News Americas, BRASILIA, Brazil, Weds. July 23, 2014: “I am immensely happy to be back. Thank you for your confidence in me. #Brazil.”
That’s the word from Brazil’s new coach, Carlos Caetano Bledorn Verri or Dunga as he is known, signaled the first move by the country’s soccer officials to try to put the humiliating loss of the Brazil soccer squad in the semifinals of the FIFA World Cup behind them. Out with the old as Brazilian coach Luiz Felipe Scolari was given the boot two weeks after the 1-7 loss by his team. Welcome back for round two – Dunga!
What a difference four years makes. Now the former player, 50, is back at the helm after he was fired from the same job.
The Brazilian football confederation confirmed the appointment during a news conference at its headquarters in suburban Rio de Janeiro, but gave no details about salary.
Dunga received some great welcome back on Twitter with many saying he is a good choice and hoping he can help the Brazilian team to once again be the best!
But Brazilian news channel, GloboNews, said more than 70 per cent of respondents disapproved of his return.
Still Dunga is not phased. “When it comes to the survey, we have to overcome that,” he said. “I think they [fans] will eventually understand the work we are planning, and I don’t feel rejected. … I’m not going to change people’s mind set, but I will change the way people think about me.”
On Tuesday he suggested this time around, things might be different; adding that his focus is already on the next World Cup.
Brazil will also play next year in the Copa America — the South American championship — and in a special Copa America edition in 2016 played in the United States.
“My first time as coach, I was asked to rescue the team’s value and get results,” he said. “This second time around, the focus is on preparing the side for the 2018 World Cup.”
Dunga was the captain of Brazil’s 1994 World Cup-winning team, and coached the national team at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. He was dismissed after Brazil lost 2-1 in the quarterfinals to the Netherlands.
