Name Paulo Bento Playing position Role Footballer | 1975–1986 Sanjoanense Lisboa Height 1.84 m Years Team Position Forward | |
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Full name Paulo Sergio Bento Brito Date of birth (1968-02-19) 19 February 1968 (age 47) | ||
Place of birth Estremoz, Portugal | ||
Paulo Sérgio Bento Brito (born 19 February 1968), known as Paulo Sérgio, is a Portuguese retired footballer who played as a forward, and a current manager.
Contents
- Playing career
- Portugal
- Heart of Midlothian
- CFR Cluj
- APOEL
- Acadmica
- Player
- Manager
- Managerial statistics
- References
He amassed Primeira Liga totals of 86 games and 18 goals over the course of seven seasons, but played mainly in the lower divisions of Portugal.
Sérgio began his career as manager in 2003 and went on to be in charge of several teams, including Vitória Guimarães, Sporting and Hearts in Scotland.
Playing career
Born in Estremoz, Alentejo Region, Paulo Sérgio's football career was spent mainly as a substitute, at least in the Primeira Liga. During 17 professional seasons, he represented C.D. Olivais e Moscavide, U.D. Vilafranquense, C.F. Os Belenenses – his most steady period, helping the Lisbon club finish in second position in the Segunda Liga in 1992 with a career-best eight goals, with the consequent promotion – F.C. Paços de Ferreira (his best year in the top division came whilst at this club, scoring five goals in 26 games in the 1993–94 campaign, even though 14 of those came from the bench, as the club was eventually relegated), S.C. Salgueiros, Vitória de Setúbal, C.D. Feirense, C.D. Santa Clara, G.D. Estoril Praia and S.C. Olhanense.
In 1998–99, Sérgio had a spell abroad with French team Grenoble Foot 38, in the Championnat de France amateur.
Portugal
After retiring in 2003, Paulo Sérgio took up coaching, his first experience being with his last club, Olhanense, for three seasons; he next managed another former side, Azores's Santa Clara.
His first spell in the first division occurred in 2008–09, with yet another club as a footballer, Paços de Ferreira. However, on 14 October 2009, he left for Vitória de Guimarães to take the place of sacked Nelo Vingada, signing until the 2011 summer.
In late April 2010, Sérgio reached an agreement to succeed Carlos Carvalhal at the helm of Sporting Clube de Portugal, effective as of July. After dispatching FC Nordsjælland of Denmark in the UEFA Europa League, he made his league debut on 14 August, suffering a 0–1 defeat at former club Paços.
On 26 February 2011, following a 0–2 home loss against S.L. Benfica in the league, and Europa League elimination at the hands of Rangers, with Sporting also out of domestic cup contention and trailing F.C. Porto by 26 points in the league, Sérgio's contract was mutually terminated.
Heart of Midlothian
Sérgio was appointed manager of Scottish Premier League club Heart of Midlothian on 2 August 2011, following the removal of his predecessor Jim Jefferies on the previous day. In October, the team withdrew its staff from all media events in protest at him being called in front of the Scottish Football Association following his remarks about referee Iain Brines after a defeat against Ayr United the following month; he was also sent to the stands for dissent during a game against Kilmarnock after Ian Black was sent off and Marius Žaliūkas fouled Paul Heffernan, allowing Dean Shiels to score the game's only goal from the penalty spot.
On 19 May 2012, Sérgio and Hearts won the Scottish Cup – the eighth overall for the club and the first in six years – after a 5–1 win over fellow Edinburgh side Hibernian. He rejected a new contract offer from the club, and left on 7 June.
CFR Cluj
On 28 October 2012, Paulo Sérgio was appointed at CFR Cluj in Romania, after the Liga I team failed to reach an agreement with countryman Sérgio Conceição.
He managed to lead the club to the Europa League knockout phase, but the year 2013 started badly, with seven consecutive games without a win; thus, he was sacked on 13 April.
APOEL
On 20 May 2013, Paulo Sérgio signed a one-year contract with reigning Cypriot champions APOEL FC. He made his debut as APOEL coach against NK Maribor at GSP Stadium on 31 July 2013, in a 1–1 first leg draw for the third qualifying round of the 2013–14 UEFA Champions League, with the tie being lost on the away goals rule. On 17 August 2013 he won his first trophy with his new club, after a 1–0 triumph over Apollon Limassol for the Cypriot Super Cup.
On 4 October 2013, APOEL parted company with Paulo Sérgio, who spent less than five months in charge of the club and managed just three wins in 11 games.
Académica
On 31 May 2014, Paulo Sérgio signed a one-year deal with Académica de Coimbra. His first official game in charge occurred on 16 August, a 1–1 home draw against Sporting Clube de Portugal.