He was Goncalo Feio's assistant. He reveals the behind-the-scenes details. "They should tell more truth about him."

You usually worked with coaches who spoke Portuguese. Kaczmarek was probably an exception?

He was actually the first non-Portuguese-speaking coach I worked with. Kaczmarek helped me a lot, and I'm grateful to him.

The Assistant's Role? "Stimulate His Thinking"

Are the Polish and Portuguese approaches to football different?

There are also some really good coaches in Poland, and it's worth saying that out loud. The approaches are slightly different, but that's important because it allows you to develop and refine a certain methodology or identity. Sometimes the assistant's role is to challenge the head coach—to make them reflect, to look at something from a different perspective. As an experienced coach, I try to offer various ideas that can stimulate their thinking. I believe that's precisely our role on the coaching staff.

In my case, working in different countries and cultures has been a huge help. I've learned a lot and grown a lot from it, constantly having to adapt. Moving to Poland was a significant step in my career; I've grown a lot.

You previously worked in China.

At the HZ Greentown academy. The decision to leave wasn't easy because of the distance, but I took on the challenge. I arrived in China mid-season; it was a good time. I think I joined the first team after only five months. It was another step in my development.

What does China teach?

Responsibility and commitment. Without these, the Chinese cannot work. They are very proud of these two aspects, as well as their principles.

Did you sense a different approach to football within the Legia coaching staff? You and Feio are from Portugal, Iniaki Astiz is from Spain, though he spent many years in Poland, and Grzegorz Mokry and Daniel Wojtasz are graduates of the Polish coaching school.

As assistants, we had many discussions and had our own ideas. However, we had to conform to Goncalo's vision for the club. Each of us had to adapt and gradually understand Feio's idea of developing and improving the players, and Legia as well. Sure, sometimes we tweaked a specific player to develop, test, and improve him. I think all four of us coaches think very similarly.

"Goncalo really gave us that much trust"

You said you've adjusted, but there are coaches who believe the assistant should have a different opinion. There are coaches who like to debate.

Of course. Sometimes, for a coach to develop, we need to present our perspective. Sometimes a coach is very focused on one thing, but we see it from a different perspective, and that's very important. We're there to "troubleshoot" the coach. Tell him you have a different idea, to try a different pressing method in the next match, a different solution at set pieces, or a play early in the game. Everything works best when a coach fully trusts his staff and agrees with his approach – and Goncalo truly gave us that trust. It was great and necessary, because last season at Legia was crazy for us; we started playing every three days very early.

You joined Legia last summer. Yuri Ribeiro left and Emanuel Ribeiro arrived. It was a good exchange.

Some people wrote to me that Ribeiro was leaving and Ribeiro was coming. I replied that I didn't know what was going on. (laughter) I don't know Yuri, we just have the same last name.

He is not your brother.

No, we didn't even meet in Portugal. I know his brother was a scout for Legia.

The relationship between the head coach and his assistant coach must be strong. Did you have one?

Our relationship remained constant – before, during, and after working at Legia. We always trust each other. At Legia, we built a truly strong team as a coaching staff. We supported each other constantly. The same with Goncalo – the relationship between us, the assistants, and the head coach developed very quickly. Thanks to this, Goncalo could trust us 200 percent because he knew we would give our all – and he gave everything for us.

This relationship has always been going in the right direction and developing positively, because from the very beginning we wanted to build a solid foundation as professionals. Along the way, a friendship has developed between us, and in my opinion, without it, work can sometimes be difficult. It's ideal to combine a professional and friendly atmosphere within a team, and we succeeded. I'm very grateful for that.

Emanuel Ribeiro on people from outside the club: they try to add their two cents or "set things on fire"

You know Feio well. Is he a workaholic?

Sometimes he doesn't sleep much, but it's not a matter of workaholism. It's more about how much responsibility you have and how willing you are to shoulder it. He's a true professional. He has his own vision, his own way of working and developing – first as a coach, but also with the entire club, the players, and the team in mind.

It works like a pyramid. He's at the top and sets the example. If the head coach can sacrifice so much, why shouldn't the player give more? Why shouldn't the dietician, the greenkeeper, and other club staff also set the example? If the head coach is the one who works the hardest and sometimes sleeps less to get everything done, then to me, that's not "workaholism." I call it love of work. Sometimes, when we'd talk over dinner or lunch as assistants, we'd say, "Listen, we're incredibly lucky to be here, to work for a club like this, to play every three days." Because Legia is the biggest club in Poland and, historically, always will be.

