A Fresh Start

Santista Nation,

It's good to be back here and talk to you about one of our greatest passion. I want to apologyze for the time I took away from the blog. I just finished my last semester in school and that kept me pretty busy. Also, as we all know, our team was not doing so great and that also made me pissed and lose the motivation to write. But the season is over and I am glad that it is. It was hard to see our team in the bottom of the ranking week after week.

At least we go an spot in the next Sulamericana Cup. Sure it is no Libertadores but at least it is an international tournament and a team like ours can't be spending a whole year, as it just did, without playing outside Brazil. And maybe, one day, this cup will be worth a lot.

But what is past we will keep in the past and now the Santos' future look much better. We have a new president: Luis Alvaro de Oliveira Ribeiro. He is the main face to our hopes. He will bring fresh bood and attitude to our team. It is hard not to get excited with his project since he promisses a open and clear administration and a great source of money that comes from successful business men around the world. If all goes well the money will bring us the players we need. Another of his goals is to make Santos FC "bigger". Marketing will be a important tool for it.

In my next posts, I will analyze the changes as they are implemented and talk about the new coach and players.

Pele Does Not Agree with Luxemburgo and Says it is Too Early for Santos to Give Up The Next Libertadores

After the draw with Avai-SC last Saturday at Vila belmiro, coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo showed some disencouragement towards the team. He said he finds very hard Santos to qualify for the Libertadores 2010. Luxa's opinion was not seen with good eyes by the King of Soccer. Pele has a good relationship with Luxa but still cannot understand the motives that made the coach say that.

In the King's opinion, it is too early to give up. Santos is in 12th place in the competition, with 24 points. The 4th place is Internacional, with 30 points. There are still 20 games left. Pele believes that this is enough to the team to show improviment.

" I do not believe that Luxemburgo is a quitter. He is just not like that. Getting a draw out of a home game is normal. It happens. It is too early to assume that things are already defined" said Pele in his interview for the newspaper "A Tribuna".

For the portuguese version, click here.

Fabiano Eller Breaks his Contract with Santos and Is Free to Negociate with Another Team

Fabiano Eller breached his contract with Santos. The team payed for the two months they onwed the player and ended the contract that was supposed to be done in December. Now, he is free to negociate with other teams. Fluminense, Flamengo and Internacional might be interested in the player, but, Eller says there is no official offers.

The relationship between Santos and Eller started to go bad when Santos offered him to Sao Paulo and to Gremio. On that ocasion, the team wanted to get rid of the player because of his high salary, which was one of the highest on the whole team. Since none of the transactions went through, Santos tried to cut Eller's salaries by half but he did not accepted it.

In July, one day before the game agaist Sport, the defender asked not to play so he would not reach thet number of games that would make impossible for him to be transfered to another team in this year's competition.

This attitude was all that Santos' general managers needed. That was the excuse that was missing to determine the breach of contract. Not even the arrivel of the new coach, Luxemburgo, who wanted to play the defender, made the managers change thier minds.

For the Portuguese version, click here

Luxa Might Keep the Same Winner Team from Last Match

Santos had its last practice before tomorrow's game agaist Avai at the Vila Belmiro. Coach Luxemburgo did not push the players too much but they did play some ball under the rain. Some players even played some "foot-volley".

Luxa decided to spare his atletes for tomorrow since the they were still in need of rest because of the problems they faced with the two hour late flight last Thursday night.

That was the main reason why the players were spared during practice. By doing so, Luxa might be keeping the same players that won Coritiba last Wednesday in Cascavel. The only doubt is who will be playing in in the midle field position together with Ganso and Madson. The options are: Rodrigo Mancha and Germano, who is coming back from suspencion.

"Who decides who plays is Wanderley. But I think that the starters agaisnt Coxa did a good job. We were able to get the three points and we hope coach keeps the same player together. But whoever goes in to the field tomorrow will do whatever it takes to win those three points", said Madson.

Triguinho was the only "new" player in practice this Friday. He has been recovering from a surgery in his right foot.

For the Portuguese version click here

Pre-Match Report: Santos x Flamengo

Overview

On Sunday July 26, 2009, Santos will face Flamengo at the Estádio Urbano Caldeira (Vila Belmiro) in the 14th round of the Brasileirão. After scrappy win a against Atlético Paranaense, Vanderlei Luxemburgo will be looking to notch his second win in as many games.

The referee for the game will be Heber Roberto Lopes with Ivan Carlos Bohn and Altemir Hausmann as his assistants.

History and Form

On the surface avoiding a loss seems to be a given, as Flamengo have not won at the Vila Belmiro in the Campeonato Brasileiro in 33 years. Ironically in the last win for Flamengo, current Santos coach Luxemburgo played and scored for them in their 2x1 win. Santos’ record against Flamengo stands at 102 games played with 41 victories, 25 ties, and 36 loses. In their last matches Flamengo drew 1x1 with Grêmio Barueri, while a piece of magic from Neymar gave Santos a 1x0 over Atlético Paranaense.

Team News

As was the case in the last match, Fabio Costa, Adailton, Kléber Pereira, Triguinho and Maikon Leite are unavailable as they are still recovering from injuries.

According to the official Santos website the 24 man squad for the match is as follows:

Goleiros: Douglas, Felipe, Rafael

Zagueiros: André Astorga, Domingos, Eli Sabiá, Fabão,

Laterais: Léo, Luizinho, Pará, Wagner Diniz

Volantes: Germano, Paulo Henrique Rodrigues, Roberto Brum, Rodrigo Mancha, Rodrigo Souto

Meias: Alan Patrick , Madson, Paulo Henrique Lima, Robson

Atacantes: Felipe Azevedo, Neymar, Roni, Tiago Luís

Santos are currently in 9th place in the table on 17 points. Flamengo are also on 17 points but are in 11th place based on goal difference.

Pre-Match Report: Santos x Atlético Paranaense

Overview

On Wednesday July 22, 2009, Santos will face Atlético Paranaense at the Estádio Urbano Caldeira (Vila Belmiro) in the 13th round of the Brasileirão. The match will mark the debut of Vanderlei Luxemburgo as the new coach of Santos.

History and Form

In the Brasileirão Santos have faced Atlético Paranaense 25 times. Santos’ record is 13 wins, 8 draws, and 4 losses. Santos have one point from their last three games while Atlético-PR have four.

Team News

Rodrigo Souto and Fabão are available for selection after serving their respective suspensions. Fabio Costa, Adailton, Kléber Pereira, Triguinho and Maikon Leite are unavailable as they are still recovering from injuries. Goalkeeper Felipe is a surprise call up for the squad.

According to the official Santos website the 24 man squad for the match is as follows:

Goleiros: Douglas, Felipe, Rafael

Zagueiros: André Astorga, Domingos, Eli Sabiá, Fabão,

Laterais: Léo, Luizinho, Pará, Wagner Diniz

Volantes: Germano, Paulo Henrique Rodrigues, Roberto Brum, Rodrigo Mancha, Rodrigo Souto

Meias: Alan Patrick , Madson, Paulo Henrique Lima, Robson

Atacantes: Felipe Azevedo, Neymar, Roni, Tiago Luís

Santos are currently in 13th place in the table on 14 points, two more than their opponents who are in 15th place.