BackBrazil name Corinthians’ Tite as new football coach
Tite, who led Corinthians to two Serie A titles, will replace Dunga as Brazil coach, who was fired on Tuesday
PremiumPhoto: AFP
Sao Paulo: Corinthians manager Tite has accepted an offer to coach Brazil but his appointment was met with fury at the club, who accused the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) of underhand tactics and unethical behaviour, the club’s president said on Wednesday.
Tite who led Corinthians to two Serie A titles, the Copa Libertadores and the World Club Cup, will replace Dunga, who was fired on Tuesday, Corinthians president Roberto de Andrade told reporters.
Tite, whose proper name is Adenor Leonardo Bacchi, was the overwhelming favourite to get the job after Dunga’s side was knocked out of the Copa America at the group stage for the first time since 1987. Andrade hit out at the CBF, whom, he said, had gone behind the club’s back.
“I am furious with the CBF," Andrade told reporters. “They didn’t even call us once. It wouldn’t have changed anything if they’d called us and asked for permission to talk to the manager. Of course I’d have said yes."
“Tite deserves the national side for the work he has done and for the person he is," Andrade added. “The national side doesn’t deserve Tite. The CBF doesn’t deserve a person like Tite. They aren’t used to dealing with ethical people."
Although his comments were unusually outspoken they came as no surprise to many within the game. The last three CBF presidents–-including the current boss Marco Polo Del Nero—were indicted in the United States for bribery and racketeering offences as part of the Fifa corruption scandal.
Tite himself was one of 100 sporting personalities who signed an open letter last December calling for Del Nero to resign.
Del Nero did not respond to the letter, which was signed by Pele, Zico and Rai among others, and he did not accompany Brazil to the US for either the Copa America or friendly matches played there.
Task ahead
Tite, 55, has a reputation as an honest man who knows how to organise even limited sides and he will have his work cut out at the national team.
Brazil have lost their way in recent years and have failed to win a major tournament since 2007 when Dunga led them to the Copa America during his first spell in charge.
He was replaced after Brazil fell to the Netherlands in the quarter-finals of the 2010 World Cup but returned in 2014 after they were hammered 7-1 by Germany in their home World Cup.
That result exemplified Brazil’s decline and Dunga was hired to stop the rot and restore some pride to the five-times World Cup winners.
However, he failed miserably and was fired after Brazil lost 1-0 to Peru on Sunday and went out of the Centenary Copa America in the United States.
They also sit in sixth place in the South American qualifying group for the 2018 World Cup, one spot outside the qualifying places.
The top four teams qualify automatically for Russia and the fifth-placed side enter an inter-continental playoff. Reuters
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