Carlos Vieira on the newest Sporting Academy School

The first Sporting Academy School in China will officially open its doors in September this year. Vice-president Carlos Vieira was at the signing ceremony in Anshun and the Alvalade representative proved keen to explain te reasons for the new investment: "China has a plan in the long term, to take part in the World Cup, then to host one and to win one. That is an enormous ambition and we can share our know-how for contributing to that objective. We were made very welcome here. Football is a truly global sport and is the sport most played in Chinese Schools. Also we cannot overlook the benefit for the Sporting CP grand. The idea of opening a Sporting Academy School in such a huge country will allow us to work with the grassroots players in local schools. Anshun is one of the country's fastest growing cities."

Carlos Vieira in Anshun for China's first Sporting CP Academy

Sporting CP vice-president Carlos Vieira and sports project coordinator André Lourenço travelled to Anshun this week to put pen to paper on partnerships for the first Sporting CP Academy in China.

The Anshun Olympic Centre will host the academy, with an agreement being signed with the local authorities for the use of the facility. Activities will get underway in September, with a Portuguese technical coordinator being named as the link back to the Alcochete Academy and to give training to coaches and players. An agreement has also been secured that will allow the Sporting Academy School to provide training at public schools.

China's investment in a Sporting Academy School is a gigantic step towards the country's goal of organising a World Cup and winning it.

Alvalade building relationships in eLearning

Sporting CP and Distance Learning Consulting (DLC) have agreed a partnership geared around products and services in eLearning and bLearning formats, in addition to the commercialisation of the courses offered by DLB.

Through the new deal Alvalade is looking to contribute to the development of human resources professionals involved in both national and international sport.

Vice-president Carlos Vieira was on hand to explain the initiative: "This protocol builds on what we have been doing over the last four years. Sporting CP is always involved in training and the opportunity to work with this company both nationally and internationally will get the best out of our know-how and an infrastructure that isn't used much in Portugal."

DLS representative António Augusto Fernandes also showed his backing: "This is a partnership aimed at training in general. We are a pioneering company when it comes to eLearning and this protocol is hugely important for us. Our platform can be used on computers, tablets and smartphones and this deal comes at the right time."

Vice-president Carlos Vieira speaks with Sporting TV about the Alvalade accounts

Sporting CP vice-president Carlos Vieira sat down with Sporting TV this week, to speak in an extensive about the club's finances.

"Sporting CP's accounts are well balanced. We haven't been left wanting for anything recently, especially in relation to football", opened Carlos Vieira, before reflecting on the financial performance of previous boards of directors: "The problems that accumulated in the past have been identified and with financial restructuring we have managed to address them in the long term. We are now in a position to invest, which is what we have been doing. We are working hard on our sports performance and everything that comes with football. In December we agreed a television rights deal and we are producing players who will bring in profit. We are perfectly comfortable with where we are now and were have been praised by UEFA."

Another issue touched on by the Alvalade vice-president was the transfer of Islam Slimani. "On the 30th of July we had a squad which was valued at 32 million euros and in August we sold a player for 30 million euros. You can see exactly what is wrong there. Slimani was valued at 100 thousand euros and the players we produce are valued at nothing. Sporting CP's squad is valued at 32 million euros, Benfica's at 115 million euros and FC Porto's at 91 million euros, but the actual market value of our squad is nearer to 160 million euros."

Vice-president Carlos Vieira at the IIII National Sports Forum

Sporting's vice-president Carlos Vieira was at the III National Sports Forum this week, invited to speak about the work being done to balance the Alvalade books in line with UEFA regulations.

"Sporting CP has been publishing detailed accounts. This board of directors showed the consolidated accounts for the entire Sporting Group for the first time, which is something that not every Portuguese club does. As far as I know, from the big clubs only Sporting and FC Porto have done it", said the Alvalade director, adding: "The previous board missed the numbers set by UEFA's fair-play rules and it discredited Sporting's management. We have restructured and it has worked out brilliantly. We were not penalized financially and that allowed us to turn in the results which we have been."

Carlos Vieira finished with a reflection on football in general: "Clubs in Portugal cannot just focus on players' economic or sports rights. Football is a really important industry in Portugal, Europe and around the world and we have to build up a capacity to keep our best assets. We have to convince players that playing in Portugal is just as good as in Spain for example."

Vice-president Carlos Vieira in interview with Jornal de Notícias

"There is absolutely no obligation at all for us to sell players", guaranteed Sporting's vice-president for finance, Carlos Vieira, in an interview with Jornal de Notícias.

The Alvalade board member proved untroubled by a wealth of financial questions put to him by the daily publication, responding: "The financial restructuring was clear. The first stage was to resolve the financial deficit and to restructure credit, moving a lot of it into medium and long term. The second stage is to get the best out of sporting and its business. The term technical bankruptcy is incorrectly used in the case of sports clubs. Of course their is always going to be a difference between what the squad is worth on the transfer market and what it is worth on the balance sheet. The dynamic that Jorge Jesus has brought in allowed us to seal the biggest television deal ever in December."