Brazil Back in Time: Scolari Replaced by Ex-Coach Dunga

To penalise one for failure is to reward another for prior mistakes. This seems to be the notion Brazil have undertaken by re-appointing predecessor and stunning midfielder, Dunga, following the swift departure of the rather wistful Luiz Felipe Scolari after football turned sour for the host nation. Brazil had been in the doldrums since Neymar’s tragic spinal injury and Thiago Silva’s string of bookings, which led to his position merely as fan-in-crowd, but I’m not convinced that hauling Dunga back in for managerial duties was the most well thought out decision.

Being an extremely organised and fair person, I often have many quibbles about how problems are dealt with in footballing realms. This isn’t to say that all resolutions are hopeless; I just feel that the dejected Scolari perhaps should not have been turfed out immediately. Despite the resignation deriving from the man himself, the immense pressure would have been troubling to contain, and tendering the end of his contract was possibly what was expected rather than what he wholly wanted. Speculation aside, Brazil have undergone some form of Doctor Who-style regeneration and somehow conjured up a familiar face, rather than somebody fresh, carrying experience from elsewhere. The 50-year-old might not have come bumbling out of the Tardis, but he was relieved of his role following Brazil’s quarter-final loss at the 2010 South African World Cup (Sky Sports, July 2014); this is surely indicative that reinstating the man without a plan 4 years ago might not be such an intelligent choice.

Scolari’s side were smashed a whopping (and completely embarrassing) 7-1 by tournament winners Germany in the semi-finals. This, I feel, says much more about the breadth and quality of players on the pitch, as opposed to how effective the management was. Why must the buck always stop with the coach? As controversial as this might seem, I deem the failure of a business decision, which football is, to be at the mercy of those in the wrong. Oh boy, where does one begin with who is mostly to blame for their wrong doings?

Thiago Silva, arguably Brazil’s only true defender and a man who has assisted a neat few goals, was out of the semi-finals due to bookings and therefore, his side was instantly hindered. His reliable technique is hard to tame and I feel Germany certainly would not have had such a fun, yet relaxing evening had Mr Silva been on the pitch. Furthermore, chirpy golden boy Neymar was smiling nervously from the side-lines due to his sort-of-almost fatal back injury (thanks again for that, Juan Zúñiga). This obviously meant that Brazil would have been balmy to think that they would claim any kind of goal-fest that evening, especially as Oscar was extraordinarily poor on the field. His goal was neither here nor there in the grand scheme of things, and it was hardly deserved. Fred and Hulk were a recipe for disaster (Fred predominantly). Hulk’s occasional chutzpah was courageous, but was destined to fail. Tenacity can pay dividends, but Germany cashed in on Brazil’s total lack of dominance and presence. I can’t even discuss David Luiz without getting a little irate. One thing I will add: if you’re a defender, please defend. That’s probably a strong motto to live by. Running aimlessly in the wrong direction suggests one has misplaced their spectacles, particularly if your team do not have the ball.

The team aside, Dunga could mesh back into the fold with great ease and many of the team members might feel comfortable in his capable hands. But ‘capable’ is the operative word there; triumphs with the side in the 2007 Copa America and the latter 2009 Confederations Cup suggests that he has enough knowledge to guide Brazil to victory again, but will he be another manager to buckle under the stress during a World Cup? The biggest tournament in football could prove too much for him to handle, once again. Scolari showed weaknesses, in that his team were ill-equipped at more than a handful of times and he was perhaps too quick to celebrate when the balance tipped in their favour. However, mistakes can be learned from and I feel that having to resign should not be the sole option for a manager whose team has failed at a tournament. After all, England haven’t sacked Roy, and so they shouldn’t. Why must the rules be so cut and dry?

Re-hiring Dunga was a gutsy decision, but he knows how Brazil should be playing and seems to seek the best for his country. Despite this, it was Brazil’s “poor defending” against Holland that led to their 2010 demise (The Guardian, July 2014), during which, Dunga was the pensive captain of a sinking ship. It’s always thrilling to see that a team have taken note and mended their ways. Oh, that’s right; their defending was nothing short of sloppy again this summer. Dunga has prior convictions of rejecting Neymar, the brightest young talent of today, and just about the only worthy player for Brazil. This negligence and going-to-war attitude have not won him any accolades; Globo TV, the largest media organisation in Brazil, had exposed Dunga’s harsh tendencies when managing the nation before, yet he has been elected to take charge again. Puzzling.

So, it seems that the future of Neymar and co looks blurred and rather distressing. Could this be the dawn of a new super-South American side, or has their calamity during the tournament this year paved the way for more failure? Regardless, I think Scolari’s speedy exit might have been a rash decision, whilst Dunga’s return could stir up the cauldron of disappointment.

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