Sampaoli sees Flamengo “one step above”, but will ask for reinforcements

Argentine Jorge Sampaoli likes Flamengo’s squad, but has already made suggestions for reinforcements to the board.

Sampaoli sees Flamengo as a step above the other clubs he managed in Brazil. He understands that the Santos and Atlético-MG groups were less ready.

This is not exactly a list of reinforcements, but suggestions. When he arrived at Santos, for example, he presented a list with an incredible hundred names.

He and his commission understand that every coach needs reinforcements. Sampaoli’s style of play requires athletes with specific characteristics.

Sampaoli intends to take it easy at the beginning and feel the squad before demanding reinforcements. The Argentine has always been interested in managing Flamengo since leaving Santos. It was for the Vila team that he was vice Brazilian. In the last round of 2019, Sampaoli and Santos defeated Jorge Jesus’ super team by 4-0 and secured second place.

How Sampaoli lived the first day of Flamengo

Coach Jorge Sampaoli lived the first day of Flamengo intensely. He had the company of members of his technical commission, intermediaries in the negotiation with the red-black and leaders of the new house.

Jorge Sampaoli landed in Rio around 10 am.

Sampaoli arrived at Maracanã early: at 2:28 pm, about an hour and a half before kick-off.

The coach got out of a car, accompanied by members of the coaching staff and Flamengo football directors, Bruno Spindel and Marcos Braz.

The report found that the time was his desire to get a feel for the locker room, talk to the players. But the presentation, in fact and in a deeper way, will be this Monday (17).

There was no tactical influence or orders to interim Mário Jorge. But the Argentine was able to experience the environment and see the team’s reaction start up close, which, effectively, will be his responsibility from now on.

While Bruno Spindel was with him after landing, Marcos Braz was the “guide” in the booth where the coach saw Flamengo’s victory over Coritiba, 3-0.

AND THE TORCIDA?

Sampaoli won the number 12 shirt as soon as he stepped onto the landing area at Galeão and had two moments of contact with the crowd. At the airport, he came across a little plaque from Chapolin rubro-negro: “Sampaoli is now from Mengão”.

In the cabin, where he had potatoes and peanuts available, as well as a waiter, Sampaoli saw fans who were in captives waving to him.

WHAT HAPPENED

Striker Bruno Henrique told a personal passage he had in the reunion with Sampaoli:

“He tried to find out how I was doing and said he was happy that I was back again. And he said that he is very happy to be here at Flamengo. He had a dream of being at Flamengo. He even joked about when I left Santos. But I told him we’re back together.”

In conversation with Flamengo’s directors, Sampaoli wanted to absorb as much information as possible, from the structure of Ninho do Urubu to the characteristics and peculiarities of the players.

While Sampaoli was in the Maracanã booth, his performance analysts were watching the game intently.

During the second half, they talked about Flamengo’s positioning in the opponent’s attacking field: Gerson was not on the same line as Thiago Maia. Without the ball, Flamengo stuck the number 8 shirt in front of the defense line, forming a more advanced trio with Gerson, Cebolinha and Everton Ribeiro. In front, Gabigol and Matheus França.

AND NOW?

Sampaoli will be presented and give a press conference this Monday (17th), at 2 pm, before training.

In the morning, he wants to streamline bureaucracies to be able to work on Wednesday’s game, against Ñublense, for Libertadores.

The Argentine signed with Flamengo until December 2024, when President Rodolfo Landim’s term ends.