THE GLOBE
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Renewal\ with clashes at Fla
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Andrade agrees to stay, but relationship with vice president of football is strained
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\ ANDRADE IN his first press conference after agreeing to stay: \ "It was a good deal for me and Flamengo"
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\ Carlos Eduardo Mansur
\ and Marcos Penido
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The end was a happy one for Andrade and Flamengo. At least for now. The decisive action of president-elect Patrícia Amorim and her vice-president, Hélio Paulo Ferraz, resolved the disagreement between vice-president of football Marcos Braz and the coach, both of whom were intransigent in their proposals. The agreement was finally reached yesterday at a board meeting. In it, Braz was the outvoted vote. He believed it would be best for the club to move on to hiring a new coach, as he believed the relationship with the board was strained. That evening, with everything resolved, Andrade was at the club to seal the deal. He will receive R$160 a month on a formal contract. But the relationship between the coach and the vice-president of football is strained.
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In 2010, the coach will be joined by Rogério Lourenço, the youth team coach who has been promoted to work as his assistant with the professional team. Along with Rogério, he will also have Marcelo Sales, who renewed his contract yesterday.
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\ Club rejects proposal for Aírton
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On Tuesday night, the atmosphere turned bad after a meeting between Marcos Braz, Eduardo Manhães, the football director, and Andrade at a restaurant in Rio's South Zone. Braz refused to budge on the club's proposal, worth R$150.
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\ - We've reached our limit - he said at the time.
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Andrade stood firm, and everyone left the restaurant looking unfriendly, unwilling to give interviews. The pressure exerted by Marcos Braz, however, had some effect. Yesterday morning, after much thought, Andrade called the club and said he accepted the proposal presented by Braz on behalf of Flamengo, although he still requested some adjustments.
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The intervention of Patrícia Amorim and Hélio Paulo Ferraz proved crucial to the coach's continued employment. Thanks to their support, Andrade secured a R$10 raise on his initial offer of R$150. In exchange, he lowered the required bonuses and the termination fee. Although everything ended happily, the atmosphere was not the best at the end of the agreement last night. Marcos Braz was the first to leave the room where everyone was gathered.
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"All the issues were resolved, and the contract was signed. We had a conversation that wasn't just between former athletes," the director said, clearly referring to the former swimmer and new club president. "The important thing is that Flamengo's interests prevailed. I will continue to have a good relationship with Andrade. But, as in a marriage, disagreements happen. I'm the vice president of football, and he's the coach. That's how our relationship will be from now on."
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Andrade left the room well after Marcos Braz and preferred to tone down his speech. Happy with the renewal, he said it was normal for there to be different opinions when it came to renewing a contract.
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"It's normal for there to be discussion and for everyone to try to impose their point of view in defense of their interests. Everything turned out well," he said, remembering that he owes a lot to Marcos Braz.
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"He was the one who gave me the opportunity to manage Flamengo. I owe a lot to Marcos Braz. I think, in the end, both sides came out on top. I fought for what I thought was best for me, and Braz defended the club's interests. We reached an agreement that was good for both parties, without harming anyone," said Andrade, who is now thinking about the 2010 plan.
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The board of directors rejected Benfica's offer of €3 million (approximately R$7,6 million) to sell Aírton to the Portuguese club. Flamengo owns 15% of the midfielder's economic rights, with the remainder held by Nova Iguaçu and the company Traffic. Of the amount offered by Benfica, the club would be entitled to €450 (approximately R$1,1 million), less than the R$3 million it would be entitled to as a release clause, which totals R$20 million.
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"I have to think about Flamengo's interests. At this price, the proposal doesn't meet our interests," said Marcos Braz.
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balance
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\ THE NEGOTIATIONS between Andrade and Flamengo, regardless of the outcome,\ placed a contradiction on the table of the always heated discussions about football\ and officials.
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\ EI-LA: It is common to complain about unrealistic, very high salaries paid to players\ and coaches, as well as the constant target of criticism - with reason - of\ the administrative incompetence of these same clubs.
