José Maria Pedroto

José Maria Carvalho Pedroto, OIH, (born 21 October 1928 in Lamego, died 8 January 1985 in Porto) was a proficient footballer and trainer. He was nicknamed "Zé do Boné" (the Portuguese name of comic strip character Andy Capp) since, like the character, he usually wore a flat cap.

Player

Pedroto, a right midfielder, played for Leixões SC, Lusitano VRSA, Belenenses and FC Porto, where his childhood idol Pinga played, for a record value which many believed to be scandalous. There, he rosed as one of the best national players of the 50's. He was capped 17 times for Portugal, 1 for Belenenses and 16 for FC Porto. His first game was on 20 April 1954, a 0-3 loss to France, in a friendly match, and his last game, on 22 December 1957, a 0-3 loss to Italy, in Milan, for the World Cup qualifyings.

Manager

The first Portuguese manager with a diploma and one of the first to join a managing course, Pedroto's first work with the youth sides was impressive, and his career continued in style in Académica Coimbra, Varzim SC (after being sacked by Leixões), and in 1969 he had his first stint with Porto, winning a domestic cup. After that, he went to Vitória Setúbal, leading the club to its highest achievements.

Four years later, in 1974 Pedroto joined Porto side Boavista FC, winning two cups and reaching a second place in the league. In 1978, he returned to Porto, which had been in a 19-year title drought.

With Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa, Pedroto made one of the most impressive board-bench duo in Portuguese football history. In a time where even FC Porto directors bowed to Lisbon sides, their anti-centralist speech made quite an impact, and Porto won the 77-78 and 78-79 titles. After failing the "tri", both Pinto da Costa and Pedroto left FC Porto due to internal disputes, with the coach going to Vitória Guimarães, where he placed the Minho side twice in the top 5 positions.

When Pinto da Costa was elected as FC Porto's president, Pedroto was given the job again, which turned out to be his last. He died not long after Porto's defeat in the 1984 Cup Winners' Cup, victim of cancer, but his work endured for most of the decade, and he is regarded as one of the responsibles for the 1987 Champions Cup win. Porto's coach was Artur Jorge, who worked with Pedroto in Vitória Guimarães, and was the coach he requested as his replacement.

Legacy

*His name was mentioned several times as possible name for Porto's new "Estádio do Dragão".
*Both Jaime Pacheco and José Mourinho were compared to Pedroto, for their aggressive speeches, wit, and managing capabilities.