Outsiders sometimes don't understand this. They try to add their two cents or "ignite" a topic. We simply enjoy what we do, despite the enormous responsibility we bear. That's reality. And again, it's not workaholism. It's a love of work. I think it's sometimes worth choosing different words when talking about someone.

Did you sleep well when you worked in Warsaw?

Yes, although sometimes it was difficult after the match, especially when we played at Łazienkowska Street. That atmosphere… Only those who go there can truly feel it. I can't even describe what I felt during the matches in Warsaw. I can't express the adrenaline rush, the emotions that accompanied them.

Even for my family, it was difficult. I'd leave home at 8:00 a.m. and not return until 1:00 a.m. In moments like these, it's impossible to fall asleep right away. After such emotions, it's very difficult. The entire stadium screams for 90 minutes: the fans, the cheering, the noise, the passion – especially in European competitions, where every action carries a huge emotional charge. There were also truly important and historic victories, like the one against Real Betis (1-0) or the away match against Chelsea (2-1). These were moments that will go down in history not only for us but for the entire country. I think we made history in just a few months. We achieved something great on and off the pitch, and then we slept well in Warsaw.

But after the match in London it must have been hard to fall asleep.

I didn't sleep much. Everyone, including me, prepared for this match with the mindset that we could win in England. We put that into our heads, but also into the players' heads. I remember it very well. We had practically no time for training at all. Constant matches, travel, organization, everything at once, so we prepared almost the entire briefing exclusively on video. We worked with the players solely on analysis, explaining how to press, when to push forward and when to retreat. It wasn't just watching videos – we were exhausted too.

I remember getting back to the hotel and going straight to bed. I texted my family, put down the phone, and just collapsed. I was incredibly tired. And the next morning, we were on a plane back to Warsaw early. I slept for maybe three and a half, or four hours.

Preparations for the match in London? "We only changed one aspect"

However, you played differently in Warsaw. Did you prepare for the London match in any special way?

In Warsaw, the preparation for the match was the same as before. However, we made a mistake at Łazienkowska Street, which led to Chelsea scoring. The Londoners didn't create anything special because we defended very well. These individual errors cost us dearly. We conceded goals at crucial moments, which affected the team's mentality. When you play against Chelsea, everything falls apart if the slightest thing goes wrong.

Before the second leg, we only changed one aspect – our pressing. It was immediately different. But remember, before we took the lead, we could have easily conceded. Then the opponent woke up a bit, had more motivation, but we knew one thing: if we pressed well, we would definitely create scoring opportunities. This one small detail made the difference.

But in Warsaw Legia was scared and in London hungry.

But Chelsea didn't threaten us early on in Warsaw either. Rafał Augustyniak had a good header in the first ten minutes, and Ryoya Morishita even managed a shot on the counterattack. If either of them had opened the scoring, things might have turned out differently. Maybe we would have reached the Conference League final.

That would be crazy.

Why not? As you can see, there weren't any major changes between these matches.

Emanuel Ribeiro: sometimes what people say about Goncalo is just unfair

The victory against Chelsea or Real Betis – which moment was more enjoyable for you?

The victory over Pogoń Szczecin (4-3) meant we won the title, which is always valuable for a club. When we beat Beticos, we knew we'd beaten a very strong team. The same with Chelsea. We beat two finalists, but the match at the PGE Narodowy Stadium gave me more positive emotions.

Some said that this was the most important match in years for Legia, because a defeat would significantly worsen the club's financial situation.

This is very important to me. Goncalo didn't qualify for European competitions through the league, nor did he finish in the table where he should have, but he did it through the Polish Cup. He had a fantastic season in the Conference League. I don't know for sure, but he may be one of the few coaches in Legia's history to have led the club to European competition twice and given it such an incredible season in Europe – with prestige, money, and historic victories.

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Sometimes what people say about Goncalo is simply unfair. I don't read much news. Someone would have to send me something for me to see a post or article. However, I know that sometimes one or two opinions appear that aren't entirely true. I was there, and not everything was as some media outlets described it. That's why I believe everyone should—and even must—emphasize much more what Goncalo gave Legia. He was the one who brought the club back to European competition.

However, former Legia scouts say openly that Feio blocked the transfers of interesting players.

