Bernardo Tavares
Quick Facts
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Biography
Fernando José Bernardo Tavares commonly known as Bernardo Tavares (born 2 May 1980) is a Portuguese football manager, a former footballer and a former technical director of Escolinha de Futebol do Bernardo who is the current manager of African Lyon F.C. of the Tanzanian Premier League.
Playing career
Bernardo began his footballing career since he was 10 years old with the youth team of ADC Proença-a-Nova, based in his home town, Proença-a-Nova. In 1996, he began his professional footballing career with the senior team of ADC and player for the club till he became a 23-year-old youngster in the Campeonato Nacional de Seniores. He also helped his parent club win the Castelo Branco Football Association Cup in 2000.
Managerial career
Bernardo holds the UEFA Pro Licence, the highest football coaching qualification. He received the UEFA Pro Licence in June 2013 from the Portuguese Football Federation. He also holds the Pro License on goalkeeping from the Portuguese Football Federation and has also participated in a Sports Massage course hosted by the Leiria Football Association. He was also awarded with the Best Coach award in the camp where he received the UEFA Pro License in 2013.
ADC Proença-a-Nova U-18
He began his managerial career with the U-18 team of his parent club in 1997.
Pastelaria Rosa
In 1998, he moved to a Bakery Club named Pastelaria Rosa FC (doesn't exist now) where he was first appointed as the head coach of the U-18 team and then of the senior team of the club in 1999.
Escola Superior de Desporto de Rio Maior (ESDRM)
In 2000, he moved to Rio Maior where he was appointed as the head coach of a University National League football club, Escola Superior de Desporto de Rio Maior.
S.L. Benfica
In 2001, he moved to Lisbon where he was appointed as the assistant coach of the U-12 team of one of Portugal's topmost clubs, S.L. Benfica.
G.C. Alcobaça
In the same year, he moved to Alcobaça where he worked as the head coach of various youth teams of the club (U-14, U-15, U-16 and U-18) and also as the assistant coach of the first team from 2002-2005. In 2005, he was appointed as the head coach of the first team of the club and he continued to work at the same post till 2008. During his stint as the head coach of the Alcobaça-based club, he helped the club win the AFL Cup in 2005-06 and 2006-07.
FC Porto (Scout)
In 2008, he moved to Porto where he was appointed as the scout of one Portugal's most renown clubs, FC Porto.
Sporting C.P. Youth and Academy
He moved back to Lisbon in 2008 where he was appointed as the head coach of one of the most renown academies in the world, the Sporting C.P. Youth and Academy, an academy which has given birth to many footballing greats like Cristiano Ronaldo, Luís Figo and Nani. During his time with the Lisbon-based academy, he helped them win the 2008-09 Sub-10 International Tournament.
Carregado
In 2009, he moved to Carregado where he was appointed as the assistant manager of A.D. Carregado.
Belenenses
In 2010, he moved back to Lisbon where he was appointed as the assistant coach (worked under José Mota) of Liga de Honra club, C.F. Os Belenenses. In 2011, he was appointed as the head coach of the same club.
Gil Vicente (Scout)
In 2012, he was appointed as the scout of Primeira Liga club, Gil Vicente F.C.
