Vasco announces head coach replacement in Rio

RIO DE JANEIRO, March 31 (Xinhua) -- Football club Vasco da Gama announced on Monday evening that 1998 Libertadores Cup champion head coach Antonio Lopes will replace Alfredo Sampaio to coach the team, following the 2-1 defeat on Sunday to Volta Redonda in the second phase of Rio's state championship.

According to Vasco's president Eurico Miranda, Sampaio was fired due to "relationship problems with the players."

The former coach had been having arguments with striker Edmundosince the player's return to Vasco in Feb when he missed a penalty kick in the semifinal of the first phase of Rio's championship.

At the time, Edmundo told the press that he did not want to play because he felt he was not ready for a debut in the team, especially in an important match.

Sampaio took over the team three months ago, after striker/coach Romario quit the position for having disagreed with the interference from Vasco's board of directors in the formation of the games' rosters.

Lopes, the new coach, will manage Vasco's team for the sixth time in his career. On three occasions, the club won a Libertadores Cup title (1998) and two Brazilian League titles (1997 and 2000), in which Edmundo participated.

"I think (Edmundo) will help me a lot, because he is a very skilled player and a top scorer," Lopes told the press in his inauguration at Vasco's headquarters.