The question that the president of the CBF (Brazilian Football Confederation), Ednaldo Rodrigues, has heard the most is about the name of the new coach of the Brazilian team. In any public appearance or in conversations with leaders, the subject comes up. Determined to centralize the selection process, the former president of Vitória acts according to his personality: using as much time as possible to make a decision.
The initial idea was to announce in January the coach who will replace Tite. But top foreign professionals who were priorities did not respond positively. Pep Guardiola has renewed with Manchester City, and Jürgen Klopp remains at Liverpool. José Mourinho was suggested more by reputation than by the work done in recent years.
Carlo Ancelotti still pleases, but he has a contract with Real Madrid and could only take over in June. Rodrigues has told interlocutors that he is in no hurry and that he would like an unquestionable name, which at first glance would be above criticism.
The top hat’s assessment is that the Italian, current champion of the Champions League, would fulfill this requirement. But he wants to have a coach agreed in March, when the selection returns to play, with an opponent still to be defined.
Zinédine Zidane is another name considered for being in the market and having a profile of someone who knows how to manage groups of players full of stars. He won three Champions Leagues in a row with Real Madrid (between 2016 and 2018) and showed interest in managing Brazil.
Spaniard Luis Enrique was not on the original list of possible foreign coaches, but was offered to the CBF as a viable candidate. He has experience in national teams (he led Spain in the last World Cup), he has already won the most important European tournament (with Barcelona in 2015) and worked with Neymar at the Catalan club.
If it didn’t fill your eyes, the option wasn’t rejected. The president has also heard other international suggestions, such as the Chilean Manuel Pellegrini, currently at Real Betis.
As there is no decision, the idea appeared that the CBF would follow the example of the AFA (Argentine Football Association) and make a bet. The clear reference is to the work of Lionel Scaloni, world champion in Qatar for Argentina. He had never directed any team and in the previous Cup, in 2018, in Russia, he was a peripheral member of Jorge Sampaoli’s coaching staff.
The possibility, however, did not find resonance. For the same reason that a Brazilian professional does not gain strength to lead the national team: there is no name.
On the contrary, Ednaldo wants to start from scratch, with no memories of the Tite era, a coach he never fell in love with. The manager remained silent during the months before last year’s World Cup so as not to be held responsible if the defeat happened. Also for this reason, he kept Juninho Paulista as selection coordinator.
And, knowing that he will be criticized or praised for choosing the new commander of the selection, the president wants to make the decision alone.
There is no financial concern. The top hat understands that the confederation is able to disburse more than the approximately R$ 2 million monthly received by Tite, in case the contractor is a well-known name in Europe. He believes that the agreement will not be difficult also due to the status of being a foreigner in the Brazilian national team.
Before the Super Cup between Palmeiras and Flamengo, played last Saturday (28), Ednaldo Rodrigues said that he wants a coach with an offensive style, who doesn’t just depend on a sporadic bid to win.
“They say that such a coach plays for a ball. A coach who only plays for a ball does not fit in the Brazilian team. We are still within the time”, he said.
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