SÃO PAULO FC – REBUILDING AN IDENTITY
THE TELÊ SANTANA PHILOSOPHY

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There are many ways to win in Football Manager.

This save is not about finding the most efficient tactic, exploiting the match engine, or chasing short-term success.
It is about something harder to build — identity.

São Paulo FC is one of the most successful clubs in South American history, but for many supporters, its greatest legacy is not a specific title, but a way of playing football.
That legacy reached its highest point under Telê Santana, particularly during the early 1990s.

Over time, that identity faded.

Different coaches, different ideas, constant tactical resets — and a club that slowly stopped recognizing itself on the pitch.

Why should Telê Santana be remembered as an era, and not treated as a permanent philosophy?

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Project Vision

The objective of this save is to rebuild São Paulo FC around a clear, coherent footballing philosophy, inspired by Telê Santana and adapted to Football Manager 2024.

• Possession as a tool, not an obsession
  
• Structured build-up, not sterile circulation
  
• Tactical intelligence over physical chaos
  
• Collective superiority over individual improvisation
  
• Youth development aligned with the first team’s model
  

Winning matters — but how we win matters more.

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Tactical Foundations

The base system is a 4-2-3-1 asymmetric shape, which in possession often resembles a 3-2-4-1.

• A strong right side, driven by an attacking wing-back (Cafu)
• A more conservative left side, focused on balance and structure
  
• A central attacking midfielder as the main decision-maker (Raí)
• A mobile striker who connects play rather than acting as a static target (Müller)
• High positional discipline combined with controlled creative freedom
  

This is not gegenpress, route one football, or chaos-based intensity.
It is control through structure.

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Beyond the First Team

This project does not stop at tactics.

• Staff recruitment aligned with the club’s philosophy
  
• A restructured youth pathway
  
• A functional U23 team to reduce unnecessary loans
  
• South American scouting as a strategic priority
  
• Long-term squad planning over short-term fixes
  

The goal is to make every level of the club speak the same footballing language.

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What to Expect in This Thread

• Tactical diagrams and explanations
  
• Fictional press releases and newspaper-style updates
  
• Squad and staff decisions explained through philosophy, not meta
  
• Youth development stories
  
• Failures, adjustments, and lessons learned
  

This is a slow-burn save, focused on immersion and coherence.

If you’re looking for instant trophies, this may not be for you.
If you’re interested in football identity, structure, and long-term thinking — welcome.

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LUCIANO SILVÉRIO TAKES CHARGE AT SÃO PAULO IN UNPRECEDENTED CLUB GAMBLE

Tricolor surprise by appointing an academic with no professional coaching experience. Muricy Ramalho backs the move and promises a return to the club’s historic identity.

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A surprising decision has shaken Brazilian football this week.

São Paulo Futebol Clube have announced Luciano Silvério as their new head coach, replacing Luis Zubeldía at the helm of the first team. With no previous experience managing professional sides, Silvério arrives at Morumbi from an academic background, in what the club openly describes as a bold and long-term project.

The appointment was made following a direct recommendation from Muricy Ramalho, São Paulo’s technical coordinator, who defended the decision as part of a broader effort to rebuild the club’s footballing identity.

“I was monitoring possible changes. We need new ideas. Trying the same thing and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity,” Muricy said.

“Silvério has excellent ideas. I met him during coaching courses in Europe and we decided to take a chance on something new. He has our full support.”

Silvério has built his career outside the traditional professional club environment. Known for his tactical research and analytical approach to the game, the new coach arrives surrounded by both curiosity and skepticism, but with strong backing from the club’s leadership.

In his first official remarks, Silvério emphasized continuity rather than rupture.

“Although I bring new ideas, my proposal is not to break with São Paulo’s history.
On the contrary. It is about restoring the club’s identity — the style of play that has always defined us.”

The new head coach also referenced the legacy of Telê Santana, the iconic figure behind São Paulo’s golden era in the early 1990s.

“Supporters often speak nostalgically about the so-called ‘Telê Era’. But who said this has to remain just an era?

This can — and should — be a philosophy. That will be the foundation of our work.”

Muricy Ramalho stressed that the appointment should not be judged solely on short-term results.

“This is part of a major, long-term project.We want to build — or rebuild — São Paulo’s footballing identity. And that starts at the academy.”

According to the club, the objective is to align principles, playing style and development pathways across all age groups, creating a unified identity that extends beyond individual managers or generations.

São Paulo’s decision represents a rare departure from conventional hiring logic in Brazilian football — a calculated gamble on ideas, structure and long-term identity rather than immediate results.