Soccer

Change of technicians! Flamengo has 40 coaches in 24 years - Check

Flamengo has only managed to start and end a season with the same coach once in the 21st century

01 Out 2024 | 10:07 |

For the last 24 years, Flamengowas unable to maintain stability in technical command. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the club has had 40 different coaches, demonstrating a pattern of frequent changes and a clear lack of continuity. On only one occasion did Rubro-Negro manage to start and end a season with the same commander: Vanderlei Luxemburgo, in 2011. This reality contrasts with what is expected from a high-level team, especially in Brazilian football, where maintaining a technical is often associated with a more stable environment and conducive to winning titles.

In the case of Flamengo, the The high number of exchanges reflects a scenario of intense pressure for immediate results and a lack of patience with long-term projects. Even in moments of success, such as the 2019 and 2022 seasons, when the club won important titles, changes in command remained a constant. The scenario is even more complex when we observe that, among these 40 coaches, there are big names in Brazilian football, such as Joel Santana, Dorival Júnior and Abel Braga, who, despite some experience and reputation, also could not resist fluctuations in performance and expectations from the board and fans.

FLAMENGO HAS INSTABILITY WITH COACHES

Even Jorge Jesus' passing, which had a huge positive impact in 2019, only lasted one full season. Furthermore, Flamengo not only changed coaches frequently, but also invested in support structures and different technical committee profiles. There were times when the club bet on foreign names, such as the Spanish Domènec Torrent and the Portuguese Paulo Sousa, in an attempt to implement a new work philosophy. However, these experiences were short-lived and, in the end, ended up reinforcing instability.

With so many changes, it is difficult establish a consistent standard of play and build a solid team. Instability in technical command is often reflected on the field, where the team fluctuates in terms of performance. The lack of continuity impacts the relationship between the squad and coach, the players' confidence and even the athletes' adaptation to the proposed tactical scheme. Each new coach brings his or her ideas, methods and playing style, which requires time to adapt and assimilate.

For example, in 2020 season, Flamengo passed through the hands of three coaches: Jorge Jesus , Domènec Torrent and Rogério Ceni, which generated a period of instability and made the club lose its rhythm in some competitions. This sequence of changes compromised performance on some occasions and increased the pressure for immediate results. Constant turnover is also detrimental to the formation of a tactical identity and game model. Teams that achieve greater long-term success generally have stability at the helm, allowing for more coherent strategic planning. At Flamengo, this condition is rare, and the list of names that have been in charge in recent years shows the impact of a management that seeks quick solutions to problems that would require more continuous work.

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Soccer

FlaPress? André Rizek says the press is 'focused' on Flamengo

A journalist guarantees that the way the media treats Mengão is always in an exalted tone, which has left the fans 'spoiled'

André Rizek detonates the media's treatment of Flamengo and says the club is being treated with 'nobleness' - Photo: Reproduction/Charla Podcast

17 Set 2025 | 13:49 |

This Tuesday (16), journalist André Rizek participated in the Charla Podcast and once again gained prominence on social media when talking about Flamengo. Questioned by Bruno Cantarelli about the way the press treats the club , the SporTV presenter pointed out what he considers a “bad habit” of the red-black fan.

André Rizek: "Flamengo has a noble treatment"

According to Rizek, over the years, the media has created a culture in which the spotlight focuses on Flamengo , while rivals with similar achievements don't receive the same recognition. This behavior, he says, has accustomed fans to always expecting "noble treatment."

"When I came to live in Rio de Janeiro in 2010, my first shock was the media coverage. The first thing I noticed was that Flamengo gets a noble treatment. For example, if Flamengo wins the Guanabara Cup: 'Guanabara belongs to Mengão!' Then Botafogo wins the State Championship: 'Botafogo wins an empty State Championship.' Wait, something's different," said the journalist.

“FLACENTRISM” AND THE ROLE OF THE PRESS

Rizek also cited recent examples to illustrate his point. According to him, any praise given to players from other clubs invariably generates comparisons with Flamengo , as when he praised Jhon Arias when he was still a Fluminense player.

"I said that Jhon Arias was, in my opinion, the best and most complete player active in Brazil. 'But what about Arrasca?' I wasn't talking about Flamengo, I was talking about Arias. You can't praise anything outside of Flamengo. A media culture has been created in Brazil that says: 'To Flamengo, everything; to others, beatings, mockery, belittling, and disrespect.' Flamengo is the most popular club in Brazil, a very powerful brand . But the others also need to be treated with respect," he added.

PROTAGONISM IN THE MEDIA

Despite the criticism, it's worth noting that part of this impact also stems from the engagement of rival fans, a phenomenon dubbed "Flacentrism" by the nation. Since 2019, any prominent team in Brazilian football has been compared to Jorge Jesus' historic team , such as Botafogo in 2024 or Abel Ferreira's Palmeiras. The same goes for players: every prominent number 10 in the country ends up being measured against Arrascaeta.

Because of its successful history and the strength of its fans, Flamengo tends to maintain a privileged position in the media . However, how this prominence is constructed is also influenced by the behavior of fans of other teams.

Change of technicians! Flamengo has 40 coaches in 24 years - Check