By Andrew Warshaw
December 5 – Brazilian football authorities should have kept faith with Mario Menezes instead of sacking him just 18 months out from the FIFA World Cup, according to Mário Zagallo, one of Brazil’s greatest names.
Ever since Menezes was fired last month just as the country was gearing up for the Confederations Cup draw, public opinion has been split with a good many observers denouncing the folly of getting rid of Menezes who, despite some hiccups along the way, was overseeing a much-needed injection of new players.
Menezes replaced Dunga after the South Africa 2010 World Cup finals but lost his job partly as a result of Brazil’s upset defeat by Mexico in the Olympic final at London 2012.
Luiz Felipe Scolari, who led Brazil to their fifth World Cup trophy, was put back in charge for a second spell but Zagallo (pictured top), who won the World Cup twice as a player in 1958 and 1962 and as coach in 1970, is the latest high-profile figure to add his name to the debate.
“I like Scolari as a friend and he will be working with Carlos Alberto Parreira and I have faith in them to do well,” Zagallo, now 81, told a group of international reporters.
“But it was not the right time for the CBF to sack Mario Menezes.
“Things were getting better, all the Brazilians felt the same way.
“It is the CBF’s responsibility and they took that decision but for me it was not the right time.”
Meanwhile, FIFA has announced that the adidas Cafusa ball (pictured above) will be used at next year’s Confederations Cup.
Cafusa combines three symbols at the core of Brazilian culture – carnival, football and samba.
“Brazilians are passionate about football and we wanted to deliver an inspirational ball for this competition,” said Rodrigo Messias, director of the project 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil.
The adidas Cafusa will make its debut at the Club World Cup in Japan starting on December 6.
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