Rogério once again highlights Flamengo's tactical discipline
Coach thanks the group for their support and says the team has regained the desire it demonstrated in its sixth title campaign.
By From the team at Flamengo's official website - in
For a coach just starting his career at the helm of a professional team, it's crucial that the group is on his side. Rogério Lourenço at Flamengo was no exception. A coach with a strong personality, he took over the team on the eve of a series of Copa Libertadores round of 16 matches and sought to work not only technically but also psychologically to achieve the desired results.
In the first leg of this stage, at Maracanã, Flamengo defeated Corinthians 1-0 and had the advantage of playing for a draw at Pacaembu Stadium. However, from the locker room in Rio de Janeiro, the coach had already urged the players not to play defensively.
"The team's change in attitude didn't just start in the locker room. From the end of the first game, everyone knew they had the rules but didn't want to play from behind. We were cornered at first, but I had already told the group that I didn't want the team to sit back and that if they went 2-0 up, we shouldn't panic. The intention was to make Flamengo play. We have a lot of potential and we couldn't be passive," he explained.
Happy that everything worked out, Rogério revealed that he always spoke with the group to emphasize the decision-making power these players have. According to him, everyone understood the message and proved it on the field.
"I didn't make many changes because the space was small. The intention was to boost the group's morale and show their potential. Everyone has difficult moments. My conversations with the squad were always frank. I emphasized the importance of their work, and these details end up making a difference. They recaptured the desire the team showed in last year's Brazilian Championship, they believed in the methodology, and the credit is theirs," he stated.
For Emperor Adriano, one of the players most praised by Rogério since he took over the team, it is this spirit that the team needs to continue demonstrating to achieve even more success in the Libertadores.
"It's always like this at Flamengo; everything is a struggle. We know we need to improve a lot to get back to being the team we were last year, the team that won the Brazilian Championship. We've shown we have the will and determination to keep improving," he concluded.
In the first leg of this stage, at Maracanã, Flamengo defeated Corinthians 1-0 and had the advantage of playing for a draw at Pacaembu Stadium. However, from the locker room in Rio de Janeiro, the coach had already urged the players not to play defensively.
"The team's change in attitude didn't just start in the locker room. From the end of the first game, everyone knew they had the rules but didn't want to play from behind. We were cornered at first, but I had already told the group that I didn't want the team to sit back and that if they went 2-0 up, we shouldn't panic. The intention was to make Flamengo play. We have a lot of potential and we couldn't be passive," he explained.
Happy that everything worked out, Rogério revealed that he always spoke with the group to emphasize the decision-making power these players have. According to him, everyone understood the message and proved it on the field.
"I didn't make many changes because the space was small. The intention was to boost the group's morale and show their potential. Everyone has difficult moments. My conversations with the squad were always frank. I emphasized the importance of their work, and these details end up making a difference. They recaptured the desire the team showed in last year's Brazilian Championship, they believed in the methodology, and the credit is theirs," he stated.
For Emperor Adriano, one of the players most praised by Rogério since he took over the team, it is this spirit that the team needs to continue demonstrating to achieve even more success in the Libertadores.
"It's always like this at Flamengo; everything is a struggle. We know we need to improve a lot to get back to being the team we were last year, the team that won the Brazilian Championship. We've shown we have the will and determination to keep improving," he concluded.