 Baier in 2022 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Paulo César Baier | ||
| Date of birth | (1974-10-25)25 October 1974 (age 51) | ||
| Place of birth | Ijuí,Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil | ||
| Height | 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||
| Position | Attacking midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Hercílio Luz | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1991–1993 | São Luiz-RS | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1993–1997 | São Luiz-RS | ||
| 1997–1998 | Criciúma | 51 | (7) |
| 1998 | Atlético Mineiro | 16 | (1) |
| 1999–2001 | Botafogo | 6 | (0) |
| 1999 | →Vasco da Gama (loan) | 13 | (1) |
| 2000 | →América Mineiro (loan) | 23 | (0) |
| 2001 | Atlético Mineiro | 16 | (0) |
| 2001 | →América Mineiro (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| 2002 | Pelotas | 3 | (0) |
| 2002–2003 | Criciúma | 71 | (22) |
| 2004–2005 | Goiás | 109 | (38) |
| 2006–2007 | Palmeiras | 54 | (14) |
| 2007–2008 | Goiás | 79 | (30) |
| 2009 | Sport Recife | 14 | (4) |
| 2009–2013 | Atlético Paranaense | 173 | (57) |
| 2014 | Criciúma | 36 | (9) |
| 2015 | Ypiranga | 9 | (6) |
| 2015 | Juventude | 12 | (2) |
| 2016 | São Luiz-RS | 16 | (6) |
| Total | 701 | (197) | |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2018 | Toledo | ||
| 2018 | Próspera | ||
| 2019 | Brusque | ||
| 2020 | Toledo | ||
| 2020–2021 | Próspera | ||
| 2021 | Criciúma | ||
| 2022 | São José-RS | ||
| 2022–2023 | Botafogo-SP | ||
| 2023 | Figueirense | ||
| 2024 | Juventus de Jaraguá | ||
| 2025– | Hercílio Luz | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Paulo César Baier (born 25 October 1974) is a Brazilianfootballmanager and former player who played as anattacking midfielder.
Baier's 21-year career started in 1995 withSão Luiz-RS, as aright back. Mainly associated toCriciúma,Goiás andAtlético Paranaense, he scored totals of 106 goals since the establishment of the round-robin format of theSérie A, being the second-best in the tournament's history.[1]
Baier was born inIjuí,Rio Grande do Sul, ofGerman descent. Started his career at the age of 12, training withGaúcho's youth setup. In 1991, after representing hometown amateur sides Esporte Clube Flamengo Vila Santo Antônio and Sociedade Recreativa Esportiva Chorão, he went on a trial atSão Luiz.[2]
Baier subsequently joined the club's youth setup, but was converted into aright back during his formation. Promoted to the first team in 1995 and known asPaulo César, he was regularly used during his two-year spell.[2]
In 1997, Baier joinedSérie A sideCriciúma, after impressing in a friendly match against the club. He made his debut for the club on 5 July, starting in a 1–1 away draw againstAmérica-RN, and scored his first goal on 12 October, netting the last in a 2–0 home defeat ofBahia.
In the middle of 1998, after winning the year'sCampeonato Catarinense, Baier moved toAtlético Mineiro (two stints). Sparingly used, he subsequently representedBotafogo,Vasco da Gama,América Mineiro[3] andPelotas before returning to Criciúma in 2002.
As the club already had aPaulo César in the squad, he was initially known asPaulo César Baier, but it was "too long". He then started to be called asPaulo Baier,[4] and was a regular starter as the club wonthe year'sSérie B. In the final, he scored ahat-trick in a 4–1 home routing ofFortaleza.[5]
Ahead of the 2004 season, Baier moved toGoiás also in the main category. He scored a career-best 15 league goals during the campaign, and added a further eight in 2005; in the latter year he also finished theCampeonato Goiano as the top goalscorer, with 12 goals.
On 7 December 2005, Baier signed a two-year deal withPalmeiras.[6] On 16 March 2007, after having unpaid wages, he returned to his previous club Goiás.[7]
On 5 January 2009, Baier moved toSport,[8] but rescinded his contract in June after several altercations with managerNelsinho Baptista. He then moved toAtlético Paranaense,[9]
On 30 December 2013, aged 39, Baier returned to his main club Criciúma after his contract with Atlético expired.[10] A regular starter, he scored nine goals in all competitions, as his sidesuffered relegation.
Baier represented clubs in his native state in his two last campaigns, playing forYpiranga,[11]Juventude[12] and first club São Luiz.[13] He announced his retirement on 7 June 2016, at the age of 41, and finished his 21-year career as the second-best goalscorer of the Série A in the round-robin format, with 106 goals.[1]
On 12 February 2017, Baier was announced as the new manager ofPanambi,[14] but turned down the offer the following day.[15] On 14 August, he was named manager ofToledo Colônia Work, but only took over the club in December.[16]
On 1 August 2018, Baier was named manager of Criciúma's neighbouring sidePróspera,[17] and won the third division of theCampeonato Catarinense in his first season in charge. He left in 2019 to take overBrusque, and returned to Toledo in 2020.
