Ex-Arsenal star Sylvinho sacked as Corinthians boss and faces career crisis after fans threaten to destroy stadium

Brazilian giants Corinthians were losing a local derby to Santos in midweek, and the fans were not happy.

A chant went up from the terraces – “if Sylvinho isn’t sacked, we’re going to smash up the place.” This was not good news for the former Arsenal left back.

Corinthians have axed ex-Arsenal star Sylvinho as their managerCredit: Rex

It was only the third game of the year – and in reality, Brazilian football is effectively in pre-season.

Games at this stage of the year in the regional championships do not count for much. But come the end of the match, Corinthians decided that they had had enough. Sylvinho, a club stalwart in his playing days, was out of a job.

It always looked likely that Sylvinho would go into coaching. There is a famous moment from Pep Guardiola’s first season in charge at Barcelona.

Sylvinho was the veteran reserve left back, watching from the bench as his club seemed on the verge of losing a Champions League semi final against Chelsea.

Then Andres Iniesta scored a decisive goal. Guardiola was celebrating on the touchline like a madman.

The coolest head at Stamford Bridge belonged to Sylvinho, who went over to his coach and calmly explained that there were still substitutions to be made, and that Barcelona could run down the clock by going to the bench.

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Sylvinho was already thinking like a coach – or, perhaps, like a coach’s assistant. Which is it? The question remains important.

After a season at Manchester City Sylvinho went into coaching, and was an assistant at Cruzeiro, Sport – and then back at Corinthians, where he struck up an excellent working relationship with coach Tite.

In 2016 when Tite took over the Brazil national team, he brought Sylvinho with him.

His input was highly valued, and an opportunity emerged to take a job which would have served as a half way house on the way to swap the role of assistant for that of head coach.

He was placed in charge of Brazil’s Under-23 side, who at the time were preparing for the Tokyo Olympic qualifiers.

But something bigger came along. Sylvinho was offered the chance to coach Lyon in France. He would be the first Brazilian coach in years to take charge in the group stages of the Champions League.

But after just 11 games, he was sacked. Perhaps the chance came too soon. Maybe he is simply not cut out for it. Evidence at Corinthians points at the second explanation.

This time his time in charge lasted eight months. And his sacking was clearly absurd – the club making itself hostage to threats of violence from part of the fan base. But he is not convincing in the top job.

At Barcelona Sylvinho was already said to behave like an assistant managerCredit: AFP

Being head coach is very different from being the assistant. Sylvinho has the knowledge and, as a player, he has all the experience. But he is lacking the magic factor – call it charisma – that is the hallmark of the true leader.

Can that charisma be learned or acquired? Or is it a purely natural thing? If the second applies, should Sylvinho go back to being an assistant coach? Is such a course of action open to someone who is now 47?

His talents should certainly not be lost to football. But after two high profile failures, is he going to receive a third chance to be a head coach?

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk

Ex-Arsenal star Sylvinho sacked as Corinthians boss and faces career crisis after fans threaten to destroy stadium

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