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\ BECAUSE WHEN one of them rejects a request, because it is too high, even coming from\ a professional responsible for a recent and great achievement, the tendency is to\ defend the claim.
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\ Consistency IS REQUIRED.
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Maracanã's final project will be presented today
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\ FIFA received the final version only last Saturday
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Finally, the final Maracanã design for the 2014 World Cup will be presented today at 10 a.m. in the stadium's grandstand. The Secretary of Tourism, Sports and Recreation, Márcia Lins, and the president of EMOP (Public Works Company), Ícaro Moreno, will present all the details of the work, which is scheduled to begin on March 1st, according to the deadline promised to FIFA. Yesterday, the secretary and members of the Local Organizing Committee spent the afternoon working on the design.
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The Maracanã's final design was the last to be submitted to FIFA among the 12 host cities of the World Cup in Brazil. Only last Saturday did the organization receive the stadium's modification plans, which are already being studied. The work, which the committee says should be completed before 2013, will begin once the stadium is open. Maracanã will continue to host matches until August.
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\ With a cost of R$400 million, financed by BNDES, the Maracanã project\ has undergone several changes since the initial one, which was to be financed by a public-private partnership. Among them, the permanence of Julio De Lamare and Célio de\ Barros.
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Column\ Ancelmo Gois
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Andrade's piggy bank
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\ Andrade, coach of six-time champion Flamengo, reaps the rewards and fills his piggy bank at the end of the year (he deserves it).
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\ In addition to renewing his contract with Fla (there is talk of R$160 thousand per month), he was hired as a poster boy for Nextel.
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SPORTS JOURNAL
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After a long meeting, Andrade renews with Flamengo
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Rio de Janeiro: It's confirmed. Andrade will lead Flamengo for another season. On Wednesday night, in a meeting between the coach and the club's football management, his contract renewal for 2010 was agreed.
\ \The coach's salary will be 150 thousand. Throughout this Wednesday, the new board, led by the newly elected president Patrícia Amorim, met to resolve the future of the red-black coaching staff. At the end of the meeting, the two parties reached a consensus and signed the agreement for next year. Andrade will have the opportunity to continue his successful trajectory. (BB)
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Flamengo wins and qualifies in the under-20 category
\ \\ \ \ \ \ \ Santa Rosa/Rio Grande do Sul: Flamengo\ won 2-0 against Náutico and qualified for the next phase of the Brazilian under-20 championship, which is being financed by the Gaucho Football Federation.\ The red-black team's goals were scored by Dieguinho and Diego Mauricio.
\ \ \ \The Rio de Janeiro club's opponent comes from the clash between Atlético Paranaense and Atlético Mineiro, which takes place on Wednesday night.(THERE)
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Benfica's proposal for Aírton doesn't please Flamengo
\ \Rio de Janeiro: Negotiations with Aírton could fall through. The amount of three million euros (around R$7,6 million) proposed by Benfica did not please Flamengo's management. If the transfer were confirmed, the Rubro-Negro Club would only keep 15% (around R$1,1 million) of this amount, since it only owns this portion of the midfielder's economic rights.
\ \Therefore, it is possible that the 19-year-old player will only leave Gávea upon full payment of the R$20 million termination fine, considering that Fla will profit around R$3 million.
\ \Flamengo's vice president of football, Marcos Braz, said that this amount is far from ideal for the deal. The only thing that matters is the amount that will remain with the club. (BB)
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Ronaldo Angelim finds it difficult for Zé Roberto to stay
\ \Rio de Janeiro - Hero of Flamengo's sixth championship, defender Ronaldo Angelim believes midfielder Zé Roberto won't stay at Gávea next season. With the player's possible departure, the Flamengo defender is calling for reinforcements.
\ \"I think Zé Roberto will leave. The board has to hire other strong athletes to help. We can't just depend on Adriano, we need a midfielder, for when Petkovic doesn't play, a defender and a defensive midfielder," said Angelim, in an interview with Journal of Northeast.
