RIO DE JANEIRO, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Traditional powerhouse of Brazilian championship Corinthians hired Nelsinho Baptista as the new coach on Tuesday.

Baptista is the team's fourth coach of the season after he replaced Ze Augusto, who was relieved as manager on Monday and will go back to being in charge of the team's youth squads.

Contract details were not released.

Baptista was fired from second-division club Ponte Preta on Sunday after a string of bad results.

Corinthians, which was also coached by Emerson Leao and Paulo Cesar Carpegiani earlier this year, fell 1-0 to rival Palmeiras on Sunday in the team's fifth consecutive loss.

The result left the popular club in the Brazilian league's relegation zone with 33 points from 27 matches.

Baptista will be head of Corinthians for the fourth time in his career. He led the club to a total of 82 victories in 181 matches and helped the team win its first national championship in 1990.