Speaking exclusively with BOYLE Sports , Portuguese Star Pedro Mendes has given his thoughts on the Scottish Premiership, Portuguese Football, the Premier League Top-Four race and more.
The former midfielder, offered his perspective on all things his former club Rangers, including whether Danny Rohl can lead them to another title challenge and who could be the right choice for the CEO position at the club and whether bitter rivals Celtic have taken a risk getting rid of Martin O'Neill.
Mendes also discussed Sporting's success without Gyökeres, the next big name Portuguese Footballer and Manager who could be destined for big European moves and has given his Premier League top-four prediction.
Rangers
Danny Rohl
Well, it couldn't get any worse, right? It was a dreadful start to the season for Rangers. And when you look at the first few games, as a Rangers fan and a supporter, to see Rangers in the bottom three or four is something you could never imagine. So I think the change was good.
The club needed a fresh atmosphere in the dressing room, a new look, a new face, and things got better. Again, it's just the last game, just a minor setback.
When you think things are getting better, the team is starting to play well, even against Braga, a difficult midweek game, where they actually did well.
But they can't afford to draw games at home in the league, they can't afford to drop points like that.”
New CEO Search
More money will need to be spent, for sure. But the problem is they need to offload players, and for sure those players are on good salaries, big wages. So I think it will be a big task to find a place for the players they want to get rid of.
I think it will be a double job for the new guy who will come in. The signings they'll have to make will be crucial ones, players who will need to come and start playing at a starting level of quality. And also, the players they want to sell, loan, or simply get rid of.
Jorg Schmadtke
Jorg Schmadtke is a guy who's experienced, mostly in Germany, at good clubs like Hannover and Koln, and of course Liverpool, the biggest one.
The guy that comes in must have a fantastic database of players. Rangers need to sign, for example, a new Alfredo Morelos. They spent one million on him, but the guy scored for fun every season.
Rangers need to have that kind of profile, a guy who has a big database of players, who knows the European market, and knows the Scottish market as well, because there are some good players in Scotland that can bring some quality to Rangers.
So, it's a huge job for the new sporting director of Rangers.
Can Rangers Mount A Title Challenge?
I think it's too early to rule out a title challenge for sure. Even Celtic are dropping points, so it's not impossible. Okay, it's a big gap to Hearts and to Celtic, but they are dropping points.
But again, Rangers can't afford to drop points at home in league games; they just can't afford it. When you're chasing, you need to win every single game.
Of course, Europe is a big challenge for them, but the Scottish Premier League is still there. They just can't afford to draw points like they are.
The big thing is, you look at Rangers, and you can't bet they will win three, four, or five games in a row. It's just that uncertainty that needs to be got rid of from the dressing room to build the morale and the confidence of the players.
Celtic FC
Is Nancy A Risk For Celtic?
For Celtic, I think it's a risk. I think the Scottish Premier League is very unique. You really need to know the game, about the difficult stadiums, about the difficult teams to play against.
It's 90 minutes of really high-tempo football. I actually thought that Martin O'Neill would stay until the end of the season. That's what I thought.
But it’s a risk, it was a gamble. I think it is a gamble for them. But let's see. Speaking as a former Rangers player, I have to say I hope it doesn't work!
Portuguese Football
Sporting Success Without Gyokeres
They signed a good player in Luis Suarez. And also, they signed Fotis Ioannidis from Panathinaikos, a big target for them last summer, though he's not playing as much as we wanted.
So they have two big strikers upfront, big names upfront. Luis Suarez is actually playing really well and scoring his share of goals.
The key was the manager they signed. After Ruben Amorim left, Joao Pereira didn’t have a good spell at Sporting, so they needed a change. Rui Borges was doing a great job at Vitória Sport Club.
He's someone who knows the league, knows the players, and knows the teams. Even during some spells last season, of course, they won the title, but there were some doubts. This season, I think they are strong and playing really, really well.
And again, I think they signed, of course, Viktor Gyokeres. In Portugal, Gyokeres was unbelievable. But I think Luis Suarez is starting to make his mark here.
The Next Portuguese Star
Well, Portugal is an amazing market. Every season, a very good player just pops up for fun. And of course, the Premier League, with the financial power the clubs have, of course, for a striker like Luis Suarez, if a team likes him, of course, it's something that may happen.
Porto FC
Rodrigo Mora
Rodrigo Mora is a terrific player. I think he had more responsibility last season because the team was struggling a bit, and Moura was the one who brought some flair, something different to the team.
This year, the team is different; they play differently, with a different manager, different players on the pitch. Moura didn't begin the season as a starter. There were some rumours that, even though he might leave the club, Al Hilal made a big bid.
But he's playing more now. I think the way Porto play, I think he needed to adapt to the way Francesco Farioli plays. So maybe he struggled a little bit at the beginning.
But now he's playing more and more, and he has such tremendous quality. A tremendous player. At 18, he's incredible. And what he does for Porto is incredible.
Ronaldo Comparisons
I think the way Porto has handled Rodrigo Mora, he has so much quality, but he isn't getting much press just yet.
Some other club may come for him, but right now, I think Porto are protecting him well.
Even at the beginning of the season, you could see at the games that he was frustrated; he was on the bench, just coming in for a couple of minutes, so he didn't play enough or didn't come in at all.
I think Porto actually handled his expectations pretty well. They made sure his feet were on the ground. Now he's playing more and more because Porto signed Gabri Veiga, a terrific player, and Borja Sainz as well. They can play in the same position as him.
So this year, he has really, really competitive competition in the squad that he didn't have last year. He needs to improve his game. I think it will be good for him because he'll need aggression, focus, and commitment to the team. I think he'll improve a lot this year.
Francesco Farioli
If you saw Porto last season, and you see Porto now, it's a completely different team. You can see his footprint there, the way they play, the intensity, the pressure they put on the opponent, the runs they make off the ball. And of course, I think Porto really signed good players this season as well, so it helped a lot. But he's doing a terrific job.
He looks quality, really. The way he speaks, very calm. He has a very good presence on the pitch as well. He looks like a gentleman. Who knows? Porto is a great club. People have gone from Porto to big clubs in Europe. So, who knows?
But I think he has the quality and the potential for the Premier League, for a good club. No doubts on that.
Will Francesco Farioli Manage In The Premier League?
EPL Top-Four Race
Can Amorim Get Man Utd Into The Champions League?
Manchester United will get back into the Champions League, but they are difficult to understand. How can you go for three, four wins in a row, playing really well, and then lose at home against Everton? You know, it's just another setback.
When you think the confidence is building, and everyone is getting up there and knows what it takes, and then they go away and win against Crystal Palace, which was a more difficult game than Everton at home.
So that's the uncertainty, also that's around the United dressing room that harms their confidence. But I honestly think that United have the quality and the players to finish top five and get into the Champions League for next year.
Top Four Prediction
At the moment, I can't remember a Premier League like this. If you go from the 14th spot to 4th, it's five points.
Of course, you always go for the big teams when predicting the top four. Right now, you have Sunderland there, you have Brighton there, you have Aston Villa there, and then you have Manchester United, you have Liverpool behind, I think Spurs will struggle this year to be up there.
But you'll have Manchester City and Arsenal, I think one of those two will win the Premier League this season. And then I think it's a big uncertainty. You can have Chelsea. I think Manchester United will get there. But then Liverpool are struggling, Newcastle are way, way down.
I think it will be Chelsea, Manchester United in third and fourth and then maybe between Aston Villa and Liverpool for fifth.
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