Since last season, Santos has fallen short of the expected football, a scenario that has increased pressure on the work of coach Juan Pablo Vojvoda. As a result, Cuca’s name began to be speculated on in the team, according to information from the specialized press.
Free on the market, the coach would be willing to listen to a proposal to return to command Peixe.
The board is looking for a coach who is capable of enhancing the squad and, consequently, achieving positive results. The club has one of the highest salaries in Brazilian football, but performance on the field still does not match the investment made.
Initially, Renato Gaúcho emerged as one of the favorites. Free after leaving Fluminense, the coach received approval from part of the board, but lost strength in recent days with the emergence of Cuca.
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Negative reaction from the fans
On social media, part of the fans spoke out about the possible signing of Cuca by Peixe. Due mainly to the accusation of gang rape against a 13-year-old girl in Switzerland and the effects that the crime generated, a portion of fans are opposed to the coach’s return.
Cuca, in addition to being convicted of a heinous crime, also lost a Libertadores final to a rival because of him, he should never have his name linked to Santos ever again
— mantraartes (@mantraartes) February 1, 2026
Isn’t Cuca that crazy guy who has an accusation on his back? https://t.co/VpFo6z7GCD
— Santos Culture 👑 (@alobaixada) February 1, 2026
Santos is a team aligned to the left, keep in mind Cuca and you will see him being spat on and cursed by Santos fans in every game.
I will be the first.
— Santos Culture 👑 (@alobaixada) February 1, 2026
Many people also spoke negatively after the position taken by Robert Almeida, Brazilian champion with Santos in 2002:
Renato Gaúcho is not used to working with foundations, he works more with medallions. Cuca already uses the base more, therefore, I would go with Cuca to take the place of Vojvoda, who is LOST in command of Santos,
— Robert Almeida (@Robertsplayer) February 1, 2026
Santos will not end the year without Cuca taking over the team, this is a tragedy that has been rehearsed for a long time by Marcelo Teixeira https://t.co/PDPAWCu7sG
— walter (@volantelento) February 2, 2026
Cuca coming to Santos would be a huge mistake. It was already in decline at Atlético-MG and it was even worse at Athletico-PR. Furthermore, the extra-field case still weighs heavily and would only cause more problems. Santos already has enough headaches. https://t.co/eIcedAlPsm
— Diego Santista dos Santos (@OutroNoTwiter_) February 2, 2026
Cuca’s passages through Santos
Cuca had three spells at Santos as coach. The first was in 2008, when he led the team in 14 games, winning three of them.
Ten years later, he returned to Peixe, where he spent 26 games in charge and recorded 10 victories. In 2020, he played his last stint with the São Paulo team, with 33 games and 13 wins.
Vojvoda remains under pressure
In 2025, the team experienced a complicated situation in the Brazilian Championship and only managed to avoid the risk of relegation in the final rounds. The campaign left its mark and raised the level of pressure on the cast and coaching staff.
Currently, the negative sequence keeps the atmosphere of concern in the air. There are now six matches without a win, with three defeats and three draws, numbers that have raised alarm bells in the black and white board.
Faced with the unstable scenario, the Santos leadership began to internally discuss possible changes to try to react quickly during the season.
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