17 April 2005	Sunday	07 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1426

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RIO DE JANEIRO, April 16: Flamengo have fired their second coach this year, this time for talking too much. Cuca, who had been in charge for 12 matches, said he had been sacked for publicly repeating that the team needed new players.

“My persistant requests for reinforcements ended up upsetting the directors,” he told reporters. “I went too far.”

Flamengo, who have won the Brazilian championship four times since it began in 1971, were beaten 1-0 in the first leg of a Copa Brasil tie by second division Ceara on Wednesday.

In their previous game, they were hammered 4-1 by neighbours Fluminense in a Carioca (Rio de Janeiro) state championship semifinal 10 days ago.

Although the club, once graced by players such as Zico and Junior, claim to have more than 30 million fans, they are in chronic financial difficulties and appear set for another fight against relegation when the Brazilian championship starts later this month.

Flamengo’s first coach this year was Julio Cesar Leal, who was fired after only three games.—Reuters