Gomes latest casualty at Flamengo
 |  Gomes has become the third coach fired by Flamengo inside six months |
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RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (Reuters) -- Former Paris St Germain and Brazil defender Ricardo Gomes has become the third coach to be sacked by Flamengo in less than six months.
Gomes, who played for Brazil at the 1990 World Cup, paid the price after the club dropped back into the relegation zone following Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Juventude.
"I'm sure Flamengo will re-find their winning ways," Gomes said after becoming the 37th coaching victim of the championship in 39 rounds of matches.
"My conscience is clear because I know I did a good job. The coach needs results to stay. But you can't win if the ball doesn't go in."
The decision capped an unhappy season for Gomes who was sacked as Brazil's under-23 coach in February after they failed to qualify for the Olympic Games, losing out to Paraguay.
He then took over as coach of Flamengo's Rio de Janeiro neighbours Fluminense but resigned after the team had played 24 matches in the Brazilian championship.
Flamengo kicked off the championship, which began at the end of April, under Abel Braga, who lasted 19 games before resigning.
Paulo Cesar Gusamo, his replacement, was in the hot seat for little over one month.
In between, assistant coach Andrade was given two stints in charge and was again put in charge on an interim basis following Gomes's dismissal.
Flamengo are 21st in the 24-team table with 42 points from 39 games and seven to play. The bottom four teams go down.
The club, who have won the championship four times, flirted with relegation last season before narrowly escaping.