Brazil great Dunga to coach Al Rayyan

Brazil great Dunga is set to take charge of Qatar’s Al Rayyan today, succeeding his compatriot Paulo Autuori who has been appointed coach of the Qatar Olympic team.  The captain of Brazil’s 1994 World Cup-winning team, who coached his nation at the World Cup in South Africa last year, is expected to reach Doha early this morning and will be officially presented before the media later in the day.It will be the first coaching job for the 47-year-old since stepping down as Brazil’s coach following the team’s ouster in the quarter-finals at the World Cup.According to club sources, outgoing coach Autuori recommended Dunga’s name to the club management. He will be the third Brazilian coach to manage Al Rayyan. Marcos Paqueta was the other coach who served for a brief stint during 2009 season.Dunga, who took over the reins of the Brazilian national team from Carlos Alberto Parreira in 2006, made an impressive start with the team, winning four of his first five matches.A year later, he guided Brazil to the defence of their Copa America title with a 3-0 victory over Argentina in the final. The Brazilian Olympic team were stopped by the Lionel Messi-led Argentina in the semi-finals at the Beijing Games, eventually finishing third. But he successfully guided the senior Brazil team to the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup victory in South Africa.His four-year rein came to an end last year when he announced his decision to quit following Brazil’s 2-1 quarter-final loss to the Netherlands at the World Cup in South Africa.As a player, Dunga made his debut for the Brazil national team in 1987 and played 91 times for Selecao, scoring six goals. He was a member of the Brazilian team that won the 1989 Copa America and started regularly as a defensive midfielder at the 1990 World Cup under Sebastiao Lazaroni, who now manages Qatar national team. Brazil were eliminated by the Maradona-inspired Argentina in the second round in one of their worst performances at a World Cup since 1966. Brazil came to the 1994 World Cup with vengeance under coach Carlos Alberto Parreira and Dunga lifted the trophy as the captain after they defeated Italy in the final on penalities. He led Brazil to the final in the 1998 World Cup but they lost to hosts France and subsequently retired from national team duties.