Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari takes psychologist's assistance to help players cope with pressure
Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari who has won the World Cup before with the team has resorted to psychology to help his players cope with the pressures of the home World Cup after several players were seen crying after the penalty shootout against Chile.
The expectation from the Brazilian people has reached unprecedented heights and the heavy burden has caught up with the players. The sight of players crying before and after the match has prompted Scolari to ask sports psychologist Regina Brandao to hold urgent sessions at the squad’s training camp.
The psychologist, a long-time friend of Scolari has worked with him for 20 years and tried to play down the meeting, “The visit formed part of our initial planning,” she said. “I have classes and I couldn’t be here for long. I speak constantly with the players. We speak to each other on WhatsApp, we speak on the phone, we communicate by email.”
Yet the emotions on the field don’t lie and former players are doubting Brazil’s ability to cope with pressures and win the World Cup.
Carlos Alberto, captain of the triumphant 1970 World Cup winning team has come down heavily on the players. He said “The team is crying when they’re singing the anthem, when they get hurt, when they shoot penalties! Come on... Stop crying! Enough! They say it’s the pressure from playing at home. But they should have been prepared for this”
“This shows the team is not 100 per cent ready. When you are prepared to win, everything happens automatically. When you’re not, you cry when the result is not positive.”
Brazil’s poster boy Neymar has said sessions with the psychologist have been positive and claimed he doesn’t feel burdened by being the team’s only major source of goals.
“I had never done anything like it before and I am quite enjoying it, it is not only us, in football, all are surrounded by emotion every day and need psychologists. I think it could do every person good, to make one more relaxed.”
“I don’t feel overburdened either on the pitch or off it. I have team-mates who help me by winning the ball back, scoring goals, setting them up.” he said.