Holden: Hard work will pay off

Holden: Hard work will pay off

Published Dec. 13, 2012 6:15 a.m. ET

Former Brazil World Cup-winning captain and national team coach Dunga has been named as the new boss of Internacional.

The 49-year-old, who both started and finished his playing career at the Porto Alegre-based club, will be officially presented at a press conference on Wednesday, Internacional announced on their official website. He replaces Fernandao, who left the club last month.

"We are setting up a team and evaluating the players. [President] Giovanni Luigi already knows what I think," said Dunga.

"We will implement gradual changes. Today's meeting was very positive. Everyone showed their opinions and we will now start working."

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Dunga made 91 appearances for Brazil and captained the side that won the 1994 World Cup in the United States.

In 2006 he took over as Brazil coach - his first coaching position either at international or club level - and won the Copa America in 2007 and Confederations Cup in 2009.

He stepped down following the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, where Brazil were eliminated at the quarter-final stage by Holland.

As a player, the defensive midfielder played for a host of clubs in his homeland and in Europe, including Corinthians, Santos, Pisa, Fiorentina and Stuttgart.

Dunga also spent three years at Japanese club Jubilo Iwata before returning to his first club Internacional prior to hanging up his boots.

Director Norman Steel told BBC Radio Cumbria Abbott's position would be reviewed as part of an "ongoing" process.

But the club have since moved to deny Steel's comments reflected the feelings of the board.

Jenkins told the club's official website: "As chairman and on behalf of the board of directors I can confirm that there have been no discussions at all about the manager's position and there have been no timeframes set in any way by any member of the board.

"The views expressed to Radio Cumbria on Tuesday night were not representative of the feeling of the board of directors and are not a reflection of our current stance."

The Cumbrians have won just one of their last seven games and are only four points above the relegation zone in npower League One.

Ainsworth was appointed in October and has helped the Chairboys move away from the League Two relegation places.

Saturday's 2-2 draw with Morecambe extended the club's unbeaten run to four matches and Wanderers are currently five points clear of the drop zone as the campaign nears the half-way stage.

And defender Dunne, 19, has praised Ainsworth's input in lifting the atmosphere at the club.

"He brings a different buzz to the training ground," he told the club's official website.

"You hear him before you see him! He just gets everyone going. He's a top man, there's no-one else like him.

"He's like a friend but everyone respects him. You can talk to him, but I've been able to do that since I joined. He talks to the young lads and gives us confidence."

Dunne has been used across the back-line this season due to injuries, but the youngster is happy to show off his versatility.

He added: "I don't mind where I play, as long as I'm playing and helping the team.

"It's hard to adjust sometimes but you just have to get used to it and deal with it."

Dean Smith's side have not won in 15 games and are currently just three points above the drop zone.

But the defender, 33, is confident the club will not be playing in League Two next season.

"We have to keep the belief and come out fighting," Holden told BBC WM.

"We're in a dogfight but there's no point feeling sorry for yourself.

"There are plenty of teams in all the leagues down near the bottom.

"The ones that end up being relegated are the ones feeling sorry for themselves and always blaming someone else. That's not what we're going to do.

"We have to look at ourselves. We're professional footballers, we're going to apply ourselves properly and we're going to stick at it.

"You've got to pick yourself up as quickly as you can, get your boots on, put a smile on your face and go and work as hard as you can. That's the only way to come out of it."

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