\ \Zé Roberto's contract ends at the end of this year and the player has already been called to rejoin Schalke 04 in Germany. If Flamengo wants to keep the midfielder, they will have to pay around R$5 million for the player's economic rights. (LM)
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THE DAY
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Andrade renews with Flamengo
\ \Coach backs down and accepts the club's offer of R$150 per month. The coach of the sixth title also makes peace with vice president of football Marcos Braz.
\ \BY THALES SOARES
\ \Rio - Andrade will continue as coach of Flamengo in 2010. This Wednesday, after the board managed to resolve an impasse between him and the vice-president of football, Marcos Braz, his name was confirmed as the manager of the team that will compete in the Copa Libertadores, the Campeonato Carioca, the Copa Sudamericana and the Campeonato Brasileiro next year.
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"It's normal for a negotiation like this to drag on. Everyone sees their side. In the end, everything worked out. I have no problem with Marcos Braz and I won't be ungrateful to someone who gave me an opportunity," said Andrade, satisfied with the agreement.
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Andrade won the Brazilian title this year, breaking a streak that began in 1992 with their fifth title. Flamengo had lost its dominance in the main competition to São Paulo, but tied the match.
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\ Andrade was called to a meeting in Gávea with the president-elect Patrícia\ Amorim, the vice-president Hélio Ferraz and the vice-president football fans Marcos Braz. With that, the contract was agreed, with a salary of R$150, signed. The previous salary was R$50, low compared to the market value of top coaches.
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The impasse began on Tuesday night, when Andrade had dinner with Marcos Braz. Both seemed unyielding. Still in the early hours of the morning, Patrícia Amorim entered the negotiations and managed to dissuade Andrade from his initial request of R$250 per month, as per the contract. Marcos Braz refused and did not intend to exceed R$110. He settled on R$150 and set that as a ceiling.
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\ The treinador accepted the amount, provided with a termination fee of R$800. The agreement was reached, the impasse was resolved and Andrade will still have a second assistant, Rogério Lourenço, from the youth team and the under-20 national team, alongside Marcelo Sales, who was already part of the coaching staff.
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Andrade is starting to think about the preseason, which should be in Teresópolis or Porto Feliz, São Paulo. The return match will be on January 6th, in Gávea. The board is trying to renew the contracts of key players like Ronaldo Angelim.
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New form of administration
\ \Patrícia Amorim consults Vicente Falconi, an expert on the subject, to discuss changes in Flamengo's management.
\ \BY THALES SOARES
\ \Rio - Flamengo's president-elect, Patrícia Amorim, will only take office on Monday, but she is already keeping an eye on the future of the Rubro-Negro, dividing her time with her duties as a councilwoman. On Tuesday, she met with consultant Vicente Falconi Campos, one of the founders of the Institute for Management Development (INDG), to begin discussing changes to the club's management model.
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\ In the first phase, a diagnosis by INDG to try to balance revenues and expenses and, consequently, deal with the reduction of the club's debt of more than R$350 million. Patrícia was excited after the first conversation and has already scheduled a new meeting for January 15th.
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\"We are experiencing a transition and we still have many work limitations. But\ we are taking action and everything will be done within the budget of R$ 148 million. The\ institute will work mainly the issue of income and expenses.\ We need to find a balance to manage a club like Flamengo",\ stated the president-elect.
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Football will receive special treatment, but not yet in this first phase. After the diagnosis, the institute will conduct an assessment of the situation, which will take two to three months. It's a long-term effort, but one that Patrícia is betting all her chips on in her first year in office.
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"I was very excited. They have a logic of actions to serve Flamengo," said the president-elect.
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Vicente Falconi declined to comment. The consultant has provided services to the governments of Rio and Alagoas, in addition to serving large entrepreneurs. He recently released the book 'The True Power'.
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Police identify brawlers at the sixth anniversary party
\ \Rio - Police identified three fans on Wednesday who were involved in a fight in the streets of Leblon on the 6th, during Flamengo's sixth title celebration. Brothers Leonardo and Diego Barreiros Vinhaes, aged 31 and 25, respectively, were detained along with André de Souza Flores, 30, and later released.
