See Diniz's task to turn around Corinthians' poor run | OneFootball

Fernando Diniz began his work as Corinthians head coach last Tuesday. The manager led his first training session at CT Dr. Joaquim Grava, spoke with the squad and, in a press conference, discussed the challenges he will face with Timão.

The team is under pressure after a nine-match winless streak and has been facing demands from organized supporter groups in recent days. Diniz stressed the need to get back to winning ways and said the players are aware of the poor run.

“I think the players are aware that they need to change. The fans’ dissatisfaction is legitimate and we are going to work to change that. The fans want to see the team competing and winning. We are here because of the fans, and we have to give everything we can so they leave the stadium satisfied,” he said.

“We have to work to keep improving the team and start winning again. We have to prioritize the next match. Every match is a final,” he added.

This, however, is not Diniz’s only mission at Corinthians. Below, Gazeta Esportiva listed other challenges the coach will face in charge of Timão. Check them out!

Recover players

Diniz intends to help current squad members who are going through a rough patch regain their form. One example is midfielder Rodrigo Garro, who has lost his place among the starters. The coach praised the Argentine playmaker and also spoke about the possibility of him playing alongside Breno Bidon.

“Garro is a talented player, he has had brilliant moments at Corinthians. I want to help him get back to his best. I’m going to do everything I can. Today he looked free, he was one of the standout players in training. I’ll be very happy to help him and, if I can do it, it will be a great pleasure,” he said.

“I think they can play together [Garro and Bidon], but that doesn’t mean they will. We have to see how they adapt. It’s a possibility. If they can play together, I believe the team will gain a lot technically,” he added.

(Photo: Rodrigo Coca/Agência Corinthians)

Get the best out of young players

Another mission for the coach is to get the best out of Corinthians’ young players. He is known for giving opportunities to younger athletes, as seen with Gabriel Sara and Rayan, who earned call-ups to the national team, and he mentioned André and Bidon.

“It’s something I’ve done throughout my career, I have that connection with young players. André and Bidon are already realities. Young players always need us to stay close to them. They won titles, and now the demands have come. Both have a brilliant road ahead of them and I hope to contribute. I keep a close eye on the youth academy players. There are other young players integrated into the squad, and I’m always paying attention. If the moment is right, I’ll give them a chance,” he said.

Improve Hugo’s footwork

It is no secret that Diniz likes the goalkeepers on his teams to be comfortable with the ball at their feet. At Corinthians, he praised Hugo Souza’s ability and wants to further improve that part of the goalkeeper’s game.

“I worked with Fábio at Fluminense. He didn’t play with his feet and improved a lot. Hugo is better with his feet than people think. We have to train and make the goalkeeper confident enough to make the best decisions. Hugo will improve his output with his feet so he knows when to make the best decisions, when we are going to play shorter and when we are going to go longer,” he analyzed.

Restore home strength in Itaquera

One negative legacy of Dorival Júnior’s tenure was the team’s terrible home record. He left the side with a 51% success rate at Neo Química Arena, the second worst among the last ten coaches to manage the team. Diniz wants to restore Timão’s strength in Itaquera.

“Playing here is tough for any opponent. We have to make home-field advantage count more and more. I hope we can create that connection with the fans. If that happens, the team will have a very good chance of climbing the league table and advancing in the cups. We need to find that bond with the fans,” he said.

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Control outbursts

Diniz also spoke about the public scoldings he gives some players. The most emblematic case was Tchê Tchê at São Paulo. He admitted that he sometimes goes too far, but defended the warnings.

“The image people have of me is Diniz on the touchline. I’m not just that. I have a deep relationship with the players. I’m happy to be that way, that Diniz is able to help them. Obviously, I go too far at times, and I have to know how to correct that. There is a positive reason behind it, which is to help the player. When I’m demanding something, I have a reason for it. It helps much more than it hurts. It brings me a lot of exposure, but the benefits are very positive,” he argued.

“Sometimes people say I blew up at a player, but one of the players I demanded a lot from at Vasco was Rayan. When he was asked about it, he said I’m like a father to him. That is for the player’s benefit. Just survey the players and ask whether my way harms or helps them in their careers. I have to keep learning to avoid the excesses, to have control whenever possible, but there is a very positive purpose behind it for the players’ lives,” he concluded.

The first chapter of Diniz’s time at Corinthians will be written this Thursday. Seeking to bounce back, Timão will open their Libertadores group stage campaign against Platense. Kickoff is at 9 p.m. (Brasília time) at Estadio Ciudad de Vicente López, in Buenos Aires.

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