Dorival Júnior Unveiled as New Corinthians Manager, Speaks on Project, Squad, and First Impressions

Dorival Júnior was officially presented as the new manager of Corinthians on Tuesday, giving his first press conference at the Joaquim Grava training center. The veteran coach, who arrives after a recent stint with the Brazilian national team, expressed his excitement about taking on a challenge that, in his words, was missing from his career.

“It’s a pleasure and an honor to be here at a club that welcomes me at this stage and one that was missing from my résumé. You can be sure I’ll give everything I have to help things go the way we all want,” he said at the start of the press conference.

Dorival explained what motivated him to accept the position, pointing to the sporting project presented by football executive Fabinho Soldado, a longtime colleague he trusts. “I want to thank all the clubs that approached me. I didn’t open negotiations with any of them. The Corinthians offer came from the heart, and I hope I can repay that trust,” he stated.

He revealed that his first meeting with Fabinho took place at his home, but talks were briefly delayed due to an important Corinthians fixture. “Everything was resolved. I’m very happy to be here. I’ll give my all for those who believed in my hiring and in my staff,” he assured.

When asked why he chose Corinthians, Dorival emphasized the strength of the project and his track record of developing talent. “I’ve always believed in the work. I’ve never joined a club with demands for signings. On the contrary, in every team I’ve managed, we’ve generated more player sales than purchases. It will be no different here.”

Dorival also addressed the team’s recent loss to Flamengo, choosing not to make hasty judgments. “You can’t assess a squad based on just one match. We need to evaluate the broader context. There are no individual culprits here. There’s just a slight imbalance, which is natural after a title win.”

He further pointed to the intense schedule and its impact on performance. “We’ll play ten matches this month. With a game every two or three days, fluctuations are normal. A team that struggles early in the week could bounce back with two wins by the weekend. That’s the process I believe in,” he concluded.

Dorival led his first training session on Monday and will make his debut on Wednesday as Corinthians take on Novorizontino in the third round of the Copa do Brasil.