Mário on why Marcão won't stay on at Fluminense: “Strategic decision” | OneFootball

Fluminense does not intend to make Marcão the team’s permanent head coach. The decision was explained by general director Mário Bittencourt this Monday in an interview on the Corredor 5 podcast, in the Pelada Musical segment.

Marcão took charge after Luis Zubeldía’s departure and will remain in the role at least until the end of the season. Despite the recent results, the board’s idea is for him to continue serving as the club’s permanent assistant coach and return to that role once a new head coach is hired.

According to Mário, the decision is tied to an agreement made with Marcão in 2019 and maintained by the current administration. In the executive’s view, turning the former defensive midfielder into the full-time head coach would mean the club losing a piece considered important within the coaching staff structure.

— We made an agreement when he arrived, and it has been maintained by the current administration. If he becomes the coach who will be the professional team’s coach, rather than the permanent one, we’ll have to take Marcão out of that role. Where does he fit in? He steps in at moments when we understand that we need to make a change in command, and that this change, with Marcão coming in, will allow us to reach the same objectives as if we brought in someone else. It’s a management decision — he said.

Marcão staying on as assistant does not mean, however, that the club rules out a career for him as a head coach. Mário revealed that he has already spoken with him about the possibility of taking over a team on a permanent basis in the future.

— I’ve had that conversation with him a few times. He is my friend. I think that at some point he will be called by other clubs, and that he will make that solo leap. But we made this agreement in 2019 that he would start and finish the administration with me. As long as there is a coach in charge, I want him to be the administration’s guy, the one who follows things closely and makes evaluations for us. It’s a strategic management decision. You may agree or disagree — he said.

The assessment of who will take permanent charge of Fluminense will be left until the end of the year. Until then, Marcão remains in charge of the team. In four matches under his command, Tricolor has won two Brazilian Championship games, secured qualification for the Libertadores quarterfinals, and drew with Athletico-PR last Sunday.

Photo: Disclosure/FFC

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