Jorge Leitão

{{short description|Portuguese football manager and former player}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Jorge Leitão

| image =

| fullname = Jorge Manuel Vasconcelos Leitão{{cite web|url=https://maisfutebol.iol.pt/jorge-leitao/beira-mar/1584-0-132355|title=Jorge Leitão|publisher=Mais Futebol|language=Portuguese|accessdate=25 June 2024}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1974|1|14|df=y}}

| birth_place = Nespereira, Portugal

| height = {{height|m=1.80}}

| position = Striker

| currentclub =

| youthyears1 = 1991–1992 | youthclubs1 = Coimbrões

| years1 = 1992–1997 | clubs1 = Coimbrões | caps1 = | goals1 =

| years2 = 1997–1998 | clubs2 = Avintes | caps2 = | goals2 =

| years3 = 1998–2000 | clubs3 = Feirense | caps3 = 67 | goals3 = 21

| years4 = 2000–2005 | clubs4 = Walsall | caps4 = 233 | goals4 = 57

| years5 = 2006–2007 | clubs5 = Beira-Mar | caps5 = 27 | goals5 = 8

| years6 = 2007–2009 | clubs6 = Feirense | caps6 = 69 | goals6 = 11

| years7 = 2009–2012 | clubs7 = Arouca | caps7 = 83 | goals7 = 10

| totalcaps = 479 | totalgoals = 107

| manageryears1 = 2012–2018 | managerclubs1 = Arouca (assistant)

| manageryears2 = 2017 | managerclubs2 = Arouca

| club-update =

}}

Jorge Manuel Vasconcelos Leitão (born 14 January 1974) is a Portuguese retired professional footballer who played as a striker.

He was known for his six-year spell with Walsall in England, but he also scored 28 goals in 169 games in the Portuguese Segunda Liga over seven seasons.

Club career

=Early years and Walsall=

Born in Nespereira, Cinfães, Viseu District, Leitão started playing in amateur football. At 24, he signed with Feirense, being relegated from the Segunda Liga in his first season and netting 14 goals in the second.{{cite news|url=https://www.jn.pt/arquivo/2006/importante-e-estar-nas-contas-do-treinador-582011.html/|title="Importante é estar nas contas do treinador"|trans-title="What's important is that the manager counts on you"|newspaper=Jornal de Notícias|first=Alexandre|last=Silva|language=Portuguese|date=1 December 2006|accessdate=25 June 2024}} In July 2000, he moved to England with Walsall, who paid £150,000 for his services following an impressive trial spell.{{cite news|url=https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/2014/05/19/hero-jorge-to-wear-saddlers-shirt-again/|title=Hero Jorge to wear Saddlers shirt again|newspaper=Express & Star|date=19 May 2014|accessdate=25 June 2024}}

Leitão scored a career-best 18 goals in 44 matches in his debut campaign. The Saddlers promoted to the Championship after disposing of Reading in the play-off final.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_2/1352124.stm|title=Walsall break Reading hearts|publisher=BBC Sport|date=27 May 2001|accessdate=18 March 2011}}{{cite news|url=https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/football/walsall-fc/2020/05/08/walsall-squad-of-the-century-the-strikers/|title=Walsall squad of the century: The strikers|newspaper=Express & Star|first=Liam|last=Keen|date=8 May 2020|accessdate=25 June 2024}}

In 2001–02, after a difficult start, Leitão's fate was transformed following the sacking of Ray Graydon. In the first game under new manager Colin Lee, he scored a brace at Premier League's Charlton Athletic in the fourth round of the FA Cup.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/fa_cup/1780895.stm|title=Walsall sink Addicks|publisher=BBC Sport|date=26 January 2002|accessdate=18 March 2011}} The team also managed to finally stay clear of the relegation zone, and he netted the goal that saved them from the drop, the only one in an away win over Sheffield United on 13 April 2002;{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_1/1923772.stm|title=Sheff Utd 0–1 Walsall|publisher=BBC Sport|date=13 April 2002|accessdate=18 March 2011}} two weeks later, he extended his contract for a further two years.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/w/walsall/1960458.stm|title=Duo earn new deals|publisher=BBC Sport|date=30 April 2002|accessdate=18 March 2011}}

2002–03 was Walsall's most successful season in the league since the 1950s, with Leitão pairing with Brazilian José Junior for a Portuguese-speaking front line which scored 30 goals.{{cite news|url=https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/2019/05/18/the-big-interview-i-will-always-be-a-walsall-fan-says-jorge-leitao/|title=The Big Interview: I will always be a Walsall fan says Jorge Leitao|newspaper=Express & Star|first=Joseph|last=Masi|date=18 May 2019|accessdate=25 June 2024}} Highlights included a brace against Stoke City (4–2 home win),{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_1/2363901.stm|title=Walsall 4–2 Stoke|publisher=BBC Sport|date=2 November 2002|accessdate=18 March 2011}} one against Grimsby Town (3–1, home){{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_1/2530743.stm|title=Walsall 3–1 Grimsby|publisher=BBC Sport|date=7 December 2002|accessdate=18 March 2011}} and the game's only against Brighton & Hove Albion (also at home);{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_1/2693883.stm|title=Walsall 1–0 Brighton|publisher=BBC Sport|date=11 February 2003|accessdate=18 March 2011}} however, after the loss of Júnior to Derby County in the summer – his replacement being former Arsenal and England star Paul Merson – the team suffered relegation, with Leitão netting seven times from 39 appearances, his worst during his tenure.{{cite news|url=https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/football/walsall-fc/2022/06/27/nightmare-start-when-paul-merson-and-walsall-gave-west-brom-an-opener-to-forget/|title=Nightmare start: When Paul Merson and Walsall gave West Brom an opener to forget|newspaper=Express & Star|first=Jonny|last=Drury|date=27 June 2022|accessdate=25 June 2024}}