It's a good topic, but honestly, many things related to scouting and this area weren't entirely clear. If we didn't talk about it then, I won't talk about it now, because we're no longer at Legia. Similarly, scouts are no longer at the club.

In my opinion, the club needs some peace, stability, and calm right now. Legia doesn't need a firestorm right now. They need support and conditions for growth. We also need to give the people currently working in Warsaw time to achieve their goals.

Emanuel Ribeiro: People should tell more truth about Goncalo

In your opinion, were there a lot of lies about Feio in the media?

Let me put it another way to end this topic. I think people should tell more truth about Goncalo.

In Poland, it's often emphasized that coach Feio liked to take on many things himself. So what was your scope of responsibility at Legia?

From the very beginning, we divided responsibilities within the coaching staff. We all worked in the same way during training. As assistants, we also handled analysis, as there were a lot of matches. Of course, we also had Maciek Krzymień and Wojtasz for analysis, but I also analyzed the matches. We were all equally involved in the training sessions. We led the sessions together, as there were many of them. It was also important that the players weren't constantly "attacked" solely by the head coach's voice; that's also important. Goncalo only showed up at training at specific, scheduled times. The way he led the sessions and how he interrupted them was also important. Everything was carefully planned.

Then he divided the team into sectors. Grzegorz Mokry and I were responsible for attacking set pieces. I also worked individually with the midfielders: Maxim Oyedele, Bartek Kapustka, Rafał Augustyniak, Ryoya Morishita, and Jürgen Elit. I was responsible for individual conversations, video analysis, diagonal formations, and cooperation with the strikers and wingers. Wojtasz worked with the wingers, and Astiz handled the center-backs. This is how we divided our workload, allowing us to develop the players individually, while also raising the level of the entire team.

So Oyedele's development is to some extent your credit?

Many players have developed very well. Oyedele came to us and made significant progress, then joined the Polish national team. Kapustka returned to the national team, even though he hadn't been called up before, and while with us he provided numerous assists and scored several important goals for the club. He recorded a double-double. Morishita also developed and returned to the national team.

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He scored a goal in the match against Indonesia (6-0).

Yes, and the Japanese national team is a very strong team. Morishita can play practically anywhere – as a winger, full-back, or even a number eight. Elitim, on the other hand… unfortunately, he suffered a serious injury a year ago, which was a major problem for us. We didn't have many players left who could play in his position.

This is an example of what we were saying earlier: our job as a coaching staff is to provide the coach with different ideas. In one of our staff conversations, Wojtasz said, "Maybe we should try Morishita as a number eight?" We need to stimulate the coach's thinking. Daniel saw qualities in Morishita that fit the role: he's constantly pressing, dynamic, and makes a difference. We figured we had nothing to lose. We succeeded, and we developed him.

Emanuel Ribeiro on Morishita: We were really proud

When the media talks about players that Feio has developed, Morishita's name is most often mentioned.

Before I joined Legia, I didn't know Morishita. I only knew he was a player brought in to play as a shuttler. So I didn't really know his skills or his characteristics. When we started working with Goncalo on our game model, we saw several things in him. First, that he was a very responsible man. Second, that he was eager to learn. And third, that he could adapt very well to different scenarios during a match.

He's a player who wants to improve every day. He constantly says, "I want more, I want to improve." He knows how to defend, attack, and press in various systems, from medium to low pressing. If you ask him what to do on the pitch, he'll tell you exactly what his responsibilities are, because he perfectly understood what we expected during a match. As members of the coaching staff, he was a player we were truly proud of, and I'm sure Goncalo was too. Of course, not just him, as there were many others like him.

Have you ever met a more positive footballer?

He's an amazing person. He's always smiling, which is very important because he brings positive energy all the time. At training, in the LTC, in the locker room – he creates a good atmosphere everywhere. He's a very funny guy, funny, but at the same time a great professional, very responsible. He's an amazing guy; I think he could soon take a really big step in his career.

Emanuel Ribeiro: I could have stayed at Legia, Goncalo too

I'd like to ask about another player who has improved significantly. Jan Ziółkowski – is he overconfident?

That's normal at that age. Before Goncalo came to Legia, no one had really heard of Ziółkowski. It was the coach's vision to give him a chance, let him train with the first team, and trust him. Ziółkowski has the mentality of a professional. He's very strong mentally, has a powerful shot, but above all, he's incredibly strong in his head. He's developing very quickly because he wants to learn. Of course, he still needs time, but as a player, he has the personality that predisposes him to be a professional. He knows what he has to do for the club, he knows his responsibilities, and that's the most important thing. If he has a good environment around him, support at home and among his family, I'm sure he'll soon become a starting center-back for the national team.

