Vojvoda calm at Santos, asks for patience: "Can't change overnight" | OneFootball

After the 1-1 draw with Corinthians in the fourth round of the Campeonato Paulista this Thursday, coach Juan Pablo Vojvoda stated that he does not feel under pressure at Santos. The coach believes he has the support of the board.

“I don’t feel threatened. The people around me give me support. Maybe there’s pressure from the outside, but I like working here, I like the demands and the pressure. I’m prepared. Last year we struggled against relegation and worked hard to get out of that difficult situation,” he said.

The Argentine, who was hired at the end of August 2025, also asked for patience and emphasized that the club is going through a rebuilding process.

“I don’t know if it’s fair or not (to criticize the work). The whole club works every day to improve. We know the difficulties of the market and we know we’re going to be charged. I feel the club is evolving. It’s a big club, one of the biggest in the world, I’m proud to be here, but it went through tough times. We had a complicated 2025, in 2024 we were in Série B… It’s about building again,” he said.

“It’s a big club. The fans need joy. We know that. I can’t change everything overnight. The board is busy every day. We’re in this together. The pressure will always exist. If we win 3-0, I’ll get congratulations, but I’ll also hear criticism. There will always be something. I know I’ll be under pressure and I have to be ready to respond with better performances than we showed today,” he added.

Good draw?

Vojvoda also analyzed the draw with Corinthians. The coach admitted that the home team underperformed, especially in the first half, but approved of the players’ effort.

“We’re not happy. We have an obligation to win at Vila. It was a game below what we had been producing. We’re in a preparation period. When I made the changes in the second half, I saw an improvement, playing in the opponent’s half and we chased the draw. Lautaro was being heavily targeted, but you need personality to play in an environment we all know. Zé Ivaldo was below par in the first half, but I can’t change a center-back so early. We talked to him at halftime. We played below our level, their tactical setup complicated things for us. But I also see something positive. The team kept fighting. And the fans recognize that too,” he analyzed.

Key reinforcement

Finally, the coach commented on working with Gabigol, who scored Santos’ goal in stoppage time of the second half.

“Last year, Gabriel was the main candidate to be a reinforcement. I needed goals and he has that. I ask Gabriel to quickly adapt to the system of play and scoring goals. He’s already responded with goals. But there’s something else he’s adapting to besides the goals. Internally he’s doing very well. He’s someone who knows the city and knows everything,” he concluded.

Standings

With this result, Santos is in ninth place, with five points. The top eight advance to the second phase of the State Championship. The bottom two are relegated.

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This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.