Fernando Chalana

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Chalana
Personal information
Full name Fernando Albino de Sousa Chalana
Date of birth February 10, 1959 (1959-02-10) (age 49)
Place of birth    Barreiro, Portugal
Playing position Winger
Senior clubs1
Years Club App (Gls)*
1975-84
1984-87
1987-1990
1990-91
1991-92
SL Benfica
Bordeaux
SL Benfica
Belenenses
Estrela Amadora (II D)
263 (39)
10 (1)
47 (8)
14 (0)
   
National team
1976-1988 Portugal 27 (2)
Teams managed
2008 SL Benfica

1 Senior club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only.
* Appearances (Goals)

Fernando Albino de Sousa Chalana (pron. IPA[fɨɾ.'nɐ̃.ðu ʃɐ.'lɐ.nɐ]) (born Barreiro, on the 10th February 1959) was a Portuguese footballer, the greatest sensation of Portugal, from 1976 to 1984.

He played for SL Benfica, from 1975/76 to 1983/84, and started at the first team aged only 17. He won the National Championship titles of 1975/76, 1976/77, 1980/81, 1982/83, 1983/84 and 1988/89, and the Cup of Portugal of 1979, 1980, 1982 and 1983. His first game for Portugal National Team was at 17 November 1976, in a 1-0 win over Denmark, for the World Cup qualifyings, made him the fourth youngest player ever to represent the "Selecção Nacional".

The peak of his career was at Euro 84, were he was one the leading figures of the National Team that reached the semi-finals. He moved to Bordeaux, of France, in 1984/85, but he failed to impress, due to several injuries. He was not the same great footballer of the past when he returned to Benfica, in 1987/88, even playing for the 27 th and last time, for the National Team, in a friendly match, with Sweden, at 12 October 1988 (0-0). He was a substitute for Benfica until 1989/90, and he moved to Belenenses, for the next season. He finished his career in Estrela da Amadora, at the II Honour Division, in 1991/92, aged 33.

In 1999/00 he was the manager of the junior SL Benfica team and was the champion.

In 2007/08 he replaced José Antonio Camacho as head coach of Benfica and so beginning is first long take as a head coach, having had already managed one game, after Jesualdo Ferreira was sacked and before Camacho was hired, back in 2002. During this 2002 game he managed to revamp Miguel's career, positioning him as a Right Back instead of a Pure Winger. It was Miguel's debut in that position and he went on to thrive in Benfica, Valencia and also Portugal's National Team.

It is expected that he'll finish this season with that responsibility.

On May 22nd 2008, It was announced that Quique Sanchez Flores had been appointed as the new manager of Benfica. It is unknown at this time whether Chalana will continue at the club.

[edit] Honours