体坛英语新闻：Zico leaves Flamengo, stirs crisis

RIO DE JANEIRO, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Flamengo athletic club suffered a huge loss on Friday when its legendary director of soccer Zico announced his abrupt departure.

Club president Patricia Amorim addressed the media to minimize the club' s internal problems.

Zico, a former player for Flamengo, signed on to be the soccer team' s director four months ago. However, he attributed the lack of support and conspiracy against him revolving his sons' alleged involvement with the club as the main reasons to leave. He stated that he was not able to conclude his work of re-organization due to a lack of confidence.

Following Zico, the vice-president of soccer left his post in protest. Also in protest, hundreds of fans lined up to demonstrate their support for Zico and their disappointment with Flamengo' s administration.

During Amorim' s declaration, she shed tears and lamented Zico' s decision. She promised that new measures will be taken by Monday in order to salvage the team' s remaining season in the Brazilian Championship. Amorim suggested that head coach Silas will be dismissed, one of Zico' s previous demands.

Flamengo, currently in a disappointing fifteenth place with 29 points, will face cross-town rival Botafogo on October 2. The match will likely be recently signed Silas' last game as head coach.