Were you hoping that your and Feio's contract would be extended after the season?

At Legia, I built very good relationships with everyone at the club: from the warehouse workers, through the chefs, dietitians, physiotherapists, and even the media department. I could have stayed at Legia, and so could Goncalo, but when he decided not to renew his contract, I made the same decision. It was obvious to me. He gave me the chance to join Legia, and it wouldn't have been fair for me to stay and him to leave. I felt sad that I didn't stay at this wonderful club, this wonderful city, with its incredible people, players, and fans. In short, the situation was clear to me – the choice was Goncalo's.

Before the interview, you mentioned in a message that you'll always support Legia. Is this an expression of genuine sentiment or a populist declaration?

I never lie. It was a truly incredible season. Everyone at the club, including the coaching staff, welcomed me like a family member from day one. Dawid Goliński, Krzymień, Mokry, Astiz, Arek Malarz, and Krzysztof Dowhań – everyone I worked with every day treated me like I was Polish. The atmosphere we created was truly special.

Of course, after the season we had – I'll say it again – I found it shameful and unfair what was said and written about Goncalo. I know it wasn't as it was portrayed. I also know that in many situations Goncalo was right, but that's how it is in football – everything happens very quickly, and sometimes you have no control over it.

Despite everything, I'll be a Legia fan forever, because I truly felt good there. I felt at home. I don't know what will happen the day after tomorrow, but this is a club I could return to—if the opportunity ever arises. Why not, I don't mind. I remember what the people at the club told me when I returned the car, and that means a lot to me.

Emanuel Ribeiro: If we don't have any chances in a match, it's a problem, but we created them

We talked about the good times, but there were also some bad ones. Was the match against Radomiak Radom (1-3) the worst moment for you?

Why?

You lost in bad style. What's more, it was the fourth match of the spring, and Legia only earned 4 points out of a possible 12.

We might consider this match a poor performance, but before that match, we had, for example, the 1-1 match against Korona Kielce. We were shorthanded and could have beaten Kielce if we'd converted a penalty. Then we went to Gliwice (0-1). František Plach was the hero. The hosts practically posed no threat, as evidenced by their xG. Even the 0-0 home match against Pogoń Szczecin – we had so many chances! The Portowcy goalkeeper grabbed everything that came his way. That was also a moment that I remember vividly.

As for the match in Radom – we lost. Even though we started with the lead, the ball simply wouldn't go in, but it did. We also didn't have a 100% team ready for that match. That doesn't mean we didn't play with commitment. Every player representing the club knows what the badge on their shirt means and is aware of it. That's the most important thing to me. There are matches where we could have done more, but for various reasons, we didn't.

But in February, fans expected points. Legia didn't play in European competitions or the Polish Cup. Despite this, the championship eluded them.

I understand the fans expected us to score more points. Sometimes there are days when the ball just won't go in. What can we do then? Because one thing is clear to me – if we don't have any chances in a match, there's a problem, but we created them and had them. The ball hits the post, the goalkeepers make some incredible saves... So what are we supposed to do? The players are playing, they're giving it their all. We have to remember they're human beings, not robots. We can't criticize them if they create chances, take shots, and the ball hits the post or the goalkeeper pulls off a miracle. The only thing we can do is keep working.

We should have won the match against Korona. I've already mentioned the match against Piast, but it was similar against Pogoń. After all, we scored four goals against them in the Polish Cup final, and we could have scored three or four at Łazienkowska Street – the same story.

In my opinion, this season had two sides: on the one hand, a fantastic European campaign and winning the Polish Cup; on the other, a disappointing 5th place in the PKO BP Ekstraklasa. What, in your opinion, are the reasons for such a low league position?

We created chances, but they often didn't guarantee goals. Furthermore, we played 55 matches throughout the season, compared to 35 for the Polish champions, Lech Poznań. The large number of matches meant we had to make changes to the lineup. We'll see how Lech Poznań and Raków Częstochowa perform this season. If all four teams play in European competitions... I'd love to be in Poland to see it. Recently, only Jagiellonia Białystok had a roughly similar number of matches, and our rivalries with Jagiellonia have always been exciting for the fans. I think both Legia and Jagiellonia could have won the championship.

