Dunga sacked as Brazil coach

RIO DE JANEIRO: Brazil coach Dunga has been sacked following his team’s World Cup quarter-final exit with charismatic Luiz Felipe Scolari, who won the title in 2002, immediately being tipped to take over.

A statement from the Brazilian football confederation (CBF) said “The CBF announces the dismissal of the technical commission of the Brazilian team. The new commission will be announced at the end of July.”

Dunga, 46, who skippered Brazil to the 1994 World Cup, had been national team coach since 2006.

He had already said that he was intending to step down after four years following the five-time champions 2-1 defeat to Holland in the quarter-finals in Port Elizabeth on Friday.

However, on his arrival home on Sunday, Dunga did not rule out staying in the job.

“I am going to rest before meeting, in one or two weeks’ time, the president of the CBF, Ricardo Teixeira to talk about it [extending his stay in charge],” Dunga told a news conference before the CBF quickly shattered his optimism.

Brazilian media immediately started speculating on the identity of Dunga’s successor whose job will be guiding the team on home soil at the 2014 World Cup.

The favourite is Scolari, who won the World Cup in 2002, although he has ruled himself out saying he intends to honour his contract with Palmeiras which runs until 2012.

“I have a contract with Palmeiras and it is here that I am going to work,” Scolari told El Dorado radio.

“It would be great to finish my career coaching a team at the World Cup to be staged in Brazil, but I cannot respond to any offer until after 2012.”

Other names being mentioned are Mano Menezes, currently coach at Corinthians, and ex-AC Milan boss Leonardo. Jorginho, who was Dunga’s assistant in South Africa, is also believed to be in the running.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 6^th, 2010.