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The three were previously indicted under Article 129 (bodily harm), which carries sentences ranging from three months to three years. They were identified through videos in which they were beating and kicking Mauro Marinho, 23. Police also accuse Leonardo of attempted murder. The commotion nearly turned a night that was supposed to be a party into a tragedy.
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\ Today, the police will interview another witness, and the three may even be charged\ with the crime of forming a gang, which can also carry a sentence of up to three years.
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Flamengo mobilizes to keep Zé Roberto
\ \Rio - The Flamengo bosses are already making moves to try to keep Zé Roberto at Flamengo. He is on loan from Schalke 04 to Flamengo, and his contract runs until the end of this month, and it has already been announced that he must return to Germany to rejoin the European club.
\ \The big obstacle in negociações is that the Germans no longer accept to loan him and want to negotiate Zé Roberto permanently. The price asked by the directors is around R$5 million for the player's transfer. The solution could be to acquire part of the rights economical of the athlete, dividing the remainder with investors.
\ \This possibility has already been discussed between the vice president of football, Marcos Braz, and the player's attorney, Rodrigo Fonseca. But the solution depends on the financial situation of the Gávea club.
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SPORTS GAZETTE
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Andrade defines renewal with Flamengo
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Rio de Janeiro - RJ)
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Technician reportedly received a 200% salary increase
\ \The saga is over: Andrade will continue at Flamengo for the 2010 season. The coach accepted a new contract on Wednesday night in a meeting with the board of directors of the Brazilian champion.
\ \With this, Andrade will be the commander of Flamengo in the Campeonato Carioca and, above all, in the Copa Libertadores da América. In 2010, the Rio de Janeiro team is seeking its second South American title.
\ \Negotiations between Andrade and Flamengo dragged on and even caused fear among fans. With the lack of a financial agreement with Flamengo, the coach saw his name speculated even for a transfer to the Arab world.
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\ In the end, Andrade had his work valued at Gávea. The information indicate that the former midfielder will have his salary increased by 200%.
Because of the delay in reaching an agreement with Andrade, Flamengo considered hiring another coach. The name of Rogério Lourenço, commander of the Brazilian Team under-20s in this year's World Championship, began to be discussed.
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Andrade: "I couldn't be ungrateful"
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Rio de Janeiro - RJ)
The long negotiations between Flamengo and Andrade ended happily. A meeting this Wednesday confirmed the coach's stay at Gávea for the 2010 season. For the Brazilian champion manager, the prolonged talks should be seen as natural.
\ \"The discussion is normal, I try to see my side, Flamengo sees theirs. The important thing is that everything worked out in the end," explained Andrade, who rejected any disagreements with the vice president. football fans Marcos Braz for the future.
\ \"Of course, a situation like this brings a little wear and tear, but I would never be ungrateful to a person who gave me an opportunity," added the Brazilian champion.
\ \During the talks, information emerged that Andrade was extremely dissatisfied with Flamengo's offers. The coach denied, however, that financial issues had caused the delay in reaching an agreement.
\ \Even with Andrade's calming words, Marcos Braz couldn't hide his discomfort when discussing the renewal process with the coach. "We tried to smooth things over. The important thing is that Flamengo's financial situation was taken into account," the director warned.
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Patrícia Amorim is relieved with Andrade's renewal
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Rio de Janeiro - RJ)
Flamengo's president-elect, Patrícia Amorim, was relieved with the success in the renewal of coach Andrade's contract. After a true saga, the Brazilian title leader decided to stay at Gávea on Wednesday night.
\ \"I'm happy with this outcome. I wanted to keep Andrade. The fans can now rest easy," commented Flamengo's president-elect.
\ \According to Patrícia Amorim, the agreement with Andrade can be considered her first major act in the administration of Flamengo, which officially begins next year. The board of directors of the Rubro-Negro had difficulties in reaching an agreement financial with Andrade.
\ \"I strongly believe that\ problems are resolved within Flamengo itself. At the same time, I am the one who must set the ceiling. I am committed to the club's budget," explained the director upon leaving the meeting with the coach.
\ \In addition to Andrade, Flamengo also confirmed the continuity of assistant coach Marcelo Sales.
