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José Fernando Casal Rachão (born 15 September 1952) is a Portuguese former football player and manager.

Playing career

Born in Peniche in the Leiria District, Rachão signed for S.L. Benfica when he was 14. The Lisbon-based club paid G.D. Peniche 50,000 Portuguese escudos for his transfer, as well as providing his food and education; he moved to the capital alone as his father, a director of the local club, did not approve of the deal.

In September 1971, 19-year-old Rachão saw no future at Benfica due to their high number of talented players, and he requested a transfer. He played one season back at Peniche in the second division before choosing to move to Clube Olímpico do Montijo due to being closer to his house than his other suitors: Atlético Clube de Portugal in the Primeira Liga, and C.F. União de Coimbra, S.C. Beira-Mar and S.C. Braga of the second tier.

Managerial career

Rachão's managerial career began in 1983 at Leixões S.C., his last club as a player, having been chosen by his teammates. In 1978, he had been player-manager at Académico de Viseu F.C. aged 26.

At the start of February 2005, Vitória de Setúbal manager José Couceiro moved to FC Porto, and 52-year-old Rachão was hired in his place until the end of the season, with one more year as an option. He had played for the club in 1978–79 and arrived from third-tier S.C.U. Torreense, having managed 18 clubs but only having Primeira Liga experience at AD Fafe in 1988–89 – that club's only season in the top flight. Rachão had local connections, with his mother being from Setúbal and his wife and daughters being from Montijo in the same district.

Rachão set his targets as helping the club avoid relegation, and to reach the final of the Taça de Portugal, where they were in the quarter-finals. His debut on 13 February 2005 was a 1–1 draw away to S.C. Beira-Mar. By reaching the cup final, the club qualified for the UEFA Cup, as opponents Benfica had made the UEFA Champions League; in the decisive match on 29 May, the club recovered from conceding an early penalty kick by Simão Sabrosa to win 2–1 for their first cup in 38 years, preventing the adversaries from winning the double. Despite this honour, his contract was not renewed.

After leaving Vitória, Rachão was manager of União da Madeira before moving abroad for the first time in his career, to Al-Arabi SC of the Kuwait Premier League in 2006. After two years there, he signed for Al-Ittihad Club from Tripoli, Libya's most successful club. He won the Libyan Premier League in his only season in North Africa. Rachão befriended Muhammad Gaddafi, owner of the club and son of the Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi; he said that after leaving the club he was invited to go underwater diving with his former employer, but turned down the invitation by joking that it would be an assassination attempt.

In 2009, Rachão joined Al-Ittihad SC Aleppo in Syria.

References

1. ^ Marques, David (16 November 2017). "Rachão: «Se eu não tiver de morrer no campo, que morra ali perto dele»" [Rachão: "If I don't have to die on the pitch, let me die near it"] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 29 December 2024.
2. ^ Marques, David (16 November 2017). "«No Benfica havia tantos jogadores bons que eu ficava de fora a bater palmas»" ["At Benfica there were so many good players that I stood outside clapping"] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 29 December 2024.
3. "José Rachão apresentado" [José Rachão presented]. Record (in Portuguese). 3 February 2005. Retrieved 29 December 2024.
4. ^ "José Rachão: «Vou agarrar esta grande oportunidade»" [José Rachão: "I'm going to grab this great opportunity"]. Record (in Portuguese). 4 February 2005. Retrieved 29 December 2024.
5. "José Rachão desejava mais" [José Rachão wanted more]. Record (in Portuguese). 14 February 2005. Retrieved 29 December 2024.
6. "Na Taça UEFA com orgulho" [In the UEFA Cup with pride]. Record (in Portuguese). 16 May 2005. Retrieved 29 December 2024.
7. "V. Setúbal impede dobradinha do Benfica" [V. Setúbal impede Benfica's double] (in Portuguese). Televisão Independente. Lusa. 30 May 2005. Retrieved 29 December 2024.
8. "Adeus emocionado a José Rachão" [Emotional farewell to José Rachão]. Record (in Portuguese). 2 June 2005. Retrieved 29 December 2024.
9. "Rachão no Al Ittihad da Líbia" [Rachão to Al-Ittihad of Libya]. Record (in Portuguese). 30 July 2008. Retrieved 29 December 2024.
10. "Artur Jorge numa lista de luxo: os treinadores campeões lá fora" [Artur Jorge on a luxury list: champion managers abroad] (in Portuguese). CNN Portugal. 8 December 2024. Retrieved 29 December 2024.
11. "José Rachão troca Líbia pela Síria" [José Rachão swaps Libya for Syria]. Record (in Portuguese). 23 August 2009. Retrieved 29 December 2024.

• 1952 births
• Living people
• People from Peniche, Portugal
• Footballers from Leiria District
• Portuguese men's footballers
• Men's association football midfielders
• Portuguese football managers