Pep Lijnders was in such demand as a coach that Porto took him from PSV Eindhoven at the tender age of 24. The move was a footballing culture shock – Porto’s winning mentality blew Pep away. Their scouting network is second to none, however, this risks impacting the academy. Therefore, Pep and his colleagues had to strive to create their own new generation of stars, and they certainly succeeded.

Pep believes that a successful academy creates a father/son relationship between the young player and his club. He will give you that bit more once he makes the first team, and inspire another hundred boys at the academy.

Thanks, Pep, that was one of the best.

Graham.

Subscribe to Between the Lines: The Stories Behind Great Sports Writing

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.