' no comportamento do atleta ou da sua 'entourage'. Entre vários temas, João aborda ainda a complexidade da gestão em redes de multi-clubes (os chamados 'MCOs', multi-club ownerships), a estratégia de mercado do FC Barcelona face à sua reengenharia financeira actual, o potencial do mercado africano, o uso de dados no processo de scouting e as competências essenciais para liderar a prospecção de um colosso do futebol mundial como o Barça.

O convidado do nonagésimo episódio do Folha Seca é Edu Gaspar, Global Head of Football da rede de clubes de Evangelos Marinakis. Ao longo da conversa, Edu revisita a influência de Arsène Wenger na sua visão de liderança, compara a gestão estruturada do Arsenal com a agilidade do actual modelo multi-clubes e detalha a importância vital do alinhamento estratégico entre o director-desportivo e o treinador. Edu aborda ainda a gestão de casos disciplinares mediáticos, como a saída de Aubameyang, explica como a comunicação fluida resolve crises internas e descreve o seu processo de recrutamento, que valoriza a entrevista ao atleta. Entre vários outros temas, o ex-jogador analisa o impacto da saúde mental e das redes sociais nos jogadores modernos, discute a transição de director-técnico para director-desportivo e elenca as competências essenciais, como a imparcialidade e a inovação, para ter sucesso nesta função.

The guest on this episode of Folha Seca is Lorin Parys, CEO of the Belgium Pro League and former Chief Operating Officer of Club Brugge. Throughout the conversation, Lorin reflects on his transition from club management to leading the League during a critical period marked by the fallout of a match-fixing scandal, detailing how the "Football First" plan was implemented to restore trust and financial stability. He dissects the League’s strict "Positive Equity" regulations—acting as a mandatory savings account for clubs—and explains the strategic decision to prioritise intelligence over size, evidenced by pioneering investments in centralised data and youth development. Lorin also breaks down the upcoming format changes to an 18-team league, aiming to balance the heavy schedules of European contenders with the need for domestic solidarity. Finally, as a Board member of the European Leagues, he addresses the complexities of the international calendar, the collapsed BeNeLiga project, and Belgium's unique competitive advantages in the transfer market relative to its neighbors.

The guest on the eighty-eighth episode of Folha Seca is Claudius Schäfer, CEO of the Swiss Super League and President of the European Leagues. Throughout the conversation, Claudius discusses his ascent from the SFL's legal department to the top executive role. He reflects on the strategic evolution of the Swiss competition, detailing the implementation of the new "Scottish Model" format and the complexities of maintaining competitive balance in a league often dominated by just a few clubs. In his dual role as President of the European Leagues, he covers critical geopolitical battles—from the landmark legal action against FIFA regarding the international calendar to the fight for fairer revenue distribution—and addresses the paradox of media rights cannibalization. Claudius also shares his management philosophy, redefining the League as a proactive service provider rather than a mere regulator, offering a comprehensive view on the fight to sustain Europe's small and mid-sized football markets.

O convidado do octogésimo séptimo episódio é Klauss Câmara, Presidente da SAD do Santa Clara. Ao longo da conversa, Klauss partilha a sua vasta trajectória, que já passou por diversos clubes relevantes do futebol brasileiro, como o Athletico Paranaense, Cruzeiro e Fluminense, até à gestão do futebol profissional no Grêmio e Sport Recife, culminando na sua afirmação em Portugal, primeiro no Alverca e agora no Santa Clara. Klauss aprofunda ainda a sua visão sobre o executivo de futebol moderno, detalhando a necessidade de ter um perfil "generalista", que domine diversas áreas, desde a vertente técnica à gestão de pessoas, aborda as diferenças estruturais entre o futebol brasileiro e português, opina sobre a importância do alinhamento com a equipa técnica e dá o seu parecer quanto à gestão da dimensão social na formação de atletas.