CBF Set to Appoint Muricy Ramalho as Brazil Coach

The CBF has announced in the last thirty minutes that they have invited Muricy Ramalho to take control of the seleção, following the departure of Dunga. It is as yet unclear whether Ramalho, under contract with Fluminense until the end of the year, will forfeit his role with the Laranjeiras club, or seek to juggle both jobs.


Ramalho has established himself as one of Brazil's most respected coaches during the past decade, thanks largely to three consecutive Série A titles with São Paulo, between 2006 and 2008. Following a brief but torrid spell with Palmeiras, Ramalho has vindicated his reputation in recent months with Flu, who he has guided to first place in the Campeonato Brasileiro.

The announcement, whilst likely to placate those who were reluctant to see the return of Luiz Felipe Scolari or Carlos Alberto Parreira, is unlikely to please those eager to see the seleção return to the stylish football of the 70s and 80s. Ramalho is reknowned primarily for his ability to build stable sides, built on a resolute defence, as well as for his motivational skills. At São Paulo, success on the pitch was the result of extensive structural and commercial reform; at Flu too, Ramalho has already starting planning for new training facilities. Whether he can achieve success within the seleção's occasionally intransigent power structure remains to be seen.