Luís Filipe Vieira
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Luís Filipe Vieira (full name Luís Filipe Ferreira Vieira), born 22 June 1949, is the chairman of Portuguese sports club Sport Lisboa e Benfica. He was previously chairman of Alverca FC.
[edit] Chairmanship of Alverca FC
Vieira was the president of Alverca FC for a couple of years, at a time when the Angolan player Pedro Mantorras was a rising young star at the Alverca side, and Alverca FC worked as an associated satellite football club for SL Benfica.
[edit] Chairmanship of SL Benfica
In November third of 2003 he was elected by Benfica's associate members the 33rd President of the club. He was committed to bring SL Benfica back to its European glory. In the 2004-05 football season the club won the SuperLiga, with the Italian Giovanni Trapattoni as a coach. In the 2005-06 SuperLiga season, he hired Ronald Koeman, a Dutch international and former Ajax coach as Manager. He guided SL Benfica to the Quarter-Finals of the UEFA Champion's league with SL Benfica manager Ronald Koeman after knocking out the European championship league holders Liverpool FC. He also sent scouts to Australia where he signed wonderkid footballer Kaz Patafta. He also set up a soccer school in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Under his management SL Benfica reached over 150,000 associate members in 2006, the cycling team was reactivated, women's triathlon star Vanessa Fernandes signed with the club, and the SL Benfica B reserve football team was closed. For the 2006-07 season, Benfica's chairman Vieira, hired the Portuguese manager Fernando Santos as the new coach for the football team. The team signed also with veteran footballer Rui Costa, who wished back to its loved Benfica since a long time ago after many years playing in the Italian Serie A. Vieira is also responsible for player trades and loans for the club, a very important part in the modern professional sports financial management.
[edit] Benfica's Youth
Luis Filipe Vieira is also active in Benfica's youth squad, Vieira has played a major roll in development with the Signing of home grown talent such as Australian Kaz Patafta, Nicolas Canales, Bijou Davidson, Manuel Henriques Tavares Fernandes and many others.
