THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2015 SPORTS Brazil’s most successful coaches are out of a job SAO PAULO: Some of the most successful coaches in Brazilian soccer are without a job, slowly losing out to a younger generation who are bringing fresh ideas and willing to accept lower salaries. The latest to become unemployed was for- mer Brazil and Real Madrid coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo, who was fired by Flamengo on Monday, joining a list that already includes Luiz Felipe Scolari, Muricy Ramalho, Abel Braga and Mano Menezes. They were indisputable names not long ago thanks to their winning records in Brazil and abroad. Luxemburgo, Ramalho and Braga com- bined won nine Brazilian league titles, while Scolari won four Brazilian Cups and the 2002 World Cup with the national team. But most have failed to succeed recently, NEW YORK: United States women’s soccer players (from left) Hope Solo (left), Megan and now few Brazilian teams have shown inter- Rapinoe (center) and Abby Wambach (right) listen during the US women’s national est in these high-profile coaches. They have team World Cup media day. US will face South Korea on Saturday, May 30, at Red Bull become discredited after lackluster results and Arena in their final send-off match, before leaving for Canada and the 2015 FIFA many are already being called outdated and Women’s World Cup. —AP obsolete. “Football is like this, there’s nothing we can do about it,” Luxemburgo said Tuesday. “One day everything is great, but the next everything Luiz Felipe Scolari is worthless. Things change very quickly. It’s the Last barrier to way it is in football.” A big reason these coaches Brazilian league matches because he didn’t Brazilian league winner, left the club earlier this have lost space is because some remain have “the full support” of club directors. Scolari year after a series of poor results. He had been McCall and Rangers extremely expensive compared to the young- was considered an indisputable hero in Brazil under pressure by family members to take a sters in the market. Local clubs have been until about a year ago, but things changed sig- coaching break because of health problems struggling financially and can’t afford to pay nificantly after the national team’s humiliating and is not expected to coach again until the Premiership return the high salaries that these coaches continue to 7-1 loss to Germany in the World Cup. end of the year. Despite knowing Scolari and demand. Most are at a stage in their careers Gremio has hired relatively unknown coach Luxemburgo are on the market, Sao Paulo on that allow them to be picky about where to Roger Machado, who is expected to earn less Tuesday hired Colombian coach Juan Carlos GLASGOW: Rangers assistant manager smashing position. “The supporters have work and how much to earn. than a third of what Scolari made. Osorio, a relatively unknown manager who had Kenny Black says the club’s players are been fantastic and got right behind the None of the recent coaches of the Brazilian Other clubs who are betting on less-known been with Colombian club Atletico Nacional proving their doubters wrong as they pre- players and we will be giving them the national team is currently employed, including coaches include Santos, who hired one of its since 2012. Braga, the 2012 Brazilian champion pare for the first leg of their crucial playoff same again today and hopefully go to Fir Luxemburgo, Menezes and Scolari. former assistants, and Vasco da Gama, who has with Fluminense and the 2006 Copa final against Motherwell. Park with an advantage.” Luxemburgo, a five-time Brazilian league former player Doriva at the helm. Libertadores winner with Internacional, has The fallen Glasgow giants are aiming to Black also revealed that the club’s play- winner, was fired from Flamengo only three Three of Brazil’s top clubs have already been without a club since leaving Inter last year regain their top flight status after an ers will be kept away from each other in matches into this year’s Brazilian league. changed coaches in the first three rounds of after disappointing results. Menezes, Brazil’s absence of three years following liquida- training in order to avoid any injuries ahead “I was surprised,” Luxemburgo said. “I was the Brazilian league. In addition to Flamengo coach after the 2010 World Cup, has been tion and their enforced demotion to the of the crunch ties. told that I was crucial for the club this year, but and Gremio, Fluminense also made a change, unemployed since a stint with Flamengo in bottom tier of Scottish football in 2012. “We were concerned coming into the 20 days later they come and tell me that I’m no hiring Enderson Moreira to replace Ricardo 2013 and another with Corinthians in 2014. Standing in their way is current Rangers play-off games that we could pick up a cru- good anymore. I was really surprised.” Drubscky, who stayed only eight matches at Other Brazilian coaches currently unemployed manager Stuart McCall’s former club el injury but hopefully we will have every- Last week, it was Scolari who became unem- the club. Sao Paulo already started the compe- include Emerson Leao, Renato Gaucho, Celso Motherwell after the Fir Park club finished one available for selection and the players ployed, resigning from Gremio after only two tition without a coach. Ramalho, a four-time Roth, Joel Santana and Dorival Junior. —AP second bottom of the Scottish Premiership. will all be desperate to be involved,” Black The Ibrox club have come through two said. “We have to be really careful with how tough two-legged ties against Queen of we train. We need to limit the amount of the South and Hibernian to earn their place contact we have as well because we need in the final and host the Steelmen in the to look to come through the games with- Thais target soccer gold first leg of the final on Thursday before the out any injuries and we certainly wouldn’t return at Fir Park on Sunday. want to pick any up in training.” SINGAPORE: At the Southeast Asian Games, the them,” Singapore striker Sahil Suhaimi told The view. Concerns about a lack of adequate prepa- Rangers had been favourites to win the Meanwhile, Motherwell striker Scott men’s soccer gold medal carries more weight New Paper last month. ration have not been helped by the timing of Championship title at the start of the sea- McDonald says his side will be underdogs than any of the other 400 on offer in a region “The pressure is there and not many Wednesday’s money-spinning friendly between son but a disappointing campaign saw for the matches against the Ibrox side as where football bragging rights are the most Singaporeans think that we can go all the way. a local select and English side Tottenham them finish in third. However, assistant they bid to avoid relegation from the top priceless of commodities. The importance of It’s up to us to prove them wrong.” Singapore’s Hotspur in Kuala Lumpur. Those frustrations, boss Black believes their performances in flight. winning the 11-nation tournament led Thailand scepticism stems from frustration at the stagna- though, are minor compared to the ones being the playoffs has silenced some critics. However, the Australian international and Vietnam to move their World Cup qualifying tion of the senior national side in the two years endured by supporters of back-to-back runners- “It is exciting times here - we have come says he will relish the occasion and hopes fixture after a request to FIFA, while domestic since German coach Bernd Stange took over. up Indonesia. through the four games to arrive at this his side can use their experience to help action in other countries has also been put on The under-23’s have fared little better with Whether the country even takes part in the play-off final and we’ve had to go through them see off the Gers. hold. preparation not going to plan. Last month, head tournament remains up for debate with FIFA the ringer a little bit,” Black said. “Everyone’s written us off and we’re hap- The Thais want a 10th under-23 gold in 12 coach Aide Iskandar contracted dengue while a threatening suspension if a row between the “We have stepped up to the plate and py to take that underdog status and go editions and are heavy favourites to achieve tour of Japan resulted in defeat to a local fourth government and local football association (PSSI) silenced a few critics; a lot of people have there and hopefully pull a few surprises out their goal with a third of their 20-man squad division team. Singapore have never won the is not resolved by Friday, the start of the football had a little pop at the players and people of the bag,” the former Celtic player said. “It’s part of the Suzuki Cup title success the senior men’s gold but they will have taken heart from tournament. might say rightly so but we have managed the type of game the players relish. I haven’t side enjoyed over their Southeast Asian rivals in local club side Lions XII upsetting the odds to “We are closing our eyes and our ears to FIFA’s to get ourselves into the final. “And now played in anything as big as this for a long December. win a first Malaysian FA Cup title last weekend.