Luiz Scolari, Joachim Loew out to prove mentoring skills

Brazil, Germany coaches feverishly await outcome of last-four clash.

RIO DE JANEIRO: Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has vowed that his side will win the World Cup final in Rio de Janeiro’s historic Maracana Stadium this week. Now his reputation is on the line.

Known as ‘Felipao’, or ‘Big Phil’, depending on which of the many countries he has been working in, Scolari managed the Brazil side that won the World Cup for a record fifth time in Japan in 2002.

If he succeeds again, he will become only the second coach after Italy’s Vittorio Pozzo (1934 and 1938) to win two World Cups.“If I feared challenges, I wouldn’t have achieved anything in my career,” said the 65-year-old in an interview with British newspaper The Guardian.

After the quarter final win against Colombia on Friday, Scolari said that his side had ‘one hand’ on the trophy.

Loew’s big Brazil test

Another semi-final is another battle of nerves for Joachim Loew, who risks becoming Germany’s nearly man.

After eight years in charge of Die Mannschaft, Loew so far has one previous World Cup semi-final, the 2008 European Championship final and the Euro 2012 semi-final to show. No trophy.

But the 54-year-old former assistant to Jurgen Klinnsman has brought on a team praised for its attacking play. And his tactics have been hailed by World Cup legends Pele and Diego Maradona.

An impressive record of 75 wins in 110 internationals has earned Loew plenty of respect in Germany, and the German Football Association (DFB) likes the team boss. It has already told him his job is safe and Loew is expected to see out his contract which expires after Euro 2016.

“What can be more beautiful in a football dreamland than to play a World Cup semi-final against the hosts?” said Loew of Tuesday’s game against Brazil.

But he also acknowledged before the tournament that ‘the clock is ticking’.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 8^th, 2014.

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