Jair Ventura addresses 'firefighter' label in coaching career

Football coach Jair Ventura is addressing the labels attached to his career, specifically the term ‘técnico bombeiro’ (firefighter coach), which refers to his reputation for saving teams from relegation. Ventura has successfully rescued five different clubs from the relegation zone, including Botafogo in 2016, Sport in 2020, Juventude in 2021, Goiás in 2022, and most recently Vitória in 2025.

Since taking over at Vitória in September of last year, Ventura has managed 57 matches. He recently led the Bahia-based team to safety with a 55% success rate over 14 matches, securing seven wins, two draws, and five losses. Despite facing criticism for a defensive style of play during his time at clubs like Santos and Corinthians, Ventura stated that public labels do not define him and that he remains confident in his capabilities despite the inherent instability of the profession.