The football world moves fast, but sometimes it feels like light speed. Just this summer, Portuguese coach Hugo Martins took the reins at Ethnikos Achnas. Now, in a quick turn of events, the 47-year-old manager has a new club. He is staying in Cyprus, but he’s moved to the more established AEL Limassol. The club officially announced his hiring on Monday. This came after they reached a deal with Martins’ former team.
AEL Limassol made it clear this wasn’t an easy choice. “The agreement runs until the end of the current season,” the club said in a statement. “It also includes an option to renew for another year.” They pointed out they could have hired a coach for free. Instead, AEL’s board made a demanding decision. They chose to invest in acquiring Mr. Martins from his previous club. They called him a “promising coach” and “an excellent specialist in Cypriot football.” That’s quite the vote of confidence.
This is Martins’ third stop in Cyprus. He first arrived in 2023 with Omonia Aradippou, which was in the second division then. He led them to promotion in his first season. He then made sure they stayed up in the 2024/25 season. After that, he moved to Ethnikos Achnas. His good start at Ethnikos caught AEL’s eye. His team was 6th in the league with 8 points and only one loss. Now, he joins AEL, currently 10th with just 4 points.
The challenge is clear for Martins. AEL Limassol has high hopes for their new man. “AEL expresses its full confidence in the new technical team’s abilities,” the club added. “We wish everyone good luck in the demanding work they face. The goal is to achieve the team’s objectives and competitive progress.” AEL has a proud history, too. They have won the Cypriot championship six times. Their last title came in the 2011/12 season.