Approached, Dorival wouldn't even speak to São Paulo for Roger's sake | OneFootball

The dream of nine out of every ten São Paulo supporters, a reflection of the club’s 2023 Copa do Brasil triumph, its last major title, Dorival Júnior has been available on the market since being fired by rival Corinthians at the beginning of the month. And of course, that has helped considerably to increase the pressure on Roger Machado, the current Tricolor manager.

But as far as Dorival is concerned, Roger can rest a little easier (if possible) in the job.

A delegation made up of allies of president Harry Massis Júnior met with the former coach in recent days. The goal was to find out whether he would be interested in taking charge of São Paulo if Roger were to be dismissed.

The information was first reported by journalist Jorge Nicola and confirmed to AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR by sources from the São Paulo club’s top brass.

In fact, a blog run by a Corinthians supporter had already reported that Dorival and São Paulo officials had been meeting in recent days.

AMT revealed that the initial contacts happened without Massis’s approval, but that he endorsed the idea of having a coach lined up in case Roger leaves and gave the green light for something more, let’s say, official.

It is now known that these meetings did in fact take place. But not because Dorival wanted them to. Having a great relationship with influential Tricolor board members and club members, the coach admitted that he received them “out of politeness” and said “that he will only agree to talk about anything at all once Roger leaves,” according to what we heard from sources.

“The last thing we need right now is to become even more fuel for the fans to keep up the pressure. We all think what is happening to Roger is very wrong. And because of the enormous respect Dorival has for him, in addition to considering him one of the best in the country, there is not the slightest possibility of us making ourselves available as replacements for something that does not even have a set date to happen,” said a member of Dorival’s coaching staff.

It is the second no, you could say, that Dorival has given São Paulo in recent days. Well, that is if we stretch the point. As AMT revealed, the coach’s son, assistant Lucas Silvestre, was invited to take a permanent role on the Tricolor coaching staff, a job currently carried out by Milton Cruz.

Last Thursday, Massis said in an interview with the “Arquibancada Tricolor” portal that he will keep Roger in the job, regardless of the pressure. Earlier, through a ‘statement’ released by third parties to a small number of journalists, which did not go through the club’s communications department, the president even announced that he had managed to convince 160 board members to accept the current São Paulo coach and football executive Rui Costa. That number is disputed by opposition members within the body.

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