Leonel Pontes da Encarnação (born 9 July 1972) is a Portuguese football manager. He is currently the technical director of Chinese club SH Shenhua.

Leonel Pontes
Personal information
Full name Leonel Pontes da Encarnação
Date of birth (1972-07-09) 9 July 1972 (age 52)
Place of birth Porto da Cruz, Portugal
Team information
Current team
SH Shenhua (technical director)
Managerial career
Years Team
2002–2004 Sporting B (assistant)
2004–2005 Sporting CP U19 (assistant)
2005–2009 Sporting CP (assistant)
2009 Sporting CP (interim)
2010–2014 Portugal (assistant)
2014–2015 Marítimo
2015 Panetolikos
2015–2016 Al-Ittihad
2016–2017 Debrecen
2018–2019 Jumilla
2019 Sporting CP (under-23)
2019 Sporting CP
2021–2022 Sp. Covilhã
2023– SH Shenhua (technical director)

Coaching career

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Portugal

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Born in Porto da Cruz, Madeira, Pontes coached in the youth ranks of Sporting CP from 1996 to 2005, also managing the reserves for two matches in the third tier in February 2003. He became assistant manager of the first team to Paulo Bento in 2005, and assumed interim charge when the latter resigned on 6 November 2009.[1] His sole game in charge was two days later, a 2–2 draw at Rio Ave F.C. in the Primeira Liga.[2] In September 2010, he was made Bento's assistant at the Portugal national football team.[3]

On 8 May 2014, Pontes left for top-flight club C.S. Marítimo of his native island.[4] He resigned the following 2 March, with the team in 11th.[5]

Abroad

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On 9 June 2005, Pontes was hired by Super League Greece club Panetolikos FC, with several compatriots amongst his staff.[6] He was dismissed on 28 September with the team in fifth, with two wins and as many losses from five games.[7]

On 20 November 2015, Pontes was named manager of Al Ittihad Alexandria Club in Egypt.[8] He was sacked the following 9 March, when the team were two places above the relegation zone.[9]

On 8 August 2016, Pontes was appointed as the coach of the Nemzeti Bajnokság I club Debreceni VSC after the resignation of Elemér Kondás.[10] He signed a three-year contract and he brought his compatriot colleague José Maria Calado Pratas with him.[11] On 14 September, the club were eliminated from the 2016–17 Magyar Kupa after a 1–0 defeat at the ETO Park against the Nemzeti Bajnokság III club Győri ETO FC, making them the only Nemzeti Bajnokság I club which could not qualify for the best 64 teams.[12]

On 22 February 2017 Pontes' Debrecen went six games without a win in the 2016–17 Nemzeti Bajnokság I, the first time since 2001–02.[13] On 19 March, director Géza Róka said that they do not issue an ultimatum to sack him.[14] On 22 May, he left the club with mutual agreement and he was replaced by András Herczeg for the last round against Diósgyőri VTK to escape from the relegation.[15]

On 14 July 2018, Pontes was named the new manager of Spanish Segunda División B side FC Jumilla for the upcoming season.[16] The campaign ended the following 2 June with relegation to the Tercera División after a 4–2 aggregate loss to Real Unión.[17]

Return home

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On 21 June 2019, Pontes returned to Sporting, to manage the under-23 team on a two-year contract.[18] He returned to interim charge of the club on 3 September after the dismissal of Marcel Keizer,[19] and eleven days later he was given a two-year contract for the post, ahead of his first game.[20] On 26 September, having drawn once and lost three times in four games across all competitions, he was replaced by Silas.[21]

From December 2022 to October 2023, Pontes was in charge of Sporting da Covilhã.

China

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On 1 August 2023, Pontes was hired as technical director of Chinese club SH Shenhua.[22]

References

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  1. ^ "Bento resigns as Sporting Lisbon coach". CNN. 6 November 2009. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
  2. ^ "Tomás e Carriço são nova minoria para desestabilizar Sporting" [Tomás and Carriço are new minority for destabilising Sporting]. Público (in Portuguese). 9 November 2009. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
  3. ^ "Bento handed Portugal reins". UEFA. 21 September 2010. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
  4. ^ "Leonel Pontes é o novo treinador" [Leonel Pontes is the new manager] (in Portuguese). Record. 9 May 2014. Archived from the original on 12 May 2014. Retrieved 8 May 2014.
  5. ^ "Marítimo: Leonel Pontes já não é treinador" [Marítimo: Leonel Pontes is no longer manager] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 2 March 2015. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
  6. ^ "Panetolikos oficializa Leonel Pontes" [Panetolikos make Leonel Pontes official]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 9 June 2015. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  7. ^ "Leonel Pontes deixa o Panetolikos" [Leonel Pontes leaves Panetolikos]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 28 September 2015. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  8. ^ "Leonel Pontes no Egito" [Leonel Pontes in Egypt]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 20 November 2015. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  9. ^ "Official: Ittihad of Alexandria sack Portuguese manager Leonel Pontes, hire Mokhtar Mokhtar". King Fut. 9 March 2016. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
  10. ^ "New Portuguese Coach LOKI Selected". Debrecen Sun. 4 August 2016.
  11. ^ "DVSC: bejelentették az új vezetőedzőt – hivatalos". Nemzeti Sport. 8 August 2016.
  12. ^ "MK: ennyi volt! A Győr kiverte a kupából a Debrecent". Nemzeti Sport. 14 September 2016.
  13. ^ "DVSC: Tizenöt éve nem történt ilyen a Lokival". Nemzeti Sport. 22 February 2017.
  14. ^ "DVSC: nincs ultimátum Pontesnek, bíznak az eredményesebb szereplésben". Nemzeti Sport. 19 March 2017.
  15. ^ "DVSC: már nem Pontes a vezetőedző – hivatalos". Nemzeti Sport. 22 May 2017.
  16. ^ "El Jumilla ficha al entrenador portugués Leonel Pontes" [Jumilla sign the Portuguese manager Leonel Pontes]. La Verdad (in Spanish). 14 July 2018. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
  17. ^ "El final más dramático para el Jumilla" [The most dramatic ending for Jumilla]. La Verdad (in Spanish). 2 June 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
  18. ^ "Leonel Pontes é o novo treinador dos sub-23 do Sporting" [Leonel Pontes is the new manager of Sporting's under-23s]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 21 June 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
  19. ^ "Sporting: Leonel Pontes sucede a Keizer de forma interina" [Sporting: Leonel Pontes succeeds Keizer on interim basis]. Jornal de Notícias (in Portuguese). 3 September 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
  20. ^ "Leonel Pontes já tem novo contrato: Os valores e a duração" [Leonel Pontes has a new contract now: The values and the length] (in Portuguese). Notícias ao Minuto. 14 September 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
  21. ^ "Silas vai ser o treinador do Sporting" [Silas will be the manager of Sporting]. Jornal de Notícias (in Portuguese). 26 September 2019. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
  22. ^ Leonel Pontes é o novo diretor técnico do Shanghai Shenhua: «É um enorme orgulho», record.pt, 10 August 2023
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