Report: Scolari to step down as Brazil manager after World Cup flop
Brazilian media say the local football confederation has decided to drop Luiz Felipe Scolari as Brazil head coach.
Globo TV and other news outlets said early Monday that Scolari will not remain as coach after the national team's failure to win the World Cup at home.
Scolari said Saturday after Brazil's 3-0 loss to the Netherlands in the third-place match that he was handing over the team's command and that it would be up to the Brazil confederation to decide whether he would continue. Globo said the confederation's official announcement would be made later Monday.
Delfim Peixoto, elected as a confederation vice presidents for 2015, confirmed the information to the UOL web news portal, saying he was told by top officials that Scolari will not stay as coach.
Five days earlier Scolari led the team to one of their most humiliating defeats in history -- a 7-1 reverse to Brazil. The home fans made their displeasure towards the coach and his players clear at the final whistle by booing them off the pitch.
But just as he did following the thrashing against Germany, Scolari did not resign. When asked whether he thought he remained the right man for the job, Scolari said in his post-match press conference: "That has to be decided by the president of the Brazilian Football Confederation.
"We agreed before this tournament that we would give our positions at the end of the World Cup. I will finish my report and the president and the board will analyse it and do as they wish."
David Luiz, who had a shocker against Germany, put on another masterclass in how not to defend in Brasilia. The Brazil vice-captain headed the ball straight to Daley Blind in the first half and he lashed the ball past Julio Cesar for Holland's second goal.
The match started in the worst possible way for the hosts, who went behind within three minutes thanks to Robin van Persie's penalty, and Georginio Wijnaldum wrapped up the latest humiliating defeat for Brazil in injury time. It was the first time that Brazil had suffered consecutive home defeats since 1940.
But Scolari was not unhappy with his team's performance and he denied the whole tournament had been a disaster for the host nation.
"Losing 7-1 was the worst result in history but I have to see the positive side of things," Scolari added. "In 2006 we didn't finish in the final four and neither did we in 2010. In a year-and-a-half we have reached the last four of the World Cup and we have won the Confederations Cup. We have to be optimistic. The players leave with my trust and happiness. If we continue the work then the path is open for a team that will be much better for 2018."