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Former Parmalat director may join Flamengo's board
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Rio de Janeiro - RJ)
Elected as Márcio Braga's successor as Flamengo's president, Patrícia Amorim is working to define the structure of her football department before taking office at Gávea. With the position of football director vacant, the businesswoman must reach an agreement with José Carlos Brunoro, former volleyball coach and sports director at Parmalat.
\ \"Patrícia made contact to talk about Flamengo's football area. At first, she just asked me The Sommelier's Recommendations . There was no agreement," said Brunoro, who currently owns a sports marketing company. The idea of joining the board of the current Brazilian champion was very appealing.
\ \"I think it's very interesting the invitation. Flamengo is undoubtedly a club that any professional wants work. For this, I have to see the club's idea and I also need to evaluate my conditions to execute the day", added Brunoro, the main candidate for the position in 2010.
\ \At 59, Brunoro has extensive experience in sports. He was a volleyball player, physical trainer, coach of the Brazilian men's volleyball team, and, between 1992 and 1997, sports director for Parmalat in South America. He participated in the company's co-management experience with Palmeiras, a period in which the club won two Brazilian championships (1993 and 1994).
\ \In addition to naming a new football director, Patrício Amorim intends to hire a paid executive director to strengthen the department. The president-elect has already confirmed Marcos Braz's continued role as vice president of football.
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PELENET
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After renewal, Andrade rules out vacation to put together 'Flamengo 2010'
\ \Cauê\Rademaker
\ \In Rio de Janeiro
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Andrade will stay in Rio during the 'vacation'
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At least initially, the grueling contract renewal process didn't dampen coach Andrade's spirits. Appearing relieved that the ordeal was over, the coach showed enthusiasm for immediately assembling the team that will compete in the 2010 Copa Libertadores.
\ \"I will be in constant contact with Marcos Braz to discuss the renewal of players whose contracts are expiring and any signings. Because of this, I will not even travel and will remain in Rio during the holidays," said the coach.
\ \By the way, from now on Andrade and Marcos Braz will be able to dedicate themselves solely to assembling next year's squad and will have to overcome the disagreements that arose during the period of renewing the coach's contract.
\ \Flamengo needs to first define Airton's situation. Last Wednesday, Marcos Braz stated that Benfica-POR offered three million euros for the midfielder, but the Rubro-Negro, owner of 15% of the player's economic rights, did not accept and wants to receive more to release the midfielder.
\ \In addition to Airton, Flamengo is awaiting an official statement from Adriano, who, although he has hinted that he will remain with the club in 2010, has not yet officially announced it. Kléber, from Cruzeiro, and Vágner Love, from Palmeiras, are Marcos Braz's dream to form a strike duo with the Emperor.
\ \During these days, the vice-president of football will also have to take care of the Zé Roberto case, whose contract ends at the end of December and Schalke04-ALE demands his return, and the renewals of Ronaldo Angelim and Everton, all considered fundamental by Andrade for the next season.
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After a soap opera, Andrade finally agrees to a renewal with Flamengo
\ \Cauê\Rademaker*
\ \From UOL\Sports
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After a big soap opera, coach Andrade finally agreed to renew his contract with Fla
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Andrade will be Flamengo's coach in 2010. After days of long meetings and much wear and tear between the coach and the club's football directors, it was agreed on Wednesday night that the manager will renew his contract and continue at Rubro-Negro in 2010. Marcelo Sales and Rogério Lourenço will be his assistants.
\ \Flamengo's new board, led by future president Patrícia Amorim, spent the day meeting and finalized the details of the contract with Andrade, who will receive a salary of R$150, instead of the expected R$200.
\ \"It's normal for a negotiation like this to drag on. Everyone sees their side and tries to defend it. However, in the end, everything worked out. I have no problem with Marcos Braz and I won't be ungrateful to those who gave me an opportunity. In the end, it was within what I more or less expected (financially) and what Flamengo wanted," Andrade emphasized.
\ \In fact, it was this financial difference that caused the negotiations to drag on and strain the relationship between the coach and vice-president of football, Marcos Braz. It remains to be seen what the relationship between the two will be like in 2010. However, according to the manager, the atmosphere will remain 100%.
