In part two of our Where Are They Now? Segment on the foes of the dreadful 2010/2011 season, we start to look at the players who contributed towards our relegation from The Premier League. This week, we start with clumsy winger Luis Boa Morte.
It is fair to say that Portuguese winger Luis Boa Morte wasn’t the best player to ever don the famous Claret and Blue, but where is he now?
The former Arsenal man was signed in January 2007 by Alan Curbishley and never really took to life well at Upton Park. The 31-time Portuguese international did not exactly have the best start to life in East London as the twilight of his career dawned and was much scrutinized for his first half season at West Ham United. The slow wide man would only go on to score twice for the club, but it was during the 2010/2011 season where his level of performance was criticised the most by fans and pundits alike.
The former Fulham man made 22 Premier League appearances during the campaign to forget and drew in huge criticism from fans. The then 32-year-old was booked eight times during the season and offered very little in the form of assists and no goals. The Lisbon-born winger also possessed a very poor discipline record during the torrid campaign, as he picked up seven yellow cards.
The former Southampton man’s contract was finally terminated by mutual consent in August 2011 and Morte signed a two-year deal with Greek side AEL under former manager Chris Coleman. However, just six months into his stay at the club, he left due to the financial problems of the club and the country at the time. In January 2012, it was confirmed that the winger had made the move to South African outfit Orlando Pirates, but left in May having made only two starts. The two short-term spells would be followed by another short and largely unsuccessful one, but this time back in English Football. League Two team Chesterfield decided to sign Boa Morte with the advice of former Fulham teammate and The Spireites head coach Mark Crossley. After the termination of his Chesterfield contract in January 2013, he decided to call it a day on his Footballing career to focus on coaching.
Boa Morte’s first role as a coach was within the academy of his former club Fulham, but after a year in West London, his home club came calling. An assistant manager’s role came up at Sporting CP and the 39-year-old took up the position for Sporting’s B team. However, Morte was promoted to manager of the U19 side after less than a year in Lisbon, but after a year in the role he moved back to North London. His journeyman like career as a player was quickly becoming the norm for the former Portugal international as a coach. In 2015 the former Premier League winner was appointed a scout by Gunners manager Arsene Wenger, where he served for two years in the talent spotting department. Now, Morte is the first-team manager of Portuguese Third Division outfit Sintrense, where he is settling into life as a Football manager.
So, with Luis Boa Morte taking the first step in a long career of management, could we see him back in The Premier League one day or even manager of West Ham United? Not likely, will Hammers fans ever forgive him for his shocking performances during the heart-braking 2010/2011 campaign? Also, not likely.