Rui Costa signed a player monthly at São Paulo, only nine became starters | OneFootball

Rui Costa has stepped down from the leadership of São Paulo’s professional football department. Dismissed last weekend, the executive arrived at the club in January 2021, hired by then newly inaugurated president Julio Casares. And the efficiency he showed in the role may perhaps explain why his departure was applauded by a large part of the fanbase.

In just over five years on the board, Costa signed an impressive 60 players. In other words, during his time in football operations—whether under a statutory director or as the sector’s main authority—he posted a striking average of almost one new player per month. Of those, 16 left the club before even reaching the end of their signed contracts.

A lot for a team going through one of the biggest financial crises in its history. And more than ever, in this case quantity was nowhere near meaning quality.

Of the 60 players signed during the period analyzed, only 16 took part in more than two-thirds of the official matches played during their respective spells, and only nine established themselves as starters in more than 50% of those games.

By contrast, the rate of players with low playing time is significant: 20 signings played in less than one-third of the team’s matches, while 29 started in fewer than one-quarter of the games.

Low attacking output

The performance of the attacking unit also shows below-expected indicators. Of the 32 signings made for midfield and attack, only three players surpassed the 20-goal mark: André Silva, Jonathan Calleri, and Lucas Moura.

The trio also leads in individual efficiency, being the only players with more than ten appearances to maintain an average above 0.2 goals per match.

The group of players who reached double digits in goals for the club is limited to four other names: Ferreirinha (20 goals), Emiliano Rigoni (14 goals in his first spell), Éder Citadin (11 goals), and Damián Bobadilla (10 goals).

BEHIND THE SCENES

The departure of football executive Rui Costa had been taking shape behind the scenes at São Paulo for months, driven by growing political pressure and the team’s inconsistent performances.

President Harry Massis had been resisting demands from allied board members, opposition figures, and sections of the fanbase. However, the chairman chose to finalize the dismissal during the break in the calendar for the World Cup, a strategic period that offers more room to reorganize the football department without the immediate impact of competitions.

The executive’s wear and tear intensified after the dismissal of coach Hernán Crespo in March, a period when São Paulo was leading the Brazilian Championship. The appointment of Roger Machado to the role became the main breaking point in the official’s tenure. The coach remained in the position for less than two months, being dismissed after the team’s elimination by Juventude in the Copa do Brasil, which led to the hiring of Dorival Júnior.

The high turnover in the coaching position, combined with the team’s fall to eighth place in the Brazilian Championship, intensified questions about how the department was being run. Another decisive factor in Rui Costa’s removal was the content of his statements after Roger Machado’s departure; by publicly sharing responsibility for the appointment with the club’s top hierarchy, the former executive caused strong internal discomfort and hastened the end of his political viability at Morumbi.

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