Opinion Poll Shows Brazilians' Disapproval of a Foreign Coach for Their National Team

07/17/2014 - 09h30

A poll carried out by Datafolha between July 15th and 16th suggests that the majority of Brazilians are against having a foreigner as the next manager of their national team.

Among the names listed is the former Corinthians manager, Tite, who tops the list for the position.

Former Brazil manager Luiz Felipe Scolari, who stepped down after finishing the 2014 World Cup in fourth place, has ended up with a worse assessment than his predecessor, Dunga, who also failed in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Datafolha carried out 5.377 surveys in 233 Brazilian municipalities, with a margin of error of +/- 2%.

Some 68% believe the next manager should be Brazilian against 23% who would rather a foreigner takes the position, while 9% did not answer.

Tite, who was Club World Champion with Corinthians in 2012, holds a 24% percent lead. Interviewees were given a list of eight football managers that could potentially fill Scolari's post.

Former Brazilian football player-turned-manager, Zico - whose latest managing experience came to an end last January at Qatar's Al-Gharafa - received 19% of votes, followed by São Paulo Club manager Muricy Ramalho, with 14%.

Carlos Alberto Parreira and Vanderlei Luxemburgo, both currently unemployed, received 6% of votes each.

Former Corinthians manager Mano Menezes was also remembered and received 5% of votes, as well as former Atlético Mineiro manager Cuca and Cruzeiro's current manager Marcelo Oliveira, who each received 2% of votes.

Eighteen percent did not answer this question while 5% disapproved of every name on the list.

THE DOWNFALL OF BIG PHIL

Between the beginning and the end of the World Cup, Scolari's approval ratings dropped 46 points. He left the national team with only 20% of approval, a steep drop from 68% recorded last June.

Ratings of Scolari's managerial style as 'bad' or 'terrible' have increased to 49% from 2% before the World Cup began.

Not even Dunga had such a bad rating despite being intensely criticized following his resignation in July 2010 as a result of Brazil's early departure from the World Cup quarter finals.

At that time he enjoyed 29% of approval against 36% of "bad" or "terrible" ratings.

Germany's World Cup hammering of Brazil in the semifinals was also attributed to the coaching staff.

Some 82% believe that both the players and the coaching staff were responsible for the defeat. Some 72% blame the board of the Brazilian Football Confederation for the debacle.

Translated by CRISTIANE COSTA LIMA

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