\ \"There was an agreement and all the rough edges were smoothed out. The financial situation that Flamengo is going through prevailed. I have a good relationship and will continue to have one with Andrade. Otherwise, he wouldn't continue at the club," said Marcos Braz.
\ \In 2009, Andrade was appointed coach during the Brazilian Championship and led the Rubro-Negro to the title, breaking a 17-year drought for the club. In total, he managed the team in 27 matches, 25 in the national competition and two in the Copa Sudamericana.
\ \Updated at 21:24 am
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Brunoro admits Flamengo is being approached and could become the club's executive director.
\ \Cauê\Rademaker
\ \In Rio de Janeiro
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On December 8th, when she gave a press conference after winning the election for president of Flamengo, the club's former swimmer, Patrícia Amorim, revealed that she intended to have an executive director to lead the red-black football team. The strongest name in Gávea for this position is José Carlos Brunoro, who admitted to having already had a brief conversation with the future president.
\ \"We've already had a chat on the phone. This week we'll probably meet in person in Rio to deepen the conversation," he told Privacy Policy Brunoro.
\ \However, the current director of football at the Pão de Açúcar group has no details about what his exact role would be at the Rubro-Negro. Recovering from knee surgery, Brunoro is waiting for his doctor's approval to travel to Rio this week to learn more about Flamengo's proposals.
\ \For now, he's simply honored by the memory and hasn't ruled out working for the country's most popular club. "The conversation I had with Patrícia was brief; she wanted to hear some of my ideas. We'll wait for the meeting and see how it develops," Brunoro added.
\ \There's even a chance the meeting between the parties will be postponed until next week. Currently, the new red-and-black board is focusing all its efforts on renewing coach Andrade's contract and finalizing the details of Patricia Amorim's inauguration, which will take place next Monday. The club's football operations are managed solely by Marcos Braz, vice president of football, who would then have to work alongside Brunoro.
\ \Although he was raised in volleyball, a sport in which he was both a player and a coach, Brunoro, who is also a physical education teacher, has extensive experience in soccer. Before becoming director of the Pão de Açúcar group, which has a team in São Paulo and another in Rio de Janeiro in the lower divisions, the director had a notable stint at Palmeiras.
\ \In 1991, he ended his career as a volleyball coach and, the following year, he was the strong man of Palmeiras' football, being the Sports Director of Parmalat of South America, a company that sponsored the Parque Antarctica club for years. During this period, he was São Paulo champion in 1993, 1994 and 1996; Brazilian champion in 1993 and 1994, Rio-São Paulo champion in 1993 and the 1998 Copa do Brasil.
\ \Brunoro only left the multinational in the second half of 1997 and opened his own company, Brunoro Sports, which he runs to this day, combining this with the work he carried out at the Pão de Açúcar group.
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GLOBOESPORTE
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Flamengo beats Náutico and is in the quarterfinals of the Brazilian Under-20 Championship
\ \In Group 4, Rubro-Negro\ beats Timbu 2-0 and takes first place in the group
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O Flamengo remains alive in the Brazilian Under-20 Championship, played in Rio Grande do Sul. This Wednesday, the team took to the field to face Nautical, in Santa Rosa,\ pressured by the risk of being eliminated. However, the 2-0 victory over the Pernambuco team\ secured first place in Group 4 and a place in the quarterfinals (watch the video below). O Coritiba was in second place in the group.
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It wasn't easy for the Flamengo boys. With the obligation to score two goals to overcome their competitors, coach Armênio Moura's team put pressure on Timbu and achieved the ideal score. On an inspired night for Diego Maurício, who assisted Dieguinho's goal in the 30th minute of the first half and scored the second in the 27th minute of the second half, the Rubro-Negro showed strength and will face Avaí ou Athletic-MG in the next step.
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Also on Wednesday, the Santa Catarina team defeated Santos by 2 to 1. Alan opened the scoring for Peixe, at 36 minutes of the first half. Medina, at 33, and Jean, at 48 minutes of the second half, turned the score around for Leão. The Ressacada team awaits the result of the match between Altético-MG and Atlético-PR to confirm the classification. A victory for the Paraná team or a draw guarantees the Lion, while a victory for the Minas Gerais team leaves the last spot in Group 2 to be decided by tiebreaker criteria.
