Hard-nosed Dunga tells of private pain
Reuters - Thursday 24 June 2010, 18:26
DURBAN - Brazil coach Dunga, usually a
tough, hard-nosed figure, showed a different side to his
character on Thursday as he apologised for a foul-mouthed
outburst and then touched on a personal drama.
Dunga told Brazilian supporters he was sorry for last
Sunday's incident when he swore under his breath at a journalist
from Globo television during a news conference and his words
were captured by the microphones.
"I want to apologise to the Brazilian fans for my attitude
and my behaviour," Dunga, who escaped punishment from FIFA, told
reporters.
"The people who have always supported Brazil have nothing to
do with my personal problems and, as a Brazilian, I just want to
work and do my best for the national team."
PAID TRIBUTE
Dunga, whose team have already qualified for the second
round of the World Cup and face Portugal in their final group
game on Friday, also paid a tribute to his father, who has
suffered from Alzheimer's disease for several years.
"For me, this is just a chance to show my father everything
he taught me," he said, appearing close to tears.
"I learned that for a man to be a man, he has to have
virtue, he has to have coherence, dignity, transparency, and you
have to know when to apologise for a mistake, and put things
back on the right path.
"My mother, who has suffered the most because of my father's
illness, taught me never to leave things half done.
"She taught me that we have to love our country, we have to
be patriotic, even though some people don't like that, we have
to do the best for our country, for our friends.
"We have to fight and we have to realise that adversity will
just make us get better."
A former tough-tackling midfielder who captained Brazil's
1994 World Cup-winning team, Dunga was appointed
three-and-a-half years ago to restore a perceived lack of
discipline in the Brazil squad.
His team have since won the Copa America and Confederations
Cup and have won 18 of their last 20 games. They have won both
their opening World Cup games here too.
However, many Brazilians have questioned the team's
defensive and physical tactics under Dunga, who has upset media
organisations by greatly reducing access to players and training
sessions.
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