Brazil inquisition points to winds of change

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After the initial shock of Brazil's 7-1 capitulation to Germany wore off, the soul searching began.

Evidence of the inquisition was everywhere. It was plastered on newspaper stands from Porto Alegre to Porto Velho. It blared from television sets and car radios. It reverberated in the streets of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, echoing with recriminations.

What has gone wrong with the Selecao? How could the team from the self-proclaimed home of football capitulate in such a shameful manner? Is Brazilian football dead?

Opinions varied, but almost all had one common denominator: It is time for change.

National daily Estado de S.Paulo splashed the headline: "7-1. The biggest humiliation in the history of Brazilian football".

From a numerical perspective that wasn't entirely true. The result equalled Brazil's heftiest losing margin, matching a 6-0 loss to Uruguay in 1920.

But the thrashing by Uruguay was not in a World Cup semifinal on Brazil's own turf.

"There is no more time for vanity. Brazilian football has deceased," the article said.

O Globo suggested the team showed signs of disintegration when several players broke into tears before the penalty shootout over Chile in the round of 16.

"There was a total lack of emotional control which began to show after the group phase," the newspaper said.

"It came back to manifest itself in the semifinal. One German goal was sufficient for the entire Brazilian team to dismantle completely. That's where Germany was able to kill the game off with an unbelievable sequence of four goals in six minutes."

Brazil's 2002 World Cup-winning captain Cafu claimed the players' penchant for crying in front of television cameras had been detrimental to their performance.

"The team needs to forget about crying and think about playing football," said the former Roma and Milan right-back.

Among the most scathing views was that of news portal R7, which laid the blame squarely on coach Luiz Felipe Scolari.

According to the site Brazil was tactically unprepared to confront Joachim Low's German team.

"It was obvious that Scolari and Carlos Alberto Parreira's time is up," R7 said. "The tactical scheme of the players didn't change. The coach and his assistant thought they could play as they always have, without considering that their opponents have dissected every detail of the way they play."

Scolari said on Wednesday that no announcement would be made on his future until after the World Cup final on July 13.

But it is understood the 65-year-old, who assumed control of the national team for a second time in November 2012, already knows his fate.

Among the candidates tipped to replace him are former Corinthians manager Tite, Sao Paulo boss Muricy Ramalho and ex-Brazil coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo.

But some pundits have urged Brazil's football confederation (CBF) to be bolder.

R7 implored the CBF to chase Jose Mourinho, Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp or Jorge Sampaoli.

"There needs to be an overhaul ahead of the 2018 World Cup," R7 said. "In a tactical sense, Brazil needs to close the gap on its rivals.

"And there must be courage to move out of the comfort zone. The national team is stagnant and mired in shame. The players didn't have a clue how to break free of the tactical scheme used by Low."

The criticism didn't just come from outsiders. Within the camp there was also a sense that Brazil has been left behind by their opponents.

"Football is evolving all over the world and we have to evolve with it," said Selecao defender Dani Alves.

"The majority of the players are in Europe and they see that football is evolving. You see teams like Costa Rica performing very well, Chile too. They have turned themselves into great teams. We have to do the same."

For many Brazilians, watching Tuesday's match was too much to bear. Many stormed out of the Mineirao Stadium before halftime while others watching at home switched off their television sets in disgust.

Those who stayed tuned in heard an unapologetic tirade from former Selecao striker Walter Casagrande, now a commentator for broadcaster Globo.

"They [Germany] have a team, we don't," Casagrande hollered. "They have a team on the pitch who are playing to tactics. We have a group of players who are running aimlessly around the pitch. It's not a team."

Perhaps the most trenchant criticism was delivered even before Tuesday's debacle at the Mineirao. And it came from the normally taciturn Kaka.

The 2007 FIFA world player of the year, overlooked for Scolari's 23-man World Cup squad, appeared to peer into a crystal ball when he raised concerns about Brazilian football earlier in the week.

Upon signing a six-month loan deal with Sao Paulo, Kaka criticized Brazil's almost non-stop football calendar and the lack of quality training for coaches.

"Brazilian football needs to be reformulated. There are many aspects that need to be looked at," Kaka said.

"In Europe coaches need to have their [training] badges, here that's not the case. That makes a difference. The great example is German football, which always thinks in the long-term. Coaches here don't have time to work. They need to show immediate results. There needs to be an overhaul of everything."

Former Brazil striker Amarildo said the national team had suffered for its over reliance on Neymar.

The Barcelona forward was Brazil's leading scorer this World Cup with four goals before suffering a tournament-ending back injury.

"Our football is in withering decay," the 1962 World Cup-winner said.

"The evidence was there for all to see. Neymar is a great player, but the team cannot be dependent on just one person. It's staggering to think that it has come to this. It's a lesson that we will never forget."

Not all media outlets delivered such caustic post-mortems. News portal Travela called for calm, insisting the players were not the chief culprits.

"This should not be a witch hunt. It's not about singling out names and ending careers because that would be unfair," the site said. "There are many merits that need to be considered, just as there were many mistakes in the team's preparation."

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