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Classics mark the quarterfinals of the Brazilian Under-20 Championship
\ \Inter x Timão, Flu x Bota, Grêmio x Coxa and Fla x Galo fight for the title
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The quarterfinals of the Brazilian Under-20 Championship are a promising year. Four classics will determine which teams will continue to fight for the title. This Wednesday, the matchups for the competition, played in Rio Grande do Sul, were determined. Coritiba, Flamengo e Athletic-MG won the last places in the next phase. They\ join Fluminense, Botafogo, international, Corinthians e Grêmio, current champion. Two matches will be this Thursday, and the other two on Friday.
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In Group 4, Rubro-Negro secured first place with a 2-0 victory over Nautical, in Santa Rosa.\ Coritiba, which drew with Goiás by 1 to 1, it was in second place in the group and will face Grêmio, leader of Group 2.
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Flamengo's opponent will be Atlético-MG. The Galo boys beat Atlético-PR by 2 to 0, they tied in number of points and goals with Avaí, but\ they had the advantage due to the balance achieved in the first phase (five against four).\ The Santa Catarina team defeated Santos by 2 to 1, but they are left behind.
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In the other clashes of the next phase, the boys from Botafogo and Fluminense will relive the Clássico Vovô, while Internacional will face Corinthians, in a fierce rivalry in recent years among professionals.
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Quarterfinals crossovers (Brasília time):
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Thursday, 17/12
\ Group 5:
\ 21pm - Internacional x Corinthians – Novo Hamburgo
\ Group 6:
\ 19pm - Fluminense x Botafogo – Novo Hamburgo
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Friday, 18/12
\ Group 7:
\ 14pm - Grêmio x Coritiba – Santa Maria
\ Group 8:
\ 18:30 p.m. - Flamengo x Atlético-MG – Santa Maria
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Spartans beat Fla and qualify for the Final Four of the League of the Americas
\ \Venezuelan team defeats the already eliminated red-black team by 77 to 69
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Against one Flamengo unmotivated, Espartanos de Margarita, from Venezuela, defeated the Rio de Janeiro team by 77 to 69, in Isla Margarita, in a game that ended in the early hours of this Thursday, Brasília time, and guaranteed its classification for the Final Four of the League of the Americas basketball. The Brazilian team entered the court already eliminated due to the victory of Halcones Rojos, from Mexico, over Capitanes de Arecibo, from Puerto Rico, by 92 to 84, in the preliminary.
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Since the first tiebreaker is the head-to-head record, Flamengo no longer had a chance after being defeated by the Mexican team the day before. On the other hand, Halcones depended on a victory by the Brazilian team to qualify. The red-and-black team only won one match, its opening match against Capitanes de Arecibo.
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\ With the classification, Espartanos joins Quimsa, from Argentina,\ classified from Group A. Groups C, which has Joinville, and D, where Brasília is, will still be played.
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The top scorer in this Wednesday's game was Hector Romero, from Espartanos, with 26 points. At Flamengo, the top scorer was Duda, who scored 20.
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- Unfortunately, we're already eliminated after Halcones' victory over Capitanes de Arecibo. We had a good first quarter, but then our performance dropped off significantly. We tried to fight back at the end, but we couldn't win. I'm sad, because it was an important tournament for Flamengo, but now we have to move on and think about the future. NBB next year - said coach Paulo Chupeta.
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Now, Flamengo will play again on January 10th, when they face Paulistano, at Arena da Barra, in the eighth round of the Novo Basquete Brasil (NBB). The team returns to training on the 4th.
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Andrade is kept at Fla\ for 2010
\ \Coach accepts proposal below the top salary he was aiming for
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Andrade gives a thumbs up at the press conference
\ \The negotiation took a long time, but had a happy ending: Andrade remains in Flamengo in 2010. The official announcement was made on Wednesday night, in Gávea, after a meeting between the coach and Patrícia Amorim, Hélio Ferraz and Marcos Braz.