Al-Hidd
Al-Hidd SCC
He first moved out of Portugal in 2013 to the Middle East and more accurately to Bahrain where he was appointed as the assistant coach (worked under Adnan Ebrahim Showaiter and Khalifa Al-Zayani) of Bahraini Premier League club, Al-Hidd SCC. He helped the club secure the 3rd position in the 2013–14 Bahraini Premier League which till date is the club's best position in the history. His club also had a successful run in the 2014 AFC Champions League where his club entered as a qualifying play-off Round 1 participant. In the Round 1, the club posted a resounding 3-1 victory over hosts, 2012–13 Jordan League champions, Shabab Al-Ordon Club. In the Round 2, the Bahraini club were defeated 2-1 by hosts, 2012–13 Qatar Stars League runners-up Lekhwiya SC at the Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium and hence failed to advance to the AFC Champions League group stage. As a result, the club got a direct entry into the 2014 AFC Cup group stage. The club finished second in Group C which included 2013 Kuwait Emir Cup winners, Al-Qadsia SC (finished as the winners of 2014 AFC Cup), 2012–13 Iraqi Premier League champions Al-Shotra SC and 2013 Syrian Cup winners, Al-Wahda SC Damascus and hence advanced to the 2014 AFC Cup knock-out stage. In the Round of 16, the club secured a 1-0 win over 2012–13 Lebanese Premier League champions, Al-Safa' SC and advanced to the Quarter-finals. In the Quarter-finals the Bahraini club again met their group mate, Al-Qadsia SC. In the First leg, the club played a 1-1 draw against hosts and in the Second leg the club again played out a draw with the visitors (2-2) but were unlucky as the visitors advanced to the Semi-finals on away goals rule. This was again club's best ever performance in an Asian Football Confederation competition.
Tirsense
In 2014, he moved back to Portugal and more accurately to Santo Tirso where he was appointed as the head coach of Portuguese Second Division club, F.C. Tirsense
Al-Nahda
Al-Nahda Club
Press Conference
2015 AFC Champions League
In 2015, he moved back to the Middle East and more accurately to Oman where he was appointed as the head coach of 2013–14 Oman Professional League winners, Al-Nahda Club. His first match as head in-charge of the club was on 17 February 2015 in a 2-1 win over 2014 GCC Champions League runners-up, Saham SC. He also made an appearance as the assistant coach of the club in a 2-1 loss against 2013–14 Qatar Stars League runners-up, El Jaish SC in the Preliminary Round 2 of 2015 AFC Champions League qualifying play-off and hence failed to advance to the 2015 AFC Champions League group stage. He was also head in-charge of the club in the 2015 AFC Cup. The club began the campaign on a flying note as they secured a 2-1 win over 2013–14 Syrian Premier League winners, Al-Wahda SC Damascus.
African Lyon
He first moved to Africa and more accurately to Tanzania in August 2016 where he signed a one-year contract with Tanzanian Premier League side, African Lyon F.C.. He made his debut appearance as a manager in the Tanazanian Premier League on 21 August 2016 in a 1-1 draw against 2015–16 Tanzanian Premier League runners-up, Azam F.C. Later due to some financial delays, the Portuguese decided to part ways with the Tanzanian side.
New Radiant
On 16 January 2017, he signed a one-year contract to be appointed as the head coach of Maldivian side, New Radiant S.C.
Important roles
Bernardo has had many other jobs in football in his career. In 2002, he started working as the head coach and technical director of Escolinha de Futebol do Bernardo where he worked till 2013, being the in-charge of many other clubs in the time period. From 2002-2004, he worked as the Youth Football coordinator of G.C. Alcobaça. He has also worked as the Futsal coordinator of ADC Proença-a-Nova from 2006-2009. In 2009-2010, he was the coordinator of goalkeeper training at A.D. Carregado. From 2010-2012, he worked as the coordinator of Department of Professional Football Scouting at C.F. Os Belenenses.
Training reporter
He has also had the job of making training reports of various top European clubs. He first enrolled into this job in 2001 when he worked with Primeira Liga club, U.D. Leiria under head coach, José Mourinho. He also worked with La Liga club, Real Madrid C.F. in 2004 under head coach, Carlos Queiroz. In 2008, he worked with Sporting Clube de Portugal under head coach, Paulo Bento and in 2014 he worked with F.C. Paços de Ferreira under head coach, Paulo Fonseca.
Honorable mentions
In 2006, he received a mention of thanks and praise for having won two AFL Cups as the head coach of G.C. Alcobaça. He has also received an award of distinction for being graduated from the Escola Superior de Desporto de Rio Maior.
Honours
Club
- With ADC Proença-a-Nova
- Castelo Branco Football Association Cup (1):
Achievements as manager
Honors
- With G.C. Alcobaça
- AFL Cup (2):
- With Sporting CP Academy
- Sub-10 International Tournament (1):