Corinthians have gone looking for a rescuer and come back with a name that carries serious weight in Europe and a coaching record that does not. Clarence Seedorf, 50, has been appointed head coach of the Brazilian club on a contract that runs until the end of 2027. It is his first coaching job since 2019.
The timing tells you how urgent this is. Corinthians are 16th in the Brazilian top flight, one place above the relegation zone, with eight games left to play. Seedorf replaces Fernando Diniz, the former Brazil interim national coach, who was sacked last week after the club lost seven league matches in a row.
A big name with a patchy coaching record
As a player, Seedorf won everything. The Dutchman retired in 2014 after a career that brought four Champions League titles, two with AC Milan, one with Real Madrid and one with Ajax. He remains the only player to win the competition with three different clubs. He also played 87 times for the Netherlands and scored 11 goals.
Management has been a harder road. His last role was with the Cameroon national team, more than seven years ago, and his earlier spells at AC Milan, Shenzhen FC and Deportivo La Coruna were underwhelming by most measures. Nobody in Sao Paulo will be pretending otherwise. The pitch is that a fresh start in a new league might suit him better.
What he walks into
Seedorf inherits a squad that includes two former Manchester United players, Memphis Depay and Jesse Lingard. Seven straight league defeats is not a run that fixes itself with a handshake and a press conference, and with only eight fixtures to work with, there is very little room for a slow start.
His first public words struck the tone the supporters will want to hear. "Taking on this challenge is an honour, but also a huge responsibility. I am here to give my all and build a team that fights for every ball, every minute, every victory," he said. Fighting for every ball is exactly what a side one place above the relegation zone has to prove it can do.
The honest question is whether a manager who has not been in a dugout for seven years can fix a losing streak at speed. Corinthians have decided he can. By the end of the season, they will find out.
Appointment facts: Clarence Seedorf, 50, named Corinthians head coach on a contract to the end of 2027. Succeeds Fernando Diniz, sacked after seven consecutive league defeats. Corinthians are 16th in the Brazilian top flight with eight games remaining. Source: BBC Sport.
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