An election year historically moves Vasco backstage, but the sale of SAF to 777 Partners has changed the rules of the game. The next president will no longer be in control of football, which consequently affects interest in elections. But there is still a lot at stake. Above all the survival of the membership club.
The Vasco association no longer interferes in the main football decisions, but has a significant stake. The club still owns 30% of SAF and has two seats on the Vasco SAF board, currently held by current president Jorge Salgado and second deputy general, Roberto Duque Estrada.
The fact is that the SAF will lead the election of Vasco. The opposition, for example, begins to articulate, adopts the “saving the club” discourse and looks for a way to break with the 777. The relationship with American society and performance on the pitch throughout the year tend to be decisive in the November presidential race, according to most of the political operatives ge interviewed. The vote has yet to be set.
The composition of the SAF has provoked behind-the-scenes dissension even among favorable groups. The transfer or maintenance of 20% of the SAF by the associative club is the subject of internal debate and tends to be definitive in the formation of any alliances. There are those who believe that Vasco shouldn’t sell his assets, but there are also those who see it as the best way. Vasco today has 30% of SAF and, by law, is obliged to keep 10%. The 777 has 70% and control.
Jorge Salgado isolated
It is very unlikely that Jorge Salgado will ask for re-election. The current chairman told colleagues he was satisfied with the conclusion of the sale of SAF and showed no interest in participating in a new election. Politically, he too would not have the support of most of the groups that made up “Mais Vasco”, the winning ticket for the 2020 elections. Among the former allies, there are many questions about the way Salgado has commanded the club in recent years.
For many, Salgado is “politically isolated” for three reasons: his football performance during his tenure; the administrative reform carried out last year, which displeased many; and, above all, the division created between his allies in the process of selling to 777. Some felt excluded from the debate and there was a stampede of vice presidents.
The meeting of the Deliberative Council last Thursday exposed the split. The president was unable to approve the increase in fees, which today represent over 50% of the club’s revenue, and he did not have the support of former peers, who even proposed a commission to evaluate the case. Salgado, however, has not accepted it and has asked that the vote have only the options “yes” or “no”, which has surprised even his closest peers. He ended up losing 102 to 37.
Osório’s name gains strength
Confraria, PetroVasco, Vasco do Povo and Resgata Vasco formed the electoral base of Salgado in 2020. The groups broke with Develop Vasco due to the relationship with the former Vice President of Finance, Adriano Mendes, but walk together for the next elections. There is still no definite candidate, but the name of Carlos Roberto Osório, current vice president, has a lot of internal strength.
Osório, however, has not expressed his interest in participating in the elections, but there are those who see him as the ideal name and natural successor, as he is very active in the current management and because he is one of the few leaders of the association club with a good relationship and a good entry with 777. He has collaborated with the American company, for example, on matters concerning the Maracanã. However, he confided to the allies that he did not know if he would be available for professional and personal reasons.
Osório has also always been very loyal to Jorge Salgado, and the allies believe he will signal a possible candidacy only after the current president has formalized that he will not be in the race at the end of the year. This, however, shouldn’t be a problem. Salgado himself, in informal conversations, has indicated that he would like to make Carlos Roberto Osório his successor.
Other names felt as strong by ge’s report were that of the current second vice president, Roberto Duque Estrada, and that of Vitor Roma, former vice president of marketing. Vitor, on the other hand, recently moved to San Paolo for professional reasons and his candidacy is currently unfeasible.
Eduardo Cassiano launches the candidacy
The fact is that there are still few definitions, but many ongoing conversations. La Confraria, for example, has had meetings with Semper Vasco, a group that had nominated Julio Brant in the last three elections.
On the agenda is the search for convergence with respect to important points of the deliberative Council, in particular the reform of the statute, and a possible renegotiation of some points of the contract with the 777, identified as “excessive” by the directors. An alliance for the elections is difficult, but it is not excluded.
As was the name of Semper Vasco in the last three elections, Júlio Brant is always pointed out as a possible candidate, but at the moment there is still no debate on the subject. Júlio will spend the first semester in Europe for professional commitments.
Who intends to stand as a candidate at the end of the year is the councilor Eduardo Cassiano, elected in the Semper Vasco ticket. Cassiano has recently left the group and intends to dialogue with influential partners to form his ticket. He already has campaign material.
Cassiano, who appears as a kind of third way, voted in favor of the SAF, but has recently raised questions about the conduct of football. He was, for example, one of the signatories of a recent letter addressed to Jorge Salgado on the lack of transparency regarding the football budget for 2023.
– I really intend to represent the third way, with Vasco’s experience in the next elections, through a proactive candidacy and without attacks on other candidates, respecting the adverse. We will soon be inviting several people from Vasco da Gama to jointly build a project that will strengthen Olympic, Paralympic and amateur sports. We have the best professionals to develop incentive projects, through ICMS across the state government and IR in the federal government, as well as excellent partners in the private sector. In this way we will strengthen ties with the community and we will have a strong associative circle – said Eduardo Cassiano, who was in favor of Saf, but promised control.
– Regarding football, we own 30% of SAF and have a partner with 70% of the shares. This change has been approved by 80% of the members, I intend to strengthen the partnership with 777, but without failing to monitor if everything officially promised is coming true – completed the pre-candidate.
Vasco’s bailout speech will be the banner of the opposition. The idea is that Vasco must belong to the Vasco people. One winger understands the path is to break with 777 Partners or at least buy back 21% of SAF so the club can regain control of football. Another current maintains that the first step is to open the contract in its entirety to the partners. Only after full understanding of the agreement will it be possible to see what can be done.
No alliances have yet been formed or a candidate defined, but Leven Siano is a natural name, according to opposition officials interviewed by the report, and he should have the backing of influential groups, such as Fuzarca, if he runs.
There is an understanding that with only one candidate carrying the flag against the SAF, the opposition would have a better chance of winning the election. And in this scenario Leven emerges as the most influential name for his performance in the last election. He has not yet confirmed that he will run, but has signaled his intention to allied groups.
Candidate in the last elections and also against the SAF, Sérgio Frias does not rule out a new attempt, but he also understands that, with a single candidate, the opposition would have more chances of success, provided there is a convergence of ideas.
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