Brazil has appointed Fernando Diniz as interim national coach. The 49-year-old Brazilian comes over from Fluminense and takes over the honors until Carlo Ancelotti takes charge of the national team during the Copa América next year.
Brazil appoints interim national coach pending Ancelotti
The battle for the South American Championship will start in 2024 on June 20 in the United States. Federation president Ednaldo Rodrigues expressed the expectation that Ancelotti will become the national coach of Brazil by then. The Italian top coach has been regarded as a dream candidate since the farewell to Tite after the World Cup, but is still committed to Real Madrid for another year.
In the eyes of the Brazilian federation (CBF), Diniz, with his conception of the game, which corresponds to that of Ancelotti, is the ideal intermediate pope. The former trainer of Fluminense, São Paulo, Santos and Vasco da Gama, among others, signs a one-year contract and will take care of the Selecão during the first part of the World Cup qualifying series, which starts in September.
For Diniz it is a dream come true. “I am honored and proud to serve the national team,” the coach said in a video message to Brazilian media. “This has come about thanks to a joint effort by the Brazilian federation and Fluminense. I am convinced that we have everything to take steps forward and make this work.”
Yaya Touré joins Standard Liège as assistant coach
Speaking of managerial appointments, his period at Standard Liège, which has just started, should help Yaya Touré to grow into a top trainer. The Champions League winner and three-time Premier League champion will act as assistant to Carl Hoefkens next season.
Touré is cautious about starting his coaching career and does not want to take hasty steps. As a second man, he already gained experience at Olimpik Donetsk and Akhmat Grozny, after which he was active in the youth academy at Tottenham Hotspur to work with top talents. Step by step, he wants to grow into a major trainer position in one of the European top competitions.
“I am patient and I have to build my career in the right way,” the 40-year-old Ivorian told AP about his choice for Standard Liège. “That’s why I went to Belgium. I want to learn from a top coach like Carl, who already has more experience,” says Touré about the former defender, who incidentally only stood on his own feet as head coach for half a season at Club Brugge. Hoefkens was fired there at the end of December. Standard narrowly missed out on a place in the championship pool last season by finishing sixth in the regular season.
Toure makes no secret of wanting to return to the Premier League one day. Perhaps at Tottenham Hotspur, which took a reasonable attitude when a new Belgian adventure beckoned for Touré, who started his professional career in Europe as a player for Beveren in 2001. What Tottenham did for me was unbelievable. I will never be able to thank them enough for what they have done for me.
