Relegation, Brazilian style...
Posted by Gringo Maclure in Brasil Serie A | 25 October 2007
The Brazilian national league runs from spring until Chrstmas, and so the next few weeks should prove interesting in the run up until December.
Despite losing in the semi-final of the Libertadores (the Champions League of the Americas) last night, Sao Paulo are set to retain their title domestically - they are sitting pretty some 13 points above their closest rivals Palmeiras in the Brazilian series A with only a handful of games to go before the end of the season. And so for most fans in Brazil eyes are firmly fixed at the other end of the table. The reason? Corinthians, a heavyweight and historically successful club, are teetering on the brink of relegation. Their 1-0 loss to minnows Nautico last Sunday has attracted international attention.
For my local team America, who hail from way up in the north east of the country (3000kms from Rio) the game is already up. With only 16 points to show from 32 games they are rooted to the bottom of the table (or, as Brazilians say, "holding the lantern") with no hope of survival in a league where four are relegated. I enjoy attending the games, there are usually plenty of goals, but what has caught my eye recently is the reaction of the fans to their club's demise this season. It seems to me that Brazilians are sorer losers, more temperamental and prone to greater mood swings than us Brits.
America, fresh from their promotion last season, attracted the highest gate entry in Brazil on the opening day of the season. Now, the away fans often outnumber the home fans - the stadium is bare with only a few hundred loyal supporters. The club has had to launch all kinds of hairbrain schemes to raise money to pay the wages of Souza, their best player, as gate receipts are not enough. In a game I saw versus Santos, America were 2-0 down at half time. The players received a barrage of abuse from their own fans as they trudged off the field avoiding missiles of food and drinks. Two minutes into the second half, America were 3-0 down and most of the row next to me got up and walked out. Long-time fans are defeatist - they prefer not to talk football, opting to avoid attending the games altogether as the club are an embarrassment and the general opinion is it would be better for everybody concerned if they were relegated... There is no sense of fans relishing this period in the top flight, even if results don't go the right way. And there seems little motivation to help and encourage the team. Winning is everything. The attitude is: if my team are not winning, they do not deserve my undying allegiance.
My question is - come next May when probably the Derbys, the Fulhams, the Wigans (and maybe the Tottenhams) are fighting to avoid the drop, will their fans display any more loyalty? If anybody has experience of how other nationalities deal with the misery of relegation in football, please go ahead and comment...
Comments
I follow sao paulo, because i met a girl who rooted for the corintias. I visited santa madelena, a favela that roots for the corintias. I wanted to know how likely it is that the corintias be promoted back to the first division of brasilian soccer? Anyway, the povo de madelena always root for the coritias. I just talked to her today as the corintias were winning 2-1, and everyone was watching the game ands screaming for their team. It proves you're a loyal fan when you go through the tough times and stick it out, because then the championships are that much sweeter!!
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