One thing is certain, and I've felt it all season long: all the opponents desperately want to beat Legia. They're completely focused on every detail. Playing against Legia is a huge motivation for everyone. For some coaches, it's a way to motivate the team, knowing the opponent will set the bar very high. We, as a coaching staff, have to be ready for that.

So combining the league and European cups is a different sport?

And we were also playing in the domestic cup. It's always difficult to compete in such conditions. Sure, if we had 40 players, we could have formed two elevens, but that wasn't the case. Chelsea can have three teams because their squad values are slightly different. (laughter)

It takes a bit of humility to understand what we've done. Some people should give Goncalo more credit for what he's achieved. For example, at the start of the season, we played with three at the back, but at some point that changed. That change brought improvement because it was growth. We changed and were much better.

Emanuel Ribeiro on Dunkirk: stories like "the players complained", "they didn't like it", "there were complaints" - it's not true

What happened after you left Warsaw? You worked in Dunkirk for 23 days…

It wasn't 23 days at all, because we were already working for the club in June. We were in Dunkirk, working with the players, the staff, and new players who came and went. The situation was simple: we were told the goal was to win promotion to Ligue 1, and the club would provide us with the conditions to achieve it. That was clear. We began pre-season preparations, which looked completely different from what we had previously agreed. We simply asked: why is this going in this direction? Because it wasn't what we agreed on. We were told that at this point the club couldn't offer us anything more. If the club initially said one thing, and 23 days later said another, what were we supposed to do?

And that was it. Nothing more happened. I've read two or three different versions, but the truth is that Dunkerque ultimately appreciated how Goncalo organized everything. He came in and helped the club immensely with organizing transport to training, how the grass should be cut and watered, and how to improve the quality of breakfasts and lunches. He also better organized the office so everyone had the conditions to give their best. Goncalo simply improved the organization, and it was evident from day one. And all the stories like "the players complained," "they didn't like him," "there were complaints" – that's not true.

L'Equipe reported that Feio was disappointed with the club's organization and expressed his frustration. Is it true?

No, we knew how everything was organized. What Goncalo did was try to renovate everything—the food, the pitch, the office. He simply organized the club better. I think they should thank him for that.

Also on behalf of the players. Because some players didn't want to eat lunch at the club because something didn't suit them. He fought for better food and conditions for the players. For normal things – supplements, basic necessities – because they weren't available. In my opinion, these are completely normal aspects of professional football.

Did you break up on good terms or in anger because, as you yourself say, they lied to you?

No, it was just a sincere and good conversation with the sporting director. He presented his arguments and expressed his opinion. He said he understood that we felt cheated and that they wouldn't make a problem if we left. Nothing crazy happened. Goncalo and his agent decided it would be better to end the job. Everything went very calmly and in a completely normal manner.

Mateusz Borek said that Radosław Mozyrko called Dunkirk's sporting director Demba Ba not to hire Feio.

I've heard it, but what can I say about it?

Emanuel Ribeiro on Goncalo Feio: he deserves to become the Polish champion as the head coach

Weren't you surprised?

No, this is football. It's the same with the topic of scouts, because if we didn't talk about it when we were all at the club together, I won't talk about it now that we're all apart of Legia. I don't have any bad feelings towards Radek.

What does the future hold for you or for you?

I don't know where we'll be working. Goncalo emphasizes that he'd like to return to work. We'll be back, but I think we need to join the right project, the right club. The most important thing now is that people want us and provide us with the conditions to develop the club or team. If it's in another country or back in Poland, we'll definitely give it our all. That's 100 percent certain.

So a return to Poland is a possibility? You won the Polish Cup, but the lack of a championship seems to weigh heavily on you.

I had this conversation with Goncalo in May or April. I said: I have the championship here in my throat. Of course, it was two months ago, but for me he deserves the championship - because of the work he did all these seasons and for years in Poland. He just deserved. He reached the big club and I am sure that he deserves to become the Polish champion as the first coach. I think that in the future God will do what is right.

You know the Legia team because this has not changed significantly. Do you believe in the Polish championship?

Of course, this is one hundred percent bright for me. As I told you before - the previous season was a shame. A few small details during the season. I think they are focused again to become a champion, to take this step forward. One thing is certain - the club must also let go, calm down, give some good energy, a good and positive spirit to the team. Everyone deserves to work in peace. This is the most important thing, because sometimes working in peace is the key to achieving the main goal.