Sao Paulo impose limits on hiring coaches

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Clubs who fire coaches during next year's Sao Paulo state championship will not be allowed to hire a replacement who had been with a rival team the same season, the Paulista Football Federation (FPF) said on Thursday.

"Clubs will not be allowed to exchange coaches between themselves during the championship," the FPF said via Twitter.

Officials were unable to provide clearer details but the move appears designed to stop the common practice of hiring and firing managers on a whim.

Last year 10 of the 20 teams fired at least one coach, including eventual champions Santos, who fired their manager Enderson Moreira after he started the season with an unbeaten seven-match streak.

In the current national championship, 17 of the 20 teams have fired at least one coach since it began in May, and several clubs are on to their third manager of the season.

The Sao Paulo state championship will be held from Jan. 31 to May 8.

(Editing by Pritha Sarkar)