Jorge Jesus? Have We Really Thought This Through?

Roberto Martínez. Much has been written about him, but it's time to close that chapter and move on. The Spaniard needed defending when his Portuguese colleagues didn't want him here, simply because he was a foreigner, and from just across the border at that. I recall defending him with reservations, noting that while I believed his offensive philosophy aligned better with our identity than his predecessor's – before realizing he was just as cautious – he didn't create any real breakthroughs. He was a man of status and hierarchy.

The fear that gripped him when he finally understood that a system is more than just a sequence of numbers, that it needs substance to support its framework, ultimately shackled the players to his model. Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha, João Neves, Cancelo – all were bound by the Spaniard's flaws, dutifully following the script, even when it rarely made sense. Perhaps only Nuno Mendes found some freedom when his physicality allowed it. It was likely these same players who kept him in the job with the Nations League victory, under the equally limiting shadow of Mourinho. I admitted then that, finally, a foundation could be built. I was wrong, because Martínez lacked the depth for it. It was a tremendous miscasting. While I doubt that Belgian "golden generation," with such a fragile defense, was truly capable of winning a major competition, I have no doubt he ruined the Portuguese one. The best squad any coach has ever had at his disposal, yes, and the rest is just noise.

He was a political facilitator, not a true national team coach, as he almost always remained loyal to the usual suspects. Even less was he a good manager, making so many basic tactical errors. It was three years of bland communication, wrapped in a smile and forced Portuguese, explaining nothing and sugarcoating everything. He never had the courage to speak the truth, to make difficult decisions, never showed flair or creativity to change a game. And it is without regret that we will bid him 'Farewell, and good riddance!'

Jorge Jesus is next. And it was long decided that he would be. He's the president's man, his bet to win and to attach the usual propaganda to that triumph, which he believes will propel him to high positions in UEFA or FIFA. Because the success of those in power isn't built on profound achievements and major structural changes, but on aligning with the right photo opportunities. On Excel numbers. On circular praise from the usual crowd, because it's part of the job. For a long time, the pursuit of a greater good hasn't been part of the daily routine for those who run Portuguese football.

Jesus was a successful coach for several years in Portugal, then in Brazil, and, in his own unique way, in Saudi Arabia. He is also one of the biggest influencers in Portuguese football and clearly deserved the role. Being a national team coach suits him well. However, that alone doesn't make him the right man in the right place.

The revolutionary JJ no longer exists. And that might be somewhat irrelevant for a national team coach, who trains fewer days, has less time for meticulous work and correcting details. He only has time to try and tie up loose ends. But that's not the profile of a coach like him, obsessed with the game, especially in the defensive phase. Because in attack, he relies heavily on individual talent and how it complements itself to create.

His most recent iteration didn't impose itself in Portugal. His greatest successes always depended on the sheer amount of talent at his disposal, and he never again had such superiority over others. Worse, the good attacking football disappeared. Positional attacking was disastrous. The team, poorly set up in attack, transitioned poorly without the ball. He never controlled games. These are precisely the criticisms leveled at Martínez.

Despite being more mature, he remains a ticking time bomb. His arrogance already cost him a title against Rui Vitória when he spoke out of turn. He once pushed a police officer over a fan, was pushed by Cardozo at Jamor, showed three fingers to Tim Sherwood after a third goal against Tottenham, and got tangled up a thousand times, intentionally or not, with Lopetegui's name, and publicly exposed Neymar's chronic physical state for the rest of his career. Institutionally, he's a permanent headache. And it's no longer about a club; it's about representing a country, with a much greater impact.

At a time when the national team will be looking for renewal with an eye on the home World Cup, the former Al Nassr coach is another who prefers established players. Those from Seixal would have to be born ten times over to succeed under him when he coached Benfica. And few did. He always preferred to buy, especially in Brazil, something he obviously won't be able to do now. Although he might naturalize anyone who still escapes an increasingly weaker Brazilian national team.

And, after all this, there's still the elephant in the room. Jesus doesn't arrive with a clear break from the Ronaldo situation, after another forgettable World Cup where he conditioned the entire team. Yes, because if Martínez's fear shackled the players, having a foreign body in attack blocked them even more. Or do we believe that everyone simultaneously forgot how to play as soon as they stepped onto American soil? Are we really that naive? Nothing happens by chance.

He was Ronaldo's coach at Al-Nassr and publicly admitted that he accepted the invitation with the purpose of leading the national team captain to a title. I would like to believe, once again, that this is not a sine qua non condition for him to be Proença's choice. That the rationale is finally sporting, that there's a desire to continue the brilliant youth development we've had, but which, in a country like ours, where young people are not invested in, there's no sporting culture, and there's constant infighting with no respect for the product, is not inexhaustible.

There are, of course, not many names in Portugal with the stature for the job. But do we need names or competence? Even if the rationale is purely sporting, I fear that Jesus won't be the one to get us there. While we shouldn't judge prematurely, there are indications that this is yet another decision where the big picture isn't considered, and a high-profile figure is chosen to see if it sticks. We don't have De La Fuentes here, where the right idea is worth more than who has it. It's about having faith. Because we are a country of faith. Of Fátima. Of football. And of fado. Rarely of reason.