Denis Troch, former assistant to Artur Jorge at Matra Racing (1987-1989) and PSG (1991-1994 and 1998-1999) : “I started with him at Matra Racing in 1987, he had just won the Champions Clubs Cup with FC Porto. He was the Pep Guardiola or Jose Mourinho of his time, the No. 1, even though he was initially in France, he didn’t always understand. We were separated when he had to return to Portugal for the death of his first wife and he contacted me again in 1991 when PSG called him. Artur was the general manager and I was the head coach as I had a diploma.
“He put PSG on the European football scene and marked the beginning of PSG’s triumphant run with the championship title in 1994”
It put PSG on the European football chessboard and marked the beginning of PSG’s triumphant run with a championship title in 1994, the Coupe de France in 1993 and two European semi-finals, both times eliminating Real Madrid. Arter managed to anchor this in everyone’s mind thanks to an extraordinary match, PSG-Real Madrid (4-1) of 1993. With that, the players knew they could win because Artur had won. He was definitely aloof, but he had charisma and such determination. She was the first at Matra to start competing in the same club. Earlier there were 12-13 players. At Matra, he formed a team with international players doubling all positions. »
Alain Roche, former defender and captain of PSG between 1992 and 1998: “He allowed PSG to become a good European team to reckon with on the European scene (PSG played in two European semi-finals under his command). He brought us his rigour, his great demands and we gained concentration and mental strength. He made us work on the state of mind, the unity so that we become a team, especially during the sessions where we were just running. In the end, we blamed him but collectively it worked. Tactically, we always played the same way with the same players. Humanly, he was far apart from the Brazilians. Personally, he allowed me, with my work, to join the French team. »
Ricardo Gomes, PSG defender between 1991 and 1995 and then coach between 1996-1998: “He was a very intelligent, very cultured and demanding person. It was great working with him for three years at PSG and a few months at Benfica Lisbon in 1995. It was tough but pleasant. He knew how to talk to the players, how to get his messages across, how to motivate us. For my career as a technician, I obviously absorbed him as well as other coaches. »
Jean-Michel Moutier, Sports Director of PSG from 1991 to 1998 then 2005–2006: “I didn’t have him for almost a year because he was sick. In 1991, Canale took over PSG and needed a top-level coach, so Artur Jorge was chosen. I didn’t know him but he was easy to work with, roles were well defined. With Michelle (Denisot, President)He told us: “If you take good players from me, it’s up to me to play them, if they’re not good it’s your fault.”
“Strategically, he is not NASA with experiments but in mental work, he was very strong. He was a hard worker who sought perfection.”
Jean-Michel Moutier, Sports Director of PSG from 1991 to 1998 then 2005–2006
He had a form of management that I have never found since. Strategically, he was no NASA with experiments but in mental work, he was very strong. He was a hard worker who sought perfection. To react to his group, he was able to overcome them, especially in sessions where the players were just running. He would come onto the field with balls and bibs, race the players for an hour, and when they stopped, he would tell them practice was over and go back to the locker room. Arthur was intelligent and interested in many things, he went to museums. »
(tagstotranslate)Arnaud Hermant
