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Specialist backup goalkeepers are becoming more fashionable in modern football. They are, effectively, just a vital body in need of emergency. However, some can impact a football club far more than increasing the temperature of a pitch-side bench.
In the case of Henrique Hilário, the preceding statement rings true.
Born in São Pedro da Cova in the North-West of Portugal, Hilário first emerged as a product of Porto’s youth system. Spells at the lowly Associação Naval 1º de Maio and Académica de Coimbra comprised the first of his senior appearances followed, before returning to his boyhood club in 1996.
Vitor Baia had just departed for Barcelona, and in his wake a 21-year-old Hilário made 18 appearances in Porto’s title winning 1996/97 season. He would soon return, however, giving Hilário his first job as a regular backup goalkeeper until his release in 2004.
He would join Clube Desportivo Nacional on a two-year deal, making 40 league appearances over two years, before the move that defined his career.
Jose Mourinho was the first name on everybody’s lips in English football at the time. Back-to-back titles with the money of Roman Abramovich staunched behind him, Chelsea were a force to be reckoned with.
They had a depth talent across all positions – Drogba, Shevchenko and Kalou up front; Lampard, Ballack, Essien and Makelele in midfield. In goal, it was no different. With Petr Cech and Carlo Cudicini, it could be argued we haven’t seen a stronger pair of goalkeepers in the same squad since.
On June 1st 2006, they were joined by Hilário. He reunited with his former manager, and was set for the seldom active profession of third choice goalkeeper.
At 29, it was an opportunity Hilário couldn’t turn down. Having won two titles and two Taça de Portugal’s in his homeland, he would have the opportunity to add to his trophy cabinet by joining one of the world’s best and richest outfits.
Little could he imagine how early he’d get his chance. Cech suffered his disastrous head injury which would force him to wear a helmet for the rest of his career, and Cudicini injured himself on the same afternoon against Reading. Hilário was, all of a sudden, the first-choice goalkeeper of the Premier League champions.
In his first start against Portsmouth, Mourinho’s men won 2-1 with Hilário conceding to Benjani Mwaruwari. Andriy Shevchenko and Michael Ballack were on the scoresheet for the Blues.
That was the first of 20 league appearances for Chelsea. If you’d have said that to him at the time, he’d have likely thought it would be over one or two seasons. It was eventually nine.
Many could throw the ‘mercenary’ card, but you have to be of a certain standard to play at that level, and be in a squad of that class, for that length of time.
“I’m not going to say to a player you have to go and play regular minutes. If you are happy and comfortable, why change?
“To be honest, there is no guaranteed he’d have gone somewhere and started games. When you think about where players come from and how they are brought up, the hundreds and thousands they are paid in the Premier League can hardly be used as a stick to beat them. We’d all do it.”
After Jose Mourinho’s first season of his second spell came to an end, the then 38 year-old would be released. But after years of service, Chelsea and Hilário could not just part ways.
Two years later, with Antonio Conte at the helm, he returned as a goalkeeping coach.
“There was quite a bit of surprise about Hilario returning to Chelsea.
“The goalkeeping coaching position at Chelsea is always a bit of an interesting issue – there is a lot of backroom politics (in keeping with the rest of Chelsea!) and it’s worth noting that there has been suggestions that Christoph Lollicon and Hilario don’t get on.
“Antonio Conte brought him back into the club and Lampard retained him – the latter shared a dressing room with him, so he’ll know all about him.”
He may not remain long with Thomas Tuchel potentially looking to implement his own staffing structures. But if it is the final termination of Chelsea and Hilário’s long relationship, fans will remember Hilário with fondness and humour.
“Besides standing behind him once in a Starbucks queue – and feeling incredibly sad that I recognised that it was Henrique Hilario – I think my main two memories are one positive and one negative.
“Starting with the positive: 2009 against Liverpool. Cech was suspended, he came in and played really well. It was the only time we played Liverpool and Fernando Torres was completely utterly shut down. Obviously couldn’t cope with his Portuguese magnificence.
“As for the negative- Chelsea 2-4 Manchester City. Chelsea won the league in 2010, but this was one of the big low points in the season. Bellamy and Tevez got braces and Hilario should have saved at least 3 of the four goals. It was a shockingly poor performance.”
Henrique Hilário Alves Meireles Sampaio. Not tremendous. Not special. But always consummately professional.
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