November 30 – Botafogo are teetering on the edge after dismissing their fourth coach since June. The club, languishing in the relegation zone of the Brazilian top flight, dismissed Ramon Diaz on Friday after he had been in charge for only three weeks.
Diaz never got to coach a match on the touchline because of health reasons. The Argentine had to attend a hospital appointment in his native country.
“Unfortunately, because of the coach’s health problems and his discharge scheduled for Dec. 7, the club has decided that it cannot wait any longer,” said Botafogo in a statement.
Garrincha’s former club went on to appoint Eduardo Barroca, but it is questionable whether the new coach can stave off relegation.
This season, the Rio club signed both Salomon Kalou and Keisuke Honda, but the marquee signings have contributed little on the field. Botafogo sold one of their most talented youngsters Luis Henrique to Olympique Marseille as well for € 10 million to alleviate the financial pressure on the club.
Botafogo is Brazil’s most indebted club, with a deficit of more than 800 million reias. The Rio club has flirted with the idea of filing for bankruptcy as a way to start afresh. In recent months, the financial situation at the club has deteriorated further as a consequence of the coronavirus pandemic.
The club sit second from bottom in the league table on 20 points, four more than red lantern Goias. They last won a match at the start of October when they defeated Recife 2-1.
Contact the writer of this story, Samindra Kunti, at moc.l1734942159labto1734942159ofdlr1734942159owedi1734942159sni@o1734942159fni1734942159