Dunga demands body, mind, heart and soul from players

SAO PAULO, July 25: Brazil's new coach Dunga said today his players will have to give body, mind, heart and soul to play for the five-times world champions.

''A national team player has to have posture and attitude and it shouldn't be necessary for me or anyone else to tell them that,'' he told Reuters in a telephone interview.

''While I'm in charge, they'll have to give their body, soul, mind and heart to the national team,'' he said.

''The players have to understand that we've got quality, but they have to be highly motivated, be excited to play for the national team, know that few have this possibility and make the most of it.'' The 42-year-old, who has no previous coaching experience, was the surprise choice when Brazil named their new coach yesterday.

The 1994 World Cup winner, famous for his fighting-spirit and leadership, replaced Carlos Alberto Parreira, who resigned last week following Brazil's failure to progress beyond the last eight in Germany.

Brazil's players were heavily criticised for an apparently lethargic performance in the 1-0 quarter-final defeat by France.

Earlier, Dunga told Brazilian television: ''Since the World Cup, some of the players have commented that the team was lacking motivation and will power.

''That is exactly what I don't want to see and what the public doesn't want to see.''

EXCELLENT PERSON Dunga, whose first game in charge will be a friendly away to Norway on August 16, promised new faces in his first squad. However, he gave nothing away on the future of established players such as Ronaldo and Cafu, who were both considered let-downs at the World Cup.

Dunga was picked ahead of experienced coaches such as Vanderlei Luxemburgo, who has won five Brazilian championship titles with four different teams, and Paulo Autuori, who has won the Libertadores Cup with two different sides.

Luxemburgo, who had an unsuccessful stint in the job in 1998-2000 and an unhappy 11 months with Real Madrid in 2005, has not commented on the appointment.

Autuori, currently in charge of Japan's Kashima Antlers, said: ''He's an excellent person...He's a victorious player, a team player and he's always risen to the challenges in his career.'' Other coaches were divided, with younger ones welcoming the appointment and older ones expressing doubts.

''He doesn't need to have 30 or 40 years experience to say he's the best,'' said Zetti. ''He has to know football.'' Nelsinho Baptista, a stalwart of the Brazilian coaching scene, said: ''I believe it's an experiment. One thing is to be a player and give orders on the field, (coaching) is a radical change.'' Former Brazil coach and goalkeeper Emerson Leao was even less impressed.

''Is that true? I prefer to be silent,'' he said.

REUTERS