Jose Couceiro set for Lithuanian role

Former FC Porto boss to work for FBK Kaunas

Former FC Porto and Portugal under-21 manager Jose Couceiro is set for a new stage of his football career as a sporting director at Lithuanian champions FBK Kaunas.

According to Portuguese daily Record, negotiations between the 45-year-old and Kaunas are at an advanced stage, with the A Lyga champions looking to the Portuguese to help project the club’s image outside the country.

Kaunas, who currently lead the top flight by four points, meet Andorra’s Santa Coloma in the early rounds of the Champions league on Tuesday, with Couceiro expected at the match as guest of owner Vladimir Romanov.

Romanov also owns Scottish Premier League side Hearts, and sees Couceiro as the ideal candidate to give give Kaunas a new dimension in their home country. If the move goes through, it will be Couceiro’s first post of any description outside Portugal.

A Lisbon native and fan of Sporting as a youngster, Couceiro served as president of the Portuguese Football Players’ Union, before embarking on a managerial career which took in FC Alverca and Vitoria Setubal, before unsuccessful spells in charge of Porto, Belenenses and the Portuguese under-21 international side.