6 Steps Dunga and Brazil Need to Take at the Copa America
Dunga’s return to the managerial hot seat of the Selecao Brasileira could quite feasibly have been taken as a step backwards following the country’s hopes of a World Cup triumph on home soil going up in flames. But, close to a year on from arguably the most shameful and disastrous day in Brazilian football history, Dunga has controlled the flames and is currently winning the battle to extinguish the blaze completely.
Ten wins in as many games has set the boss and his cohorts in good stead ahead of the Copa America in Chile, with Brazil set to play their opening game this Sunday against Peru. Here are a handful of steps Dunga needs to take during the tournament to stop the blaze beating back.
1. Continue Moving Brazil Away from That Semi-Final
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Even success in the Copa America will not wipe away the humiliation Brazil suffered at the hands of the Germans in Belo Horizonte last July. If the ghost of 1950 is anything to go by, the 2014 version will still be haunting the nation decades later.
The Mineirazo, or whatever you care to call it, lingers fresh in the memory and has become a point of obsession for the national media. At all five press conferences Dunga has held to announce squad call-ups, he has been asked at least one question about “The 7-1,” despite not even being the coach at the World Cup.
A strong performance, and more importantly lifting the trophy, might put a halt to any further questions the highly irritable boss may have to field on the contentious issue.
2. Demonstrate Tactical Flexibility
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This has been one of the major successes of Dunga’s Brazil 2.0. While predecessor Luiz Felipe Scolari enjoyed success at the Confederations Cup and in warm-up friendlies prior to the World Cup, his lack of a cohesive Plan B, or any type of reaction to proceedings going awry, ultimately cost Brazil dear.
Felipao's decision to play Bernard in place of the injured Neymar against Germany proved to be of the ultimate folly, leaving the midfield pair of Luiz Gustavo and Fernandinho hopelessly exposed. In his selections and tactical approach, Dunga has proven that Brazil can live and compete without their talismanic protagonist.
3. Make Brazil More Than Just Neymar
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Leading on from the second point, this team is no longer all about the Barcelona starlet. The theory of “Neymardependencia” has been growing in Brazil, and the decision to enter the field at the Mineirao against Germany with the No. 10’s shirt held aloft was as close to as an admission of defeat prior to the national anthems as you are ever likely to witness.
Of course, he is still a vital cog in this Selecao machine, highlighted by the fact Dunga has seen fit to hand him the captain’s armband. Before these last two friendlies, he had scored eight in his last eight games in national colours, but the performances of those who work around him—particularly Willian and Philippe Coutinho—can substantially take the workload and burden off the 23-year-old’s shoulders.
4. Use the Tournament as a Stepping Stone
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A title is of course a positive, but for the five-time world champions, the World Cup will always be the priority. And despite the negativity of the past 12 months, Brazil do in fact have a crop of stars coming through who could put the country back on the footballing pedestal.
For that reason, the senior training staff must forge a working relationship with those in charge of the youth set-ups. Dunga’s problems with former Brazil U-20 squad boss Alexandre Gallo were well documented, and the latter’s dismissal has meant Dunga will now be in charge of the U-23 team at next year’s Olympic Games.
The likes of Marlon, Gerson, Luan, Carlos, Malcom and Gabigol have bags of potential, and alongside the likes of Fabinho, Casemiro and Marquinhos, already in the senior squad, give Brazil the chance to build and develop a team more than capable of challenging for top honours sooner rather than later.
Success at the Copa America could be the first step toward another era of glory.
5. Instil Mental Toughness
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What were the lasting memories of Brazil at the 2014 World Cup? The players in tears at the national anthem before the opening game against Croatia; Thiago Silva lying on the ground, like a wounded soldier, before shaking with sobs as Brazil overcame Chile in the round of 16; David Luiz in tears after the semi-final defeat to Germany.
On several occasions, the mental toughness of the Brazilian players was tested, and too often they failed that test. Dunga has never been one to indulge the over-emotional, and while this may not be the most aesthetically pleasing side to don the yellow shirts, shutting up shop and giving the opposition precious little change has been a welcome relief.
Thiago Silva and David Luiz have seen their partnership broken by the indefatigable Miranda. After the controversy surrounding the armband—Silva appeared to question the decision to hand it to Neymar—and his emotional state at the World Cup, Dunga has gone with a more level-headed option to marshal his back line.
6. Take the Copa America Seriously
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It may seem painstakingly obvious, but this is a crucial chance to definitively turn over a new leaf. Rarely has the identity of Brazilian football been questioned quite so vociferously as it has in the last year, and success at continental level can steady the ship in the global footballing waters.
Dunga’s official line has been that the qualifying group for the 2018 World Cup is the priority, but lifting the Copa America must surely give the players a vital morale boost ahead of those qualifying matches getting underway later this year. Dunga’s philosophy is pragmatic, taking progress step-by-step.
He also has history in this competition; it was his first title with the Selecao back in 2007. The difference this time, though, is that he is following on from the biggest upset the country has faced inside the white lines.
An immediate reply would be ideal.
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