Posted by The Associated Press | Friday, July 2, 2010 |The Associated Press
Dunga may be done with Brazil.
Dunga and the top-ranked Brazilians were toppled in the quarter-finals by the Netherlands. (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images)
The Brazil coach hinted he will not stay on after his team squandered a halftime lead in a stunning 2-1 loss to the Netherlands in the World Cup quarter-finals Friday.
Dunga took over on a four-year contract from Carlos Alberto Parreira after Brazil lost to France at the same stage in 2006, and even before this loss he had indicated that he wasn’t expected to continue no matter the outcome at the tournament.
“Everybody knew from the start that my contract was for four years,” Dunga said in the post-match news conference.
He immediately accepted blame for the defeat.
“Without a shadow of a doubt, I am the coach of the Brazilian team,” Dunga said. “I have the greatest responsibility.”
A former defensive midfielder who captained Brazil in 1994 and 1998, Dunga was known for his toughness on and off the field.
He was heavily criticized by fans and local media when he was appointed despite having no coaching experience at any level. Many said Dunga was just a temporary choice until a better coach could be signed.
In his four years in charge, Dunga revamped Brazil with successful results, leaving out stars like Ronaldinho, Ronaldo and Adriano and introducing lesser-known players known for their discipline and hard work.
The results paid off when the team won the 2007 Copa America and the 2009 Confederations Cup, but success in Brazil is measured almost exclusively at World Cups, something Dunga knows well.
Having already led Brazil to the 1994 title, Dunga’s final World Cup appearance as a player also came against the Netherlands. He looked back Thursday at that 1998 semifinal as one of the most memorable moments in his career, recalling affectionately how he converted Brazil’s final penalty in a shootout win.
Dunga would probably like to forget this match against the Dutch, but it could be a while before he coaches again.
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- World Cup 2010: Dunga set to step down as Brazil coach (telegraph.co.uk)
- Dunga’s Exclusion of Ronaldinho And Adriano Reasons for Brazil’s Failure (bleacherreport.com)
- World Cup 2010: Dunga steps down after Brazil lose to Holland (guardian.co.uk)
- Dunga reign at an end (skysports.com)
- Dunga stunned by exit (skysports.com)
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