Accustomed to staying in São Conrado, the former player fondly remembers the Fla mansion

Eduardo Peixoto and Thiago Dias

From GLOBOESPORTE.COM

In Adílio's time, the gathering even had a show by singer Jorge Ben

Several generations of Flamengo fans have passed through the Fadel Fadel mansion in São Conrado, which opened in the 60s. But the mansion has never been as busy as it was in the 80s, when the 1981 World Cup-winning team would gather there before matches.

"It's really good there. We'd play cards, pool, and even watch movies at the cinema. People would come in with those giant rolls of film, and it would turn into a party," says Adílio, a former player at the club and current coach of the youth team.

Fans still flock to São Conrado to support Flamengo. Besides Zico's generation, teams featuring names like Doval, Renato Gaúcho, Bebeto, and Romário also stayed at the mansion, located on Jaime Silvado Street. Even the Brazilian national team, with Pelé, stayed there in the 60s.

After the club began using hotels as its training grounds, young players from the youth teams lived there. Midfielder Jônatas, now with Espanyol, defender Rodrigo Arroz, and forward Fabiano Oliveira were among those who shared rooms at São Conrado.

During its golden age, the concentration camp frequently received visits from famous red-black fans, as Adílio recounts:

- Sometimes there would be a Jorge Ben or Pepeu Gomes jam... I'd also play around, doing a James Brown dance (laughs). It was very lively - recalls the former player.

For Adílio, the mansion's atmosphere is conducive to bringing the players closer together. There are only ten bedrooms, which means they'll have to sleep in different ways. In hotels, athletes usually stay in pairs.

- People even arrived early to have a little pastry before dinner – jokes the youth coach, without wanting to give an opinion on whether it is better or worse to change the professional team's concentration in 2008: - I'm just talking about my time.