Brazil could appoint former coach Dunga to replace Luiz Felipe Scolari as the national team’s boss, media reports indicated on Saturday, despite ex-Corinthians coach Tite being considered the longtime favorite.
The Brazilian Football Confederation earlier confirmed it will unveil its choice of Scolari’s successor on Tuesday at 11am in western Rio, and a clutch of Brazilian newspapers said Dunga, 50, would return for a second spell.
Front-runner, at least until Saturday, was believed to be Tite, full name Adenor Leonardo Bacchi, who oversaw wins in the Copa Libertadores and FIFA Club World Cup, at Chelsea’s expense, in 2012.
On Thursday, the confederation took the wraps off a revamped technical commission under new technical coordinator Gilmar Rinaldi, replacing Carlos Alberto Parreira, the coach of the Brazil side who won the World Cup in 1994.
Gilmar — not to be confused with the Gilmar who kept goal for the 1958 and 1962 world champions — was a reserve goalkeeper on the 1994 side who won the championship and were skippered by Dunga.
Outgoing confederation president Jose Maria Marin, who is to give way next year to septuagenarian lawyer Marco Polo del Nero, said the organization would reflect further on the top job before a final decision.
Dunga, who replaced Parreira in the top job after the 2006 World Cup, went on to lead Brazil to Copa America success in 2007 and then won the Confederations Cup in 2009.
However, the former ACF Fiorentina midfielder was fired after a 2010 World Cup quarter-final loss to the Netherlands.
The confederation on Saturday reiterated that Marin would present the new boss on Tuesday, but Rio daily O Dia described Dunga as “close to returning,” highlighting his “good relationship” with Gilmar Rinaldi.
Globo indicated for its part reported that Gilmar Rinaldi and Dunga had reached a rapid agreement in principle with the confederation electing not to pursue the Tite option.
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