The Kévin Gauthier Story

That bloke with the long grey hair ahhahahahaha!!!!!! Best of luck moving forward into this season, I truly believe it will be your most enjoyable from a save perspective that you have had up until this point.

I think there's a 50 year old in your team mate Good luck for the new season!

Griffo: Haha yes dude probably was a football god due to the hair. I really think so as well if that preseason report write up tells anything, I think this will be a very fun and descriptive save now. in 2018 I was just trying to get through things but now I think I found a great long term challenge so each update will be of high quality.

Jack: Haha yes I wonder if he is still playing if so I am bringing him back. Thanks for the good luck there.


Oh btw Griffo and Jack Jose Cruz says hello!!!

If he doesn't start making appearances in this story... there will be helllll to pay!

It was a fairly short preseason for Sporting as they gear up for their first year in the Liga de Elite since being relegated after the end of the 2016 season. For Manager Kévin Gauthier this was a chance to re build the squad to remain competitive for the coming season.

With two matches on the docket Sporting were looking to do some experimentation with a new formation. Over the offseason Gauthier and his staff created a new tactic that could be of assistance. At times throughout the season we will see the club in a 4-2-4 counter attacking system. This tactic allows two strikers to be up front and this gives the club a chance at scoring more goals. "With all the talent this season I felt as this would be the perfect tactic to have the club run, Kévin seemed really excited when I drew up the plans," said Assistant Manager Mandingo .

In the two matches Gauthier was looking to see who would get the starting role by the Taça do Presidente that kicks off in a week. During the two matches the staff were able to move players around and see how they would work together. Also for the goalkeeping job it looks like Gauthier has announced that new signing Ricardinho will be the starter against Lai Chi.

Last seasons star performer Gilberto Monteiro had an excellent preseason as he looks to have another great season. During the two matches he scored two goals and had an average rating of 8.5 the best in the preseason. At the scrimmage against the Under 18s at the start of camp he scored two goals.

Managers thoughts:
Overall I believe this club is ready for a very successful 2019 season and I feel a treble could happen. If we are to achieve that this club will need to be able to work like a well oiled machine and everyone will have to play at the highest level. One thing I do have to figure out are a few positions and still up for grabs and it could be anyone's starting job. This is most evident in the midfield and defense. Our front four is very solid this season

On transfers I feel we are done especially as there is a takeover still occurring and that is not allowing us to add anyone. If I was to add a player I would try to bring Alex Clement to the squad. Recently he was released by my old club AS Mont-Dore. At 29 years old he has a great role as a backup and would be a great mentor to our two young goalkeepers.


What to look forward to:
With the preseason finished Sporting will now be on full focus for the season. The first match up will be against last seasons Liga de Elite winners Lai Chi in the Taça do Presidente. This will be the clubs second time in the cup and are looking to win it. Here is what the projected starting XI looks like: 2019 Taça do Presidente projected line up.

Depressing times for Happy Valley ha!

LOVE the new update style man! good luck for the season!

Griffo Good one haha

InfraRed Thanks

Great pre-season mate, best of luck for the upcoming season!

By Patrick Dawson

Jan 31, 2019

MACAU- It's been a long winter without domestic football, but some five months after the clubs of Macau have now entered the final phase of preseason. The 6th final between Taça do Presidente winners Sporting and Liga de Elite champions Lai Chai kicked off the Macanese season on mild winter evening. Here are a few quick observations from Sporting's 6-0 win at the Canidromo.

1. Sporting look stronger than previously thought

Kévin Gauthier's squad showed up during this match and that they mean business. After spending the last two seasons in the second division his newly built squad shown what they are made up of. Despite the fact the club is in the middle of a takeover he was able to showcase the clubs talent by bringing in several new faces. A total of 11 new players made their debuts and shown how much they are ready.

With a victory like what we had witnessed Sporting look to have the depth that is needed for a season as they are expecting. For this being the first competitive match of the 2019 season Sporting seemed to be on form and were all over the place. Wingers Luis Domingues and Gilberto Monteiro controlled the tempo all match.

For Lai Chai the defending champions of the Liga de Elite they seemed lost and not ready for the match. Before kickoff their manager Ku Seng Chong had dismissed Sporting leading up to the match saying, You can't win with just youth and Gauthier seems to be a bit unprepared." Well if unprepared for Sporting means scoring three goals in the first 25 minutes than I rather be in Sporting's shoes.




2. Domingues' man of the match performance

It was good to finally see the 18 year old back on the pitch after a long offseason. That's where he shines. Since scoring 10 goals last season he has been linked with several clubs in China and Japan ,on Saturday, he again demonstrated his value for Sporting. In this match he would score a hatrick and get a 9.6 match rating.

Domingues over and over again found small pockets of space between the Lai Chai lines, elegantly moving closer to the wings, with Chong's XI unable to contain him. The Sporting crowd, wanting another year of football from their star player, celebrated every single pass, even the shortest, with chants.

Starting in the In the 4th minute, the winger played a couple of one-twos with Monterio and Vinicius Lemes close to the box on the left wing that left the crowd begging for more give his club a 1-0 lead. Later on in the 25th minute he would, out play the Lai Chai keeper, who stormed out of the box but mistimed his run as the winger lobbed a header over him. Finally in the 63rd minute he would score his final goal after a beautiful pass.



3. Kévin Gauthier continues to win

In his second season with the club he has won his third trophy. This is amazing on the fact all he has done since starting his management career in New Caledonia in 2015 is win. Since his start he has won nine total trophies.

"To many coaches they believe that at this level what I have accomplished is nothing, but when you win as much as I do it means something," said Gauthier after the match. The former AS Mont-Dore manger wanted to win his first Super Cup in his second attempt, after Sporting once suffered defeat vs. Benfica in the previous season.

To many in the footballing world it is a surprise that he has not moved up to a bigger and better job. it could be his age or many other factors but someday he will become a household name across Europe. In the previous seasons he has been linked with clubs such as Dubai CSC, Western Sydney Wanderers and FK Sarajevo, sadly despite being well liked in each interview the clubs would go for someone else.

nicee demolition job

Stunning win mate, keep it up!

Great way to win it

Well that was.......comprehensive?

Michael Oh yes

mgriffin2012 There is more to come next mont

ScottT If it wasn't then it was a failure

C.J.Lippo What??????