Portuguese Lemos to Lead La Laguna
Portuguese coach Ricardo Lemos has been appointed to lead Tenerife Libby's La Laguna for the rest of the season, marking his first professional role outside Portugal as he takes over the struggling Women's Superliga team.
Tenerife Libby's La Laguna has a new coach at the helm. The team announced that Portuguese coach Ricardo Lemos will lead them for the rest of the season. This marks Lemos's first professional coaching role outside of Portugal, and he arrives in Tenerife at a challenging time for the club. La Laguna is currently second to last in the Women's Superliga and was recently knocked out of the Copa de la Reina, a result that led to the departure of the previous coach, Guillermo Orduna.
The new coach, wearing the team's blue and white colours, expressed a strong connection with the club's and fans' energy, determination, and fighting spirit. He believes it's a "perfect" place for him. "I know the quality of the players we have in the squad; I don't need to speak with them to understand that they are not satisfied with the team's current standing. That feeling will provide a lot of energy and desire to turn the situation around," he stated.
Lemos acknowledged the team's difficult season and spoke about the competitive nature of the Liga Iberdrola. He emphasized that the league is tough, "not just for the teams at the top, but also for those at the bottom." He added, "The end of the first half of the season changes the mindset between teams that have won more games and those that have won fewer, and that is the main difficulty, although pressure is present in all of them."
He also mentioned that in recent weeks, he has watched many Liga Iberdrola and club matches, which has helped him "better understand the journey so far." Lemos believes teamwork will be a "decisive" factor. "I want the team to be capable of solving individual problems with collective solutions, which will help us overcome difficulties in the most demanding situations," he explained.
Addressing the fans directly, the Portuguese coach called for unity to achieve their goals. "All families go through difficult times, but together we will be able to overcome them. I invite you to stay by our side, accompanying us to show what Haris is all about. The fans are a big part of my decision to join the club," he concluded.
First Time Away From Home
Ricardo Lemos brings extensive experience from Portuguese volleyball. He started his head coaching career at Academia José Moreira, spending three seasons there and winning a national cup. He then coached SC Espinho before becoming an assistant coach for the Portuguese national team, working with the U21, U23, and senior squads. He also coached Esmoriz GC for one season and, in 2024, led CD Fiães during the first part of the current season.