The season starts here…..

By: David | August 14th, 2008

   

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It’s been a rollercoaster ride for the Tricolores this season. Defeat in the final of the Taca Rio to Botafogo, and the unforgettable Libertadores campaign made for an exciting but ultimately painful first few months of the season. During the Libertadores, the weekend became almost painful as ‘Team B’ was constantly fielded to save the stars for the games against Sao Paulo, Boca and LDU, and led to Flu being at the bottom of the Brasileirao for most of the early part of the season, but it was only temporary, or so we thought! The end of Libertadores almost brought a sigh of relief, yes, the competition ended in defeat, to a very limited team from Ecuador, but it also marked the beginning of Flu’s attempts to win a place in next year’s Libertadores. Unfortunately this hasn’t happened and since the LDU game, Flu have lost players to Europe and the Olympics and now look like they’re in a relegation dogfight, which they may well not get out of.
Obviously, I’ve omitted one other important piece of information; Renato Gaucho was sacked and replaced with ex-Botafogo manager Cuca. During the Libertadores Gaucho was being hailed as one of the greatest coaches in S. America, but after a string of bad results, the fans and the hierarchy of Fluminense lost their patience. Whether Cuca can change things remains to be seen. The end of August will (hopefully) see the return of Thiago Neves (the best player in Brazil’s domestic league) and Thiago Silva (the best defender in Brazil’s domestic league), unless they get snapped up by European teams on their way back from Beijing. The return of the Thiagos should see an upturn in results, and could be just in time for the Classico against Flamengo at Maracana.
Sunday sees Cuca’s first game in charge against A. Mineiro, who have been in good form of late, but the change of manager may well bring a change of fortune for Flu!

Category: Fluminense Team News

   

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| Home | A change is as good as a rest. »

Comments  

• Ronald |  August 15th, 2008 at 10:10 pm

  
  
  

  ” Very limited team from Ecuador ”

  whats that suppose to mean ? lol.

  JK, glad to have you at the Offside.

  

• David |  August 16th, 2008 at 5:03 am

  
  
  

  LDU were a very organised team with great work rate, and very quick wingers. Guerron was a very good player but the main assets of LDU were altitude and their goalkeeper’s ability in the penalty shoot-outs. I’m probably bitter about LDU (OK, I am), but after playing and beating genuinely talented sides like Boca and Sao Paulo, it really was a let down to lose to such a side.

  Thanks for the welcome!

  

• Mauro |  August 17th, 2008 at 8:53 pm

  
  
  

  I understand your frustration about losing to LDU. But they are a fantastic side. Ecuadorian football has come a long way and Edgardo Bauza has LDU playing the football of their lives.

  Fluminense had a fantastic final two legs, particularly Thiago Neves. But I thought Thiago Silva and Junior Cesar were also pretty integral for Flu. In any case, either team would have been a great champion.

  I understand there is supposed be quite the exodus. Any chance you can update us on who is still in the squad, on the fence or on their way out?

  Thanks.

  

• David |  August 23rd, 2008 at 7:56 am

  
  
  

  Hey Mauro,

  I’ve been very busy this week, so this is my first time on the site.

  Lots of players have been linked with moves away since the Final.

  Gabriel (the right back) moved to Panathinaikos in Greece and Cicero is now at Hertha Belin on a two-year loan.

  Thiago Neves looks set to move to Hamburg, Hertha Berlin or Manchester City but lots of clubs are interested.

  Fernando Henrique, Junior Cesar, Luiz Alberto, Arouca, Conca and Thiago Neves have all been the subject of interest from European clubs too. Thiago Silva has been at the Olympics, and despite being linked with Inter Milan, it looks like he’ll see out his contract and move on a free in December.

  Flu have also been linked with hundreds of players. They’ve repeatedly gone after Datolo from Boca Juniors, but this deal looks doomed to Failure. They were also linked with players based in Europe, as Branco, the guy in charge of buying players went on a much publicised shopping trip to Europe. The trip proved to be somewhat unsuccesful, as he only returned with Eduardo Ratinho (a right back, and not a very good one) and a striker called Everton, who likes slightly more rpomising.

  In South America, they were also linked with Castroman from Boca and LDU’s captain, who looks set for Santos, as the LDU board are unwilling to deal with Flu due to the way they’ve acted about the transfer.

  

• André |  September 1st, 2008 at 9:34 pm

  
  
  

  Welcome!

  

• Brett |  September 1st, 2008 at 11:38 pm

  
  
  

  Good to see a Flu blog. Welcome.

  As much of a bummer as it will be to lose the Thiagos, I’m very excited to see them in Europe. In a few years they will be world-class players.