Hélder Manuel Dos Santos Silva (born 18 June 1980) is a Portuguese manager and former player, who played as a Defensive midfielder. Helder Dos Santos Silva had a diverse football career that spanned several clubs across different levels. He began with Alunos de Meirim and went on to play for teams like Sport Club Nun’Alvarez, Uniao Desportiva de Valonguense, Grupo Desportivo de Covelo, Grupo Desportivo de Aguas Santas, and Caide De Rei Sport Club. In 2004, he joined Hailsham Town Football Club, followed by a move to Eastbourne United Football Club in 2005 and then to Eastbourne Borough Football Club. after successful seasons, he joined Aldershot Town Football Club in January 2008 and retired same year at the age of 28.
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Career
Hélder began his coaching career in 2008 at grassroots level after retiring and progressed through the ladder establishing his own football academy, Prodirect Soccer Academy in 2011. Helder Silva progressed with his coaching, from Scout to head coach, managing teams like Eastbourne Borough F.C in 2010-2015 as a Perform Analyst and Assistant coach. Helder then moved to Whitehawk F.C where he held the position of Assistant Coach and Scouting Coordinator at National League South club Whitehawk F.C., during the 2015-2016 season.[2]
From 2016 to 2018, Hélder worked as Academy scout and coach of Crystal Palace Under-18s who were playing in the Premier League 2 division, and later as assistant coach of the under-23s where he assisted the Under-23 head coach with daily training sessions.
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In 2018, Hélder was appointed by Meizhou Football Association, as the head coach of the association and Meizhou Sports school. From 10 May 2019 to 12 May 2019,
Hélder taught 34 Chinese youth coaches how to improve the abilities of young players in training, during a three-day football coach training course organized by the Meizhou Football Association at the Meizhou Sports School.[4]
On 8 September 2020, he helped Meizhou youth team win the 2020 Guangdong Provincial Youth Football Championship for the first time in 15 years.[5][6]
Hélder left China in the summer of 2022 and was announced as the men's team head coach of Australia National Premier League side, Riverside Olympic Football Club on 24 September 2022.[7]
