Corinthians vice-president on SAFIEL meeting and Memphis Depay row | OneFootball

Between the late afternoon and evening of last Wednesday (26), Eduardo Salusse and Carlos Teixeira, creators of SAFIEL, the group proposing the transformation of Corinthians into a Football Corporation (SAF) under a model that gives fans a more active role in the club’s decisions, were at Parque São Jorge for a meeting with Timão executives.

In addition to the creators, the meeting was attended by members of SAFIEL’s Board of Directors (CAS), Corinthians president and vice-president Osmar Stabile and Armando Mendonça, respectively, as well as Romeu Tuma Junior and Miguel Marques e Silva, president of the Deliberative Council and the Advisory Council (CORI), in that order.

Photo: Reproduction/Central do Timão

After the meeting ended, Armando Mendonça gave an interview to the press in front of Parque São Jorge and was asked about his view of the meeting with SAFIEL, the importance of clearing up doubts, and aligning what he said were narrative issues being pushed in the media. The executive also commented on the recent controversy involving forward Memphis Depay, who recently released the music video Don´t Panic, in which the official is indirectly mentioned as the player’s ‘enemy’.

Check out some of the Corinthians vice-president’s answers to reporters below:

Controversy involving Memphis Depay

“I’ve already spoken about that. It’s a closed matter. It’s something the legal department, together with the president and the football department, is handling. Here, I do not speak the name of the individual. I am representing Corinthians as Corinthians’ vice-president. So I know how to differentiate, distinguish the individual person, the personal relationship, from the legal one. When I speak and I am accompanying the delegation, the person there is not Armando as an individual, it is the vice-president. The position of vice-president, the position of president, and the positions of the directors need to be respected. That is very important for all of us, to strengthen the institution. The players returned today (Wednesday). They had Monday and Tuesday off and came back today. Marcelo is taking care of that so everything can be clarified.”

Assessment of the meeting with SAFIEL

“It is valid to show that change is possible. To be here on the fifth floor, you need a lot of toughness and courage. It is not easy. We will not always please the fans. There are decisions that upset the fans, but they are decisions. Sometimes we get it right, sometimes we get it wrong, but they are decisions aimed at improving Corinthians. We have a squad. We, the fans, want titles and for Corinthians to win more titles. But we also have to keep in mind that our biggest title today is off the field. Our biggest title today is solving Corinthians’ financial situation, and this management is committed to that. It is quiet work that the fans cannot see, but things are happening. Processes are being put in place here at Corinthians for better transparency, greater control, and to avoid improper payments.”

“It was a good and important meeting. It was four hours in which they presented their points, and the club presented the points it believes still need to be clarified. There are many legal doubts about the proposal. We will send them all our questions, everything that is not clear. It was a productive meeting. We are living through a very difficult moment. The fans have many doubts and we, as executives, and they, as creators, need to be very careful with communication and with what we convey, because that creates in the fans the expectation that this would be a solution. It is not a simple issue; there are legal implications and respect for the law. They need the club’s help to raise funds; if we demonize the institution and the people, it becomes difficult even for them to raise funds to make an investment. All sides need to act very responsibly.”

View on SAFIEL’s non-binding proposal

“A non-binding proposal needs to be better clarified. When that is mentioned, the fan understands that there is no obligation at all, but there are parallel obligations and responsibilities of means. At this moment, there is no way to sign it without first understanding all the legal and administrative issues. We will send these questions so they can be clarified before the president can make his decision. “This was discussed. There is no guarantee that this investment will be made upon signing the non-binding proposal. That is a legitimate concern and, as executives, we need to overcome all these doubts because, once signed, the contract is what must be fulfilled.”

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