"War of criticism": managers come under fire on social media | OneFootball

“Football is over. It's over because of social media,” protested Renato Gaúcho when he announced his unexpected resignation from Fluminense. But beyond the stars who shine on the field, traditionally more exposed, Renato's complaint reflects a growing discomfort with digital pressure, which also affects coaches.

The impact of social media has been a topic of debate in football for several years.

The FIFPro union (International Federation of Professional Footballers) denounces the “worrying levels” of “cyberattacks” against athletes, coaches, referees, and even fans.

After the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, FIFA and FIFPro asked platforms to take action, following a report that detected more than 19,000 posts of an “offensive, discriminatory or threatening nature” during the tournament.

At the regional level, Conmebol launched a system in August to detect hate messages during Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana games to notify authorities in severe cases.

“Football is over. It's over because of social media. Both for the player and the coach. Nowadays, it's a war of criticism,” said Renato Gaúcho when resigning from Fluminense in September, after the team's elimination from the Copa Sudamericana by Argentine Lanús.

His last decisions at the helm of the Carioca tricolor generated a flood of attacks on social media.

“The price of hyperexposure”

Experts highlight how public criticism has stopped being limited to boos during matches and has become constant.

“Before, the coach was called dumb at the stadium and it would pass the next day; today, the criticism is recorded, circulates on a scale, sets the media agenda, and impacts sponsors. This is the price of digital hyperexposure,” says Ivan Martinho, a sports marketing specialist.

“There's always someone who goes there and writes a bunch of nonsense on social media. No man's land, right?” said Bahia's coach, Rogério Ceni.

Coaches in Brazil are especially exposed to the pressures inherent in football, as shown by the fact that among the 20 first division clubs, 13 have already changed coaches at least once during this year's Brasileirão. Only four coaches have been with their current team for more than a year: Ceni, Abel Ferreira (Palmeiras), Filipe Luís (Flamengo), and Léo Condé (Ceará).

Guardiola off social media

Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola, one of the most prestigious in the world, admitted that he avoids social media.

“I don't like it (…) Neither TikTok, nor Instagram, nothing! I only have my phone and my messages,” Guardiola declared last year to Sky Sports.

The growing impact of social media forces coaches and athletes to “be prepared,” says sports psychologist Vitor Guida to AFP.

“The coach needs to have guidance” and “psychological support and support from the institution [where they work]” to feel “supported,” Guida emphasizes.

For his part, Martinho highlights that the good use of social media also opens up great opportunities.

During the digital era, indeed, the exposure of football has grown exponentially, translated into better salaries and sponsorship contracts, said the specialist.

Outside of football, stars like American gymnast Simone Biles and Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka have distanced themselves from social media for “mental health” reasons.

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