Author: Soorya G
Flamengo’s president, Rodolfo Landim, has silenced all rumors about the possible departure of coach Jorge Sampaoli by firmly stating his position.
After the draw for the Copa do Brasil finals
finals, which set the Maracanã for the opening match on September 17 and the Morumbi for the grand final on September 24, Landim held a press conference at CBF headquarters.
“It’s obvious that Jorge Sampaoli will stay. We’re in the middle of a season with two crucial games. Evaluations are usually carried out at the end of the year“, – said Rodolfo Landim, president of Flamengo.
Landim’s statement can be seen as a reaction to the words of former Flamengo president Kleber Leite, who led the club from 1995 to 1998 (he was also vice-president from 2005 to 2008). Leite noted that the club needed an urgent “shake-up” to “save the season”. In an open letter on his personal blog, he insists on the urgent need to replace Jorge Sampaoli with Mano Menezes, or even team player Filipe Luis (before the end of the year). The former club president’s main concern is the team’s performance in the Copa do Brasil.
“This coach (Sampaoli) has no rapport with the players and even less with the fans. Change!!! Move!!! Transform!!!” he wrote.
Hired in April as Vítor Pereira’s replacement, Jorge Sampaoli’s contract with Flamengo runs until December 2024. So even if a farewell ball is coming up at the end of 2023, the veteran’s exit fee, along with part of his coaching staff, must be paid by the club.
The acting president also took the opportunity to discuss the ongoing renovation of the Maracanã pitch. The stadium will remain closed until the first leg of the Campeonato Paulista final. As a result, Flamengo will play their match against Athletico on September 13 in Cariacica, Espírito Santo. However, Flamengo is still waiting for an official report on when the Maracanã will be available for use.
“The only thing I have in relation to the pitch is that Severiano Braga (General Director of Maracanã) has given me a deadline for assessing the pitch, until tomorrow morning at the latest. The Greenleaf team assessed the pitch to determine the necessary recovery work and the timeframe. It is on the basis of this analysis and the technical work that we are going to position ourselves” said Landim.