AFTER 7-1 SHOCK WE’RE BUZZING AGAIN
THERE is a buzz around the Brazil team once again and this feeling is down to the manager, Tite. The country was hurting after the World Cup in 2014, the 7-1 defeat against Germany, and there was anger towards the Brazilian FA (CBF) who have been heavily implicated in the FIFA scandal. CBF president Marco del Nero was indicted as part of the American investigation into football corruption. He does not follow the team around the world because if he leaves the country he could be arrested. People lost their connection to the national team. When we expected the repair work to start straight away, they went back to Dunga as coach to succeed Luiz Felipe Scolari. It was a surprise and the move did not go well. There were poor results in the Copa America in 2015 and 2016, when Brazil were eliminated by Paraguay and Peru — and Dunga was fired. Finally, they called for Tite, a coach with a long track record of success. He was back at Corinthians after a one-year sabbatical, during which he used his time to study the work of different coaches. He went to Real Madrid and met Carlo Ancelotti, his biggest inspiration, and players in the squad will tell you they have a similar approach. Like Ancelotti, Tite has good tactical knowledge and his team have balance. He admires the flair of the great Brazil teams of 1970 and 1982 but he knows modern football is different. His biggest strength is the way he deals with his players on a human level. He is approachable and charismatic. In his third game he dropped Willian for Philippe Coutinho but, when you talk to Willian, he still loves Tite. We always have talented players in Brazil but not always the knowledge of how to treat them and create the bond of a team. After the game against Japan in Lille, there was a remarkable press conference with Tite and Neymar. The manager revealed how Neymar had been feeling the pressure since his move to Paris Saint-Germain and was homesick for Barcelona, where his son still lives. Neymar does not speak French and there had been the controversies in Paris about free-kicks and penalties. Neymar broke down in tears as Tite spoke about his good character — it was clear how much he cared. Everything that is happening is down to the way Tite leads this team. There is a good generation of talent and everyone in Brazil trusts he is doing the right thing — even if he does not win the World Cup. Tite has taught the Brazilian public to fall in love with their team again.