Why Porto? I asked.
“I’m of Portuguese descent.”
His parents are from Portugal. I didn’t ask him how to spell his name so I hope I did it right. Given his name, and even his looks, there has to be something Irish in the whole story. Niel is a soccer fan and, inevitably, Mourinho’s name and Porto’s European cup came into the conversation. I walked away thinking how one has to feel for the clubs (and especially the fans) who so often produce great young talent, players and managers, only to lose them to the filthy rich.
F O O T B A L L I S T S 
Really interesting to muse on clubs that produce talent to lose them – my club, Watford, are one of these clubs. Our list of past players contains several internationals, and Porto is a great example of the same system on a much larger scale. I have a real soft spot for clubs like that, as I can relate to them!