Marco Silva has used his first press conference as Benfica coach to explain why he walked away from Fulham, while also shutting down immediate speculation over potential reunions with players from his former club.
Silva was officially presented by Benfica on Friday alongside president Rui Costa, bringing an end to one of Portugal’s longest-running managerial sagas of recent months.
And while much of the discussion surrounding his appointment focused on the negotiations which took him from Craven Cottage to Lisbon, the 48-year-old was more interested in discussing why he made the move in the first place.
No Fulham signings planned
A Bola relayed all of his responses. And one of the first questions Silva faced concerned potential arrivals from Fulham.
Harry Wilson’s name was mentioned directly, while reporters also asked whether any players from his former club could follow him to Benfica this summer. Jorge Cuenca was linked with a move to Lisbon as well. But the new Benfica manager immediately poured cold water on that idea.
“A large part of my coaching staff will accompany me,” Silva said. “As for signings, I’m not going to comment. At this moment there is no Fulham player on Benfica’s agenda.”
That should quickly cool suggestions that Benfica could immediately target members of the squad Silva spent the last five years working with in west London.
Benfica changed his plans
Perhaps the most revealing moment of the press conference came when Silva discussed his decision to leave England. The Portuguese coach admitted that returning home was not part of his plans when the season began.
“Rui Costa was very clear,” Silva explained when discussing the Benfica president’s approach. “The club needed a coach and was looking for one. I understood the openness.
“I won’t hide it – if you had asked me months ago whether my objective was to return to Portugal, I would have said no,” he revealed.
“But I spoke with the president, it was something he really wanted, and the first conversation happened in a positive and clear way.”
So, he effectively confirmed that the club’s approach changed the direction of his career plans.
Why leave the Premier League?
Silva was also asked directly why he would leave what many consider the world’s strongest league for a Benfica side that will not play Champions League football next season.
His answer left little room for doubt.
“It is a reality and I won’t say it was a difficult decision or an easy decision,” he said. “I won’t hide my connection to the Premier League. I felt very good in England and it took a lot for me to establish my name there.”
“The emotional side carried great weight in my decision. I felt the challenge was enormous and that we were prepared for it. There is no different reason other than the name Benfica.”
For months, Portuguese media had reported that Silva’s emotional connection to Benfica was becoming increasingly important in his thinking. And in the end they were right.
‘Pressure is a privilege’
Silva also made it clear he is embracing the expectations that come with managing one of Portugal’s biggest clubs.
“Being at Benfica brings responsibility,” he said. “If pressure doesn’t exist, I am the first person who will create it. Pressure is a privilege. There will be moments when it is very strong and others when we can enjoy ourselves, but we have to be capable of handling it.”
“I know that when things are less positive, all the pressure falls on the manager, and I am ready for that. I feel privileged to be here”, he stated.
So after weeks of negotiations, speculation and uncertainty, Silva’s focus was no longer on how he got the job.
Instead, Benfica’s new manager used his first appearance to explain why he accepted it – and why the club’s name ultimately proved strong enough to pull him away from Fulham.
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