(06-29-2015 12:05 PM)Volkmar Wrote:  

(06-29-2015 11:42 AM)VA49er Wrote:  

(06-29-2015 11:27 AM)Volkmar Wrote:  Brazil has been the 2nd most consistent team in World Cups over the years because they do have a LOT of talent there, but weren't there recently scandals in Brazil concerning which players were chosen for the national team? Anyone have any more information on that? Maybe Dunga has had his hands tied a bit.

From what I've read Brazil's commercial partners choose the team, with not enough input from the coach. Also, most young Brazilians that are good enough leave early for overseas these days and aren't brought up in the "Brazil way" of playing futball.

Yeah, what you said about them leaving for European leagues is definitely true. It'll be interesting to see what happens with it all because some Brazilian supporters seem to be pushing the panic button, but Brazil was in a funk in the '82, '86, and '90 World Cups also before coming back to power in '94, '98, and '02. Since '02, they've slumped back down again of course, but they seem to be a team where they'll be really strong for a period of 3 or 4 consecutive World Cups, then fade, and then be really strong again for another 3 or 4. Of course, three of their World Cup titles were under Pele's watch as they won it 3 times between '58 and '70.

But even despite their best talent being swallowed up by European leagues and the up-and-down swings they seem to go through, I think that the Brazilian style can resurface as long as they fix the politics behind player selection, and find the right coach who'll allow them to do what they do best and let that Brazilian style flourish.

Maybe Brazil needs and Argentine coach. Of course that'll never happen because those two hate each other, at least on the soccer field. Interesting tidbit is that every team left in the Copa America has an Argentine coach.