Brazil Sack Head Coach Dunga
Dunga
Dunga has been sacked as Brazil coach following his country’s quarter-final exit from the World Cup.
A statement from the Brazilian Football Federation (CBF) confirmed the former captain has been dismissed, along with his entire coaching staff.
Dunga, 46, who returned with his squad to Brazil on Sunday, had already said he was likely to go after the 2-1 defeat by the Netherlands on Friday.
The CBF revealed that a new coach would be installed by the end of the month.
Corinthians manager Mano Menezes and former AC Milan coach Leonardo have already been tipped as possible successors as well as former Brazil coach Wanderley Luxemburgo.
Luiz Felipe Scolari, who led Brazil to a fifth World Cup triumph in 2002, has ruled himself out because of his commitments with club side Palmeiras.
Dunga, whose full name is Carlos Caetano Bledorn Verri, is a legend in his homeland after captaining his side to World Cup victory in the United States in 1994.
He took over as coach of the national side in 2006, replacing Carlos Alberto Parreira, despite having no prior professional coaching experience.
His more pragmatic style of play split opinions in Brazil, with some supporters believing it stifled the natural attacking flair of the five-time world champions.
As far back as December 2009, Dunga revealed he would step down after this year’s finals, even if his side managed to lift the trophy in South Africa.
However, defeat at the hands of the Dutch put an end to their dreams of a sixth world title.
“With the closing of the work cycle that started in August 2006 and ended with the elimination of Brazil from the World Cup in South Africa, the CBF announces the dismissal of the technical commission of the Brazilian team,” the federation said in its statement.
The first big challenge for the new coach will be the 2011 South American championship – the Copa America – due to be held in Argentina.
However, the 2014 World Cup will dominate the agenda, particularly as the tournament will be held in Brazil for the first time since 1950.
Courtest of BBC Sport
England’s Capello Has No Plans To Quit
Fabio Capello has no plans to quit as coach despite overseeing England’s heaviest World Cup defeat.
England lost 4-1 to Germany this morning in a second-round match where its defence was badly exposed.
Capello said he wanted to discuss his future with England Football Association chairman Roger Burden soon, but the 64-year-old Italian made it clear he had no immediate plans to resign.
”We have time to decide,” Capello said. ”I need to know whether the FA have confidence in me or not … I want to speak with the chairman and then we can decide my future.”
In early June, the Capello signalled his desire to remain with England by signing a deal with the FA that removed an escape clause that could have let him leave after the World Cup.
Capello, who has coached Real Madrid and AC Milan, took over the England squad in January 2008 after Steve McClaren was fired for failing to qualify England for the 2008 European Championship.
Capello quickly transformed the England squad, imposing strict discipline and a no-nonsense approach. England’s players responded, and the team breezed through World Cup qualifying by winning nine of 10 games.
Frank Lampard, who thought he’d scored an equaliser before halftime but was not awarded a goal against Germany, sought to play down speculation about Capello’s future, saying debate over a coach’s fate is routine after a dramatic World Cup exit.
”At the end of the day, when an England team gets knocked out of the World Cup there’s question marks about managers and old players,” said Lampard, who described Capello as a ”top manager”.
Captain Steven Gerrard also supported keeping Capello at the helm.
”I’d like him to stay because I think he’s a fantastic manager,” Gerrard said. ”I’m sure he’ll address his own situation very soon.”
Capello’s current contract runs through the 2012 European Championship in Poland and Ukraine.
With thanks to Stuff.co.nz
Beckham Confirms World Cup Role
David Beckham has confirmed he is keen to accept England manager Fabio Capello’s invitation to join his coaching staff at the World Cup.
Beckham has been ruled out of the tournament in South Africa after rupturing his Achilles tendon while playing for AC Milan in March, but Capello wants the 35-year-old midfielder to play his part on the sidelines instead.
Capello and his assistant Franco Baldini have given Beckham the chance to work as an intermediary between manager and players, as well as assisting on the training ground.
Beckham, speaking on Friday at the presentation of England’s bid to host the 2018 World Cup, admitted he is hopeful his rehabilitation from the injury will have progressed far enough to allow him to make the trip to South Africa.
“I’ve spoken to the manager and Franco Baldini and they have made it well aware that I have a role to play with the players and the team,” Beckham said.
“We have not discussed specifics but I’m honoured that a manager of Fabio’s status feels I can be important.
“I am hoping to travel with the team but obviously we’ll have to see how my therapy goes.”
