The position of the Foot-ball team Managers is very powerful and as such it is very important. In Brazil it is considered as as the second to that of the National President. He is considered as a maker of the team or destroyer of the team. He is the man like 12thmember of the team wielding immense powers. In soccer crazy countries like Brazil and some other South Americans when their teams lose they are even ready to go for the blood of their team Managers if their team returns home empty handed.
In 1966 World Cup when their Italian team returned home with exit blow in the early stage itself, due to the fear of their own Italian people who were waiting outside the Airport to lynch their Manager and players as well, their entire team headed by their Manager gone underground. Sensing the worst happening, on the advice of the intelligence service, the security personnel at the Airport exited the Italian squad thru the back door and hurriedly sent them home without anybody’s notice. But in the next W.Cup tournament held in Mexico, 1970, the same country’s defeated squad returned home after their worst and humiliating defeat in the final against Pele’s Brazil team consisting some of the genius players Brazil has ever produced, namely the skipper and defender Carlos Alberto Pereira, midfielders Gerson and Clodoaldo, finishers besides Pele, Rivelino and Dr. Tostao, the defeated Italians were welcomed home with the slogans and banners saying “welcome home our heroes because since Brazil this time is unbeatable, we accept you back with our open arms as real heroes of Italy. You are like Champions of the World minus Brazilians who cannot be defeated even if the entire world joined together”. Though the Italy’s Mnager was afraid knowing he would be the first target of the ire of his people, thank God fear for life finally turned into pleasure of life.
In 1982 tournament in Spain, Brazilian squad was so powerful that even a street boy in Brazil would say their team will win that year’s World Cup and when their team came to the Airport to fly to Spain, they were given a heroes send off saying “we hail you as world champions now only”. The Brazilian team then was trained by their genius coach Tele Santana. However, when they reached to the knock-out stage, Brazil unexpectedly lost to Italy where their rejuvenated Paolo Rossi played havoc singlehandedly with the Brazilians by scoring a magnificent hat-trick minus two beautiful goals of Brazil scored beautifully one by their skipper Dr. Socrates and the other by Falcao. To move ahead Brasil needed only the draw but that they could not achieve.
Then Brazil returned back home where their Manager Tele Santana was not only insulted wherever he was spotted but his house was stoned giving him the shock of his life time.
On the positive note, the position of the team Managers especially of National team is become so important and so lucrative that the chain smoker Team Manager Cesar Menotti of Argentina held World Cup 1978, almost for three months continuously, for every 48 hours he was receiving one offer from all over the World offering him the post of Manger of their Teams, either National or Club. This indicates how important is this post.
When Kuwait embarked on to totally revamp its policy on Soccer and to build not only a strong national team but also to lay a strong foundation for its foot-ball, Kuwait hired the services of a World best Coach from Brazil, Mario Zagallo who was the Coach of 1970 Brazilian World Cup winning team, who also did his job for the Brazilian squad of 1974. When Kuwait hired Mario Zagallo in 1974 Kuwait was paying him 20,000 dollars per month with everything found. Some foot-ball pundits from all around the globe knowing Zagallo joined Kuwait which is like a foot-ball mosquito, they scorned at Zagallo but Zagallo had confidence in him and besides such a fantastic remuneration who will pay him? Within a short period he totally changed the outlook not only of Kuwaiti National team but also put a strong base for its junior level soccer. As a result, within a year Kuwait won the Arab Cup, played not only in the Olympics but also played in the World Cup 82 held n Spain. THIS is the power and importance of the Team mmanager who is capable of creating wonders for this reason the services of expert Team Managers are sought all over the world.
A.Veronica Fernandes.