In late December 2005, Leitão signed a pre-contract with Beira-Mar in his country, citing homesickness as a factor in his sudden departure from English football.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/w/walsall/4555498.stm|title=Homesick Leitao to leave Saddlers|publisher=BBC Sport|date=23 December 2005|accessdate=18 March 2011}} Though the deal did not come into effect until June 2006, both Merson (now the team's manager) and chairman Jeff Bonser offered to release the player earlier, in recognition of the dedication he had given to the club in his five and a half years of service. The penultimate of his 262 competitive matches for Walsall (71 goals) was a 3–0 defeat away to Bristol City, in which he also suffered a groin injury; in his last, at Bescot Stadium against Blackpool, he was treated to a near half-hour rendition of his name by the home fans, eventually being reduced to tears before leaving the field through a guard of honour composed of some of his teammates.{{cite web|url=http://www.walsall.web-fans.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=717:memory-lane-jorge-leitao-&catid=10:memory-lane&Itemid=10|title=Memory Lane – Jorge Leitão|publisher=Walsall Web Fans|date=21 May 2010|accessdate=18 March 2011|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120321140514/http://www.walsall.web-fans.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=717%3Amemory-lane-jorge-leitao-&catid=10%3Amemory-lane&Itemid=10|archivedate=21 March 2012}}

=Later career=

After helping Beira-Mar promote to the Primeira Liga in 2006, Leitão had his only experience in the competition, scoring twice in ten appearances as the Aveiro side were immediately relegated.{{cite news|url=https://www.cmjornal.pt/desporto/detalhe/forte-resposta-vale-tres-pontos|title=Forte resposta vale três pontos|trans-title=Strong reply awards three points|newspaper=Correio da Manhã|language=Portuguese|date=27 November 2006|accessdate=25 June 2024}}{{cite news|url=https://www.record.pt/futebol/futebol-nacional/detalhe/beira-mar-belenenses-1-2-jorge-leitao-51-jose-pedro-5-dady-41|title=BEIRA-MAR-BELENENSES, 1–2 (Jorge Leitão 51'; José Pedro 5', Dady 41')|newspaper=Record|language=Portuguese|date=2 December 2006|accessdate=25 June 2024}}{{cite news|url=https://www.publico.pt/2007/05/20/desporto/noticia/desportivo-das-aves-e-beiramar-descem-a-liga-de-honra-1294541|title=Desportivo das Aves e Beira-Mar descem à Liga de Honra|trans-title=Desportivo das Aves and Beira-Mar relegated to Honour League|newspaper=Público|language=Portuguese|date=20 May 2007|accessdate=25 June 2024}} He subsequently spent two and a half seasons with Feirense in the second tier and, aged 35, moved to modest Arouca.{{cite news|url=https://www.ojogo.pt/futebol/2a-liga/noticias/jorge-leitao-esta-de-saida-do-arouca-9379954.html/|title=Jorge Leitão está de saída do Arouca|trans-title=Jorge Leitão is leaving Arouca|newspaper=O Jogo|first=Hugo|last=Monteiro|language=Portuguese|date=25 May 2018|accessdate=25 June 2024}}

Immediately after retiring, Leitão was named his last club's assistant coach. On 21 March 2017 he became the third first-team manager of the season after Lito Vidigal and Manuel Machado.{{cite news|url=https://www.ojogo.pt/futebol/1a-liga/arouca/noticias/interior/oficial-manuel-machado-rescinde-com-o-arouca-5740167.html|title=Oficial: Manuel Machado rescinde com o Arouca|trans-title=Official: Manuel Machado terminated at Arouca|newspaper=O Jogo|language=Portuguese|date=21 March 2017|accessdate=27 May 2017}} He was not able to prevent top-division relegation, after winning only once in his five games in charge.{{cite news|url=http://tribunaexpresso.pt/futebol-nacional/2017-05-22-O-desalinhamento-do-cosmos-a-Lei-de-Murphy-Lito-Vidigal-e-o-vapor-do-fumo--ou-a-queda-do-Arouca-explicada-|title=O desalinhamento do cosmos, a Lei de Murphy, Lito Vidigal e o vapor do fumo (ou a queda do Arouca explicada)|trans-title=Cosmos unaligned, Murphy's law, Lito Vidigal and the fumes (or reasoning Arouca's fall)|newspaper=Expresso|first=Lídia|last=Paralta Gomes|language=Portuguese|date=22 May 2017|accessdate=27 May 2017}}

Honours

Walsall

Football League Second Division play-off winner: 2001

Beira-Mar

Segunda Liga: 2005–06{{cite news|url=https://sites.ecclesia.pt/cv/na-despedida-da-liga-ovarense-ganha-na-honra/|title=Na despedida da Liga, Ovarense ganha (na) Honra|trans-title=In League's curtain call, Ovarense win (in) Honour|newspaper=Correio do Vouga|language=Portuguese|date=11 May 2006|accessdate=26 June 2024}}

Arouca