5 things Tite must do for Brazil to re-live the glory days
The Selecao have had a tough few years in the recent past – what was supposed to be a return to glory as they hosted in 2014 FIFA World Cup turned out to be a national humiliation as they exited the tournament courtesy of a 7-1 thrashing from Germany, which was followed by a suprise exit at the hands of Peru in the Copa America Centenario.
The 2016 Rio Olympics were supposed to be Brazil’s great renewal as a much-fancied, Neymar-led side earned them their first Olympic gold medal in history. However, with two 0-0s to kick off their campaign, even if Brazil are to succeed, there is a long way to go for the national side.
Clearly, Tite has his work cut out for him and has a lot to do to bring the glory-days back to Brazil.
1) Give Brazil a cohesive football identity
Brazil have gone from the most feared team in the world to also-rans for the Copa America in the matter of a decade. However, it is the disappearance of jogo bonito from the Selecao’s footballing style that has caused the nation greater heartache, rather than a loss of success.
Indeed, many Brazilians were circumspect about Dunga’s appointement after the 2014 FIFA World Cup fiasco, as he was famed for his ‘dour’ style of football. The former World Cup winner was caught between a rabid press that clamoured for a return to the expansive style of days gone by and his own convictions, resulting in a national side that looked bereft of ideas when attacking.
Tite has a monumental task in convincing the players that play throughout Europe and back in Brazil to conform to a singular style – although he managed to do that in both spells at Corinthians, which were wildly contrasting in their styles of play – the 2012 side that won the FIFA Club World Cup sat deep and thrived on the counter attack, while the 2015 vintage that won the Brazilian Campeonato had a dominating, attack-first style of play.
Therein lies the dilemma for Tite, he has evolved as a manager after spells observing Arsene Wenger and Carlo Ancelotti at Arsenal and Real Madrid, but will his new ‘European’ brand of football find acceptance in Brazil?