Former World Cup winner Carlos Alberto Parreira has been appointed national team coach for the host nation South Africa – as he bid to participate in a record six World Cup finals. Parreira won the tournament in 1994 with his home country Brazil. Parreira returns to a job that he left 18 months ago after being named coach to succeed compatriot Joel Santana.
66-year-old Parreira was approached just after the last World Cup in 2006 to build a competitive side for South Africa’s hosting of the next World Cup finals in 2010 but quit after 21 matches in charge in April 2008 when his wife tragically fell ill with cancer. He returned to Rio to tend to her, recommending Joel Santana in his place. However, Santana had little in terms of charisma compared to Parreira and after 18 months was asked to step down after South Africa lost eight of their last nine matches and looked a poor side eight months before the start of the World Cup.
Kirsten Nematandani, the president of South African Football Association (SAFA) commented “The reason for opting for Parreira so quickly is that we have a massive time constraint with the World Cup just around the corner. I will be honest and say that we knew other South African-born coaches were keen to be appointed. But we simply did not have the time to short-list candidates”. Parreira’s appointment has been criticised by many journalists in South Africa – however the majority of fans will be hoping that combination of stability and experience will guide South Africa past the group round and into the latter stages of the World Cup.
