Portuguese coach João Prates, who previously worked in Lithuania with Džiugas Telšiai, has built a coaching career across very different football environments. Having worked in various parts of the world, he has experienced diverse cultures and football systems. Those experiences have also shaped the way he views the development of football in smaller European leagues such as Lithuania.
This is the third and last part of the big interview with the Portuguese manager. Previous two can be read here:
Part 1: https://balticfootballnews.com/joao-prates-leadership-context-and-building-competitive-teams-across-five-countries-part-1/
Part 2: https://balticfootballnews.com/joao-prates-on-humanity-context-and-the-unseen-side-of-coaching-part-2/
Reflecting on the Lithuanian football landscape, Prates believes the league is not lacking openness to foreign players or ideas. In fact, he notes that many international footballers already compete in the country. However, the real challenge lies deeper within club structures, particularly in the way recruitment decisions are made. As Prates puts it, “Lithuanian football already works with many foreign players. The issue, in my opinion, is not openness, but rather how players are identified and recruited.” Financial reality also plays an important role, he adds, and naturally limits certain options in the market.
For Prates, the starting point for every club should be a clearly defined football philosophy. Recruitment should follow the team’s playing identity rather than simply reacting to available players. “Everything should start with a clear football idea,” he explains, adding that once a club defines how it wants to play, it should look for players whose characteristics fit that model. From his experience, this is an area where many clubs still have room to improve.
He believes that appointing a strong sporting director can help solve many of these structural issues. With clear sporting leadership, clubs are able to organise recruitment better and plan for the future. As he notes, “having a sporting director is a key step in that process, because a strong sporting direction allows better organisation, clearer recruitment strategy and long-term planning.”
Despite Lithuania’s league not being among the financially strongest competitions in Europe, Prates still sees it as a valuable stepping stone for players looking to build their careers. “Even if the Lithuanian league is not financially attractive, it is a very interesting European platform for young players with potential who want visibility and the opportunity to progress to higher levels,” he says.
At the same time, he believes clubs could strengthen their long-term sustainability through smarter contract strategies. “Two- or three-year contracts allow clubs to protect their assets, develop players properly and generate transfer revenue,” Prates explains, stressing that such stability is essential for sustainable growth.
Development, however, goes beyond contracts and transfers. Clubs must also create the right environment for players to grow both professionally and personally. “A player is an investment, and investments need structure and care,” he says, emphasizing the importance of stability, good living conditions and proper guidance for young players. He recalls the example of a Lithuanian goalkeeper, Arnas, who moved to Portugal and successfully adapted to a more demanding football environment – proof, in his view, that Lithuanian talent can thrive internationally when given the right opportunities.
Prates’ understanding of football development has been shaped by his international career. Working in countries as different as Brazil, Cambodia and Uzbekistan forced him to adapt to different realities and cultures. Rather than imposing a rigid methodology, he prefers to integrate into the local environment. As he explains, “I make a conscious effort to integrate into local cultures rather than impose my own habits or beliefs.”
Because of that experience, he does not fully agree with the idea that Lithuanian clubs are closed to new faces. According to Prates, hesitation usually appears when clubs themselves are not completely sure what they want. “When decision-makers are not fully clear about the profile or idea they are hiring, there is always some hesitation,” he says, noting that uncertainty naturally creates caution. For him, clarity is the key factor: when clubs have a clear vision and defined objectives, new people and new ideas become opportunities rather than risks.
When discussing scouting and talent identification, Prates often refers to Portugal as an example of how a strong football ecosystem can function. In his home country, football is deeply embedded in everyday life. “Football is more than a sport in Portugal – it is part of the culture,” he says, pointing out that the passion for the game creates a huge and competitive base of young players.
Scouting there starts very early, often before players reach their teenage years, but Prates stresses that talent identification never truly stops. “Late developers are common, and many players emerge in their early twenties through lower leagues,” he explains. These leagues remain a key part of the Portuguese football pyramid and are closely monitored by clubs across Europe.
One example he highlights is Azerbaijani club Qarabağ, which recruited several players from Portugal’s third and fourth divisions and successfully integrated them into a team capable of competing in the Champions League. For Prates, this demonstrates the depth and value hidden within Portugal’s lower leagues.
Another competition attracting increasing attention from scouts is the Liga Revelação, Portugal’s under-23 league. Many European clubs monitor this competition closely because it allows them to identify talented players before their market value rises significantly. Youth success can also dramatically change the market overnight. As Prates points out, after Portugal recently won the U-17 World Cup, many of those players quickly became financially unreachable for smaller clubs due to the sudden increase in their market value.
Looking at the future of European football, Prates believes several smaller nations are positioned for growth. Norway, in particular, stands out to him because of its long-term investment in youth development and infrastructure. “This growth is not sudden – it is the result of long-term planning,” he says.
He also highlights Slovenia as another example of a country developing talent effectively despite its small size. According to Prates, football growth today depends less on population size and more on organisation and strategic planning. “Countries that combine structured youth academies, clear pathways to the first team and openness to international markets will continue closing the gap with traditional football powers.”
Beyond scouting and recruitment, Prates believes the role of a head coach extends far beyond results on match day. Coaches should also contribute to the long-term value of the club by developing players. “Developing players is not only a sporting responsibility; it is also an economic one,” he explains. When players improve, they become assets both on the pitch and in the transfer market.
Earlier in his career he experienced this firsthand while coaching a young team at Atlético de Reguengos. The squad had a very low average age but enormous ambition, which allowed them to exceed expectations and win promotion. As Prates recalls, “it was a team with a very low average age, but with a huge hunger to win. That mentality made the difference.”
Coaching young players requires more than tactical guidance. “You need to help them deal with mistakes, distance from family and moments of insecurity,” he explains, emphasizing that development involves supporting players as people as well as athletes.
Prates still follows the careers of many players he coached in Lithuania, including Motiejus Burba, whom he remembers as one of the hardest-working young footballers he managed. “When I speak about work ethic, he is clearly in my top five,” Prates says, noting that Burba earned his place through dedication and consistency before eventually reaching the Lithuanian national team.
Reflecting on his time at Džiugas, Prates says the experience left him with strong memories. Under his leadership the club reached the Lithuanian Cup semi-final for the first time in its history, something that changed the internal expectations within the club. “We created expectations and then became victims of them,” he says, recalling the disappointment of losing that match despite the progress made.
Structurally, he believes the club still has significant potential to grow, although its future will depend largely on financial support. Personally, he remembers the period warmly. “I built strong relationships and leave Lithuania with respect, gratitude and positive memories – both professionally and personally.”
Throughout his career, patience has become one of the most important lessons he has learned. “Patience is an important quality in a coach’s career, but it should never be confused with passivity,” Prates says. When there is no longer alignment between words and actions within a project, he believes patience stops being a virtue and becomes an obstacle to progress.
Ultimately, Prates sees football as a collective effort built on trust and strong leadership. Internal competition within a squad is essential for maintaining high standards, while honesty and respect remain the foundation of strong relationships. As he puts it, “a coach must be both close and demanding. Real leadership is about balance.”
And when it comes to protecting team spirit during difficult moments, Prates has a simple philosophy. “A team is like a fruit basket,” he says. “If there is one rotten apple, it will eventually affect the others.”
For João Prates, football success is never accidental. It is built on clarity, structure and the ability to develop both players and people – lessons he carried with him from Lithuania to every other stop in his international coaching career.
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