Santos announced on Monday the hiring of Argentine coach Ariel Holan, who has signed a contract with the Brazilian team until December 2023.
“I am very happy to lead Santos, a club with so many stars, like Pelé and Neymar. It will be a challenge to participate in one of the most balanced leagues in the world, but I have no doubts that we will deliver a good result, ”Holan said in a statement.
Holan, 60, arrives in Brazil after terminating his contract with Universidad Católica de Chile and will replace Alexi Stival ‘Cuca’, who resigned from Albinegro’s bench after drawing 1-1 with Fluminense at the weekend -end last on the penultimate day of the Brazilian championship.
From field hockey to soccer
Before entering the world of football, the Argentine coach was a field hockey coach and won a bronze medal with the Uruguayan team at the Pan American Games in Santo Domingo in 2003.
A remporté the Copa Sudamericana avec Independiente
He later made the leap to football, where he achieved his greatest achievement in 2017, winning the Copa Sudamericana at the helm of the Argentine Independiente. Previously, in 2015, he also headed the Defense and Justice of his country.
His last team was Universidad Católica, with which he won the Chilean championship last year.
In his first words as Santos coach, Holan said he was going to give the team an “offensive” style and that he intended to mix “more experienced” players with “more” players. youth”.
“I know it’s a very big responsibility, but I am encouraged,” said the manager, who promised to “learn Portuguese well” in order to strengthen his ties with Brazil.
Fits the Santos philosophy
For his part, the president of Santos, Andrés Rueda, underlined in the note that Holan fits perfectly into the philosophy of the club which, on the other hand, is going through serious financial problems.
“He is a professional who uses the career, plays offensively and adapts to the club’s financial situation,” said the manager.
With Holan, Santista’s board once again bet on an Argentinian coach, as they did with Jorge Sampaoli, who led the team in 2019 and led the team to second place. of the Brazilian League that year.
Despite the economic crisis he is going through, Santos managed to reach the final of the Copa Libertadores 2020, which he lost to Palmeiras, also of Brazil, in the final played on January 30 at the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro. .
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