After securing their second league title in three years, Fluminense are already shifting their focus to 2013 and the first item on their agenda is to sort out the future of head coach Abel Braga, whose contract expires on 31st December 2012.
Fluminense’s vice president of football, Sandro Lima, confirmed talks would begin on Wednesday but did not go into detail on a possible outcome.
He told reporters: “Let’s get this first meeting on Wednesday started to advance the talks. But that does not mean that everything will be solved at once.”
However, it seems that Braga, 60, is hoping to stay at the club for next season, despite rumours that he will head to Porto Alegre to once again takeover the helm of Internacional, the club where he won the Copa Libertadores in 2006.
He told Globoesporte.com: “I’ve not expressed myself badly in the field, no. I’m staying. If you depend only on me, I’m staying. A radio interview with the South, you know how it is … The staff there is different in this respect, as there are just two clubs. But I am very happy at Fluminense, and everyone knows it.
“The campaign this year and a half was exceptional. Only the first month was negative and difficult. There is nothing to prevent my stay. Of course we have to talk to people about the cons. But everyone knows the positive things that happened. Not only do I want to stay with Fluminense, there has to be an agreement. I’ll stay that is my desire. But let’s sit down and talk.”
Braga was also keen to outline the aims for next season if he is in charge and the focus appears to be the Copa Libertadores, something that Fluminense have never won, saying “Let’s aim for big thing’s!”