The former Manchester United and Real Madrid star is believed to have initially been concerned that his presence in the England camp could become a distraction.
But Capello and Baldini have assured Beckham that he would be a valuable part of their bid to win the World Cup.
Beckham is not expected to travel to England’s pre-World Cup training camp in Austria when the squad leaves on Monday, but he is set to be on the plane for South Africa on June 2.
With thanks to timesonline.co.za
Beckham Predicts November Return
England midfielder David Beckham has said he does not expect to return to competitive action until November because of the Achilles injury which has already ruled him out of the World Cup.
If his estimate is correct, Beckham could miss the whole of the Major League Soccer season for Los Angeles Galaxy, with the American domestic campaign concluding on November 21.
The 34 year-old suffered the injury while playing for AC Milan in March and despite having been ruled out of England’s plans for the World Cup 2010 it is
Speaking backstage to the presenters of ABC show The View, Beckham said: “I won’t be running for another three months so I’ll be playing again in, probably, November.”
He added: “This is an injury that is going to take time to heal. I’m only six weeks in after the surgery. I started therapy 10 days ago and just doing that every day. I kind of want to push it but with this kind of injury you can’t. You just have to wait for it to heal and then move on.
“At the moment it’s just getting the motion back into the ankle, the tendon, because obviously it’s still repairing. I can’t stretch too much, I have to wear a boot every day. If I haven’t got a boot on, which I didn’t today for a few interviews, I have to use crutches – it’s one or the other at the moment. It’s a pain. It’s not easy moving around, but I have to protect it.”
Asked about the moment the injury happened during Milan’s match against Chievo, Beckham said: “It was like being hit by a hockey puck. I thought someone was behind me and kicked me. Obviously, no one was there and I saw my foot hanging, and then I felt down there and there was a hole.”
The surgeon who operated on Beckham in March, Sakari Orava, said at the time that six months was the likely time the player would be out.
“It is always so in a normal athlete but in a top-level (athlete) it is difficult to say, sometimes sooner, sometimes later,” Orava said.
With thanks to the telegraph.co.uk
Beckham Leads List Of Highest Earners
Forbes magazine says David Beckham still reigns supreme as football’s top-earning player.
The 35-year-old midfielder earns US$40 million (R299 million) annually, with much of that coming from sponsors such as Adidas, Giorgio Armani and Motorola. But Beckham is expected to lose major sponsorship money this year because he will miss the World Cup in South Africa after tearing his Achilles’ tendon in March while on loan from the Los Angeles Galaxy to AC Milan.
Portuguese midfielder Cristiano Ronaldo is second on the Forbes list, earning US$30m (R299.25 million) a year. Ronaldo’s major sponsors include Nike, Coca-Cola and, like Beckham, Giorgio Armani.
Ronaldo, the 2008 FIFA Player of the Year, became the highest paid soccer player in the world in June when Real Madrid bought the 25-year-old winger from Manchester United for US$130 million (R971.75 million). He signed a six-year contract that pays an estimated $15.5 million (R115.86 million) in the first year, then increases 25 percent each season.
Brazilian playmaker Kaka, Ronaldo’s teammate at Madrid, is third on the list, earning US$25 million (R186 million) annually.
The 28-year-old, who won the 2007 FIFA Player of the Year, was bought from AC Milan for US$91 million (R680 million) – the second-highest known transfer fee. Kaka’s sponsors include Adidas and Giorgio Armani.
Ronaldinho is fourth on Forbes’ list, also earning US$25m (R186.87 million) a year. The 30-year-old Brazilian forward, who plays for AC Milan, was FIFA Player of the Year in 2004 and ‘05.
Rounding out the top five is French forward Thierry Henry, who makes US$24m (R179.4 million) a year. The 32-year-old plays for Barcelona and has sponsorships with Reebok, Gillette and Pepsi. There has been talk he could transfer this summer to Major League Soccer’s New York Red Bulls.
Lionel Messi, the reigning FIFA Player of the Year, is sixth on the list with earnings of US$20m (R149.5 million) annually. Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard is seventh, earning US$17m (R127 million), with teammate John Terry in eighth at US$16m (R119.6 million).
Swedish forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic is ninth, also at US$16m, followed by Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard at US$15m (R112 million).
On Thursday, Forbes ranked Manchester United as football’s most valuable team. Real Madrid was second and Arsenal was third – the same top three as last year.
With thanks to Stuff.co.nz
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