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The agreement comes at a time when Andrade's relationship with the management was on the verge of a irreversible breakdown. So much so that Marcos Braz even brought up Rogério Lourenço, coach of the last Brazilian U-20 team and who works in Flamengo's youth academy, to Patrícia Amorim on Tuesday night. Rogério will be part of the new coaching staff as the second assistant (the first is Marcelo Sales, son of former full-back Marco Antônio, Everaldo's backup at the 70 World Cup). The idea is to integrate the youth team with the senior team through the former defender.
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Andrade initially wanted around R$250 per month. As the Brazilian champion, he felt it was time to be paid accordingly, even though he had recently been promoted. The board felt that a jump from R$50, his previous salary, to R$110, was more than enough. The final figures have not been disclosed, but it is believed that the coach will receive something closer to R$150.
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According to Marcos Braz, Wednesday's meeting served only to decide on the coach's awards in case of new achievements.
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- Everything ended well. Now, we're only thinking about 2010. Let's see what the club can do in terms of signings. We'll be competing in important competitions - said Andrade, who will spend the end-of-year holidays in Rio, available to the board to discuss potential names.
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Andrade gave an interview separately from vice president of football Marcos Braz, but assured that the relationship was not strained.
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"It's normal to argue. Sometimes he has one idea, and I have a different one. He supports the club's side, and I see my side too. But in the end, everything worked out. He was the one who gave me the opportunity; I'll never be ungrateful. In the end, it all happened the way I expected and within Flamengo's reality. This setback was a bit stressful, but in the end, everything was resolved. I had inquiries, but nothing concrete. I was always clear about this; I never received anything official. Only Flamengo's offer was concrete. The financial aspect didn't weigh as heavily, especially since my concern was never money. I worked in 2004 with the team in the relegation zone and didn't think about it. It wasn't going to happen now," commented the coach.
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Marcos Braz, however, dropped a dig at the coach. This week, after a frustrating conversation with Braz, Andrade stated that he would get along better with Patrícia Amorim, in a conversation between former athlete and former athlete.
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"After a long discussion, all the rough edges were smoothed over. I had one last conversation with Andrade, which wasn't just one former athlete to another. What remained was the club's financial situation. He understood that," the director said, before denying any problems with the manager. "I'm a professional, we have a good relationship and will continue to do so. If it weren't like that, he wouldn't have stayed. There are phases in life, like a relationship, a marriage. But I respect him as an idol and as the upright and honest professional he always was."
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Andrade will not have a termination fee in his new contract. He will remain a club employee with a formal contract.
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Short stories: official proposal for Aírton is R$7,6 million, but the board is putting its foot down
\ \Fla prepares uniforms for 2010. There will be a third surprise shirt
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The official proposal that Benfica made to Flamengo for Aírton is three million euros (approximately R$7,6 million). The amount was confirmed by the club's vice-president of football, Marcos Braz, who still refuses to release the player.
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\ Since Flamengo only owns 15% of the midfielder's rights, it would receive only 450 euros (approximately R$1,1 million). In other words, an amount well below the approximately R$3 million it would be entitled to through the termination clause, which is approximately R$20 million.
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\ - I'm only interested in how much will be left for Flamengo. It's still far from that -\ said Marcos Braz.
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New uniforms
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\ Next Friday, Flamengo's Deliberative Council will vote on the choice of\ the uniform for 2010. In addition to the two official ones, a mysterious third shirt\ should be launched, starting in June of next year.
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"The two official uniforms don't have many changes, just a few details. The third one is a surprise," said Ricardo Hinrichsen, Flamengo's executive marketing director.
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\ All uniforms will only be known after voting.
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Politics
Maurício Gomes de Mattos was elected chairman of the Board of Directors earlier this week. Sylvio Capanema will be the chairman of the Deliberative Council.
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Leonardo Moura enjoys the title and his vacation on a cruise through the Southeast of the country
\ \The right-back returns this Wednesday from a cruise with his mother and girlfriend along the coasts of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.
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