Back at Próspera in 2020, Baier led the club to the title of the second division of the Catarinense. On 4 May 2021, he returned to Criciúma after six years, but now as manager.[18]
On 4 October 2021, despite leading Criciúma to the final stages of the2021 Série C, Baier was sacked.[19] On 14 February 2022, he replacedPingo at the helm of his first professional side São José,[20] but was himself sacked on 15 March.[21]
On 23 May 2022, Baier replacedLeandro Zago at the helm ofBotafogo-SP also in the third division.[22] He led the club to a promotion in the2022 Série C, but was sacked on 21 February 2023, despite leading their group in the2023 Campeonato Paulista.[23]
On 14 June 2023, Baier was named in charge ofFigueirense, still in division three.[24] He left on 30 October, after the club opted to not renew his contract.[25]
Baier's younger brother Éder was also a footballer. He also represented São Luiz.[2]
| Club | Season | League | State League | National Cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Criciúma | 1997[27] | Série A | 22 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 22 | 1 | ||||
| 1998[27] | Série B | 2 | 0 | 27 | 6 | — | — | — | 29 | 6 | ||||
| Total | 24 | 1 | 27 | 6 | — | — | — | 51 | 7 | |||||
| Atlético Mineiro | 1998 | Série A | 16 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 16 | 1 | ||||
| Botafogo | 1999 | Série A | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | — | 7[a] | 0 | 13 | 0 | ||
| Vasco da Gama | 1999[28] | Série A | 13 | 1 | — | — | 5[b] | 1 | — | 18 | 2 | |||
| América Mineiro | 2000 | Série A | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 19 | 0 | ||
| Atlético Mineiro | 2001 | Série A | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 7[c] | 2 | 26 | 2 | |
| América Mineiro | 2001 | Série A | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 4 | 0 | ||||
| Pelotas | 2002 | Gaúcho | — | 3 | 0 | — | — | 13[c] | 1 | 16 | 1 | |||
| Criciúma | 2002[27] | Série B | 24 | 9 | 6 | 1 | — | — | — | 30 | 10 | |||
| 2003[27] | Série A | 31 | 9 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | 44 | 14 | |||
| Total | 55 | 18 | 16 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | 74 | 24 | ||||
| Goiás | 2004 | Série A | 40 | 15 | 18 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 4[d] | 2 | — | 65 | 20 | |
| 2005 | 32 | 8 | 19 | 12 | — | 2[d] | 1 | — | 53 | 22 | ||||
| Total | 72 | 23 | 37 | 15 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 3 | — | 118 | 42 | |||
| Palmeiras | 2006[29] | Série A | 31 | 10 | 15 | 2 | — | 10[e] | 0 | — | 56 | 12 | ||
| 2007[30] | 0 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 2 | ||||
| Total | 31 | 10 | 23 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | — | 64 | 14 | |||
| Goiás | 2007[31] | Série A | 34 | 13 | — | — | 4[d] | 4 | — | 38 | 17 | |||
| 2008[31] | 29 | 14 | 16 | 3 | 4 | 4 | — | — | 49 | 21 | ||||
| Total | 63 | 27 | 16 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | — | 87 | 38 | |||
| Sport Recife | 2009 | Série A | 2 | 0 | 12 | 4 | — | 7[e] | 1 | — | 21 | 5 | ||
| Atlético Paranaense | 2009 | Série A | 29 | 8 | — | — | 1[d] | 0 | — | 30 | 8 | |||
| 2010 | 31 | 10 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 44 | 12 | ||||
| 2011 | 22 | 5 | 17 | 10 | 5 | 3 | — | — | 44 | 18 | ||||
| 2012 | Série B | 26 | 8 | 11 | 5 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 40 | 13 | |||
| 2013 | Série A | 27 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 4 | — | — | 36 | 14 | |||
| Total | 135 | 41 | 38 | 16 | 20 | 8 | 1 | 0 | — | 194 | 65 | |||
| Criciúma | 2014[27] | Série A | 22 | 4 | 14 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1[d] | 0 | — | 38 | 9 | |
| Ypiranga-RS | 2015 | Série D | 0 | 0 | 9 | 6 | — | — | — | 9 | 6 | |||
| Juventude | 2015 | Série C | 12 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 12 | 2 | ||||
| São Luiz-RS | 2016 | Gaúcho A2 | — | 16 | 6 | — | — | — | 16 | 6 | ||||
| Career total | 468 | 128 | 233 | 69 | 34 | 14 | 34 | 9 | 27 | 3 | 796 | 224 | ||