SAO PAULO – Luiz Felipe Scolari is expected to be selected the new Brazil coach, returning to the national team 10 years after leading the country to the 2002 World Cup title.
The official announcement is expected to be made by Brazilian federation president Jose Maria Marin on Thursday. The president said Wednesday that a new coach has been selected, and sources close to Scolari and the Brazilian federation confirmed to local media that the outspoken Scolari was chosen to lead Brazil at the 2014 World Cup.
He would replace Mano Menezes, who was fired last week after Marin said he didn't like the coach's methods.
The likely announcement of Scolari will give Brazil a representative in Saturday's Confederations Cup draw, when the team will find out who it will play in the tournament's opener next June. Brazil will host the warm-up tournament and the World Cup with a team led by young promising stars such as Neymar, Oscar and Lucas.
Scolari has been without a job since leaving Brazilian club Palmeiras a few months ago. The former Chelsea and Portugal coach helped Palmeiras win the Brazilian Cup this year, but the team struggled under his command and was eventually relegated to the second division. Scolari had already been replaced, but admitted his part of responsibility for the demotion.
Scolari had recently turned down jobs with Russia's national team and Brazilian clubs Gremio and Cruzeiro.
Marin said that a new national team coordinator also will be announced on Thursday, replacing director Andres Sanchez, who publicly said he was against Menezes' dismissal. Carlos Alberto Parreira, the coach when Brazil won the 1994 World Cup, was touted for that job.
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