The coach who swapped Liverpool´s youth team for life with São Paulo | Jon Cotterill
(The Guardian Brazil)

Michael Beale forged a strong reputation with Liverpool and Chelsea but is relishing the challenge after an unexpected move to BrazilMichael Beale looks relaxed as he surveys São Paulo´s players warming up at the peaceful Barra Funda training ground close to the city´s chaotic and congested Avenida Marginal Tietê. A little over three months ago he would have been watching a similar scene in rather different surroundings at Melwood. Now the Englishman is explaining why he left Jürgen Klopp´s Liverpool for the Brazilian club.`The two things that clinched it for me were visiting São Paulo´s facilities and speaking to Rogério Ceni,` he says, namechecking the manager. `Before I came I tried to explain to friends and to my boss at Liverpool that the size of Rogério at this club is like Ryan Giggs or Steven Gerrard back home. Ceni was paying me a huge compliment. When I visited the junior side set-up at Cotia it made me excited. The facilities are outstanding. It´s been very good for São Paulo. If you look at the squad now, 13 or 14 players have come from there. In England you have fantastic facilities. But Cotia is up with anything I have seen in Europe.` Related: Brazilian goalkeeper guilty of murder back in prison after brief return to football Continue reading...