VHAMBLIDINHO
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Who is Carlos Alberto Parreira?The date of Carlos Alberto Parreira's arrival in South Africa is still a matter of uncertainty, but one thing for sure is that when he assumes the coaching reins of a Bafana Bafana team in tatters, he will be the biggest name in world football to do so.
A country so used to tolerating mediocrity and the apathy of its soccer administrators finally has a World Cup winner as head coach, a man whose experience no-one in the country - despite hollow claims to the contrary - can come close to matching.
Parreira's appointment as South Africa's coach for the next four years was always going to spark debate, but, in his 63 years, he's seen it all.
Questions were raised about his suitability to become a coach when he's never kicked a soccer in the professional ranks, but four decades later in his Rio de Janeiro home, several medals hang on his wall, including the one won with his country Brazil, at the 1994 World Cup.
Admittedly, Parreira arrives here stalked by pessimism - mostly triggered by Brazil's timid exit at July's World Cup in Germany, where they lost to France in the quarterfinals for their earliest departure at the finals in 16 years.
Parreira is sure to come under even closer scrutiny because of his lofty salary, rumoured to be over R1-million per month.
To think his first job as head coach netted him a mere $400 (about R2 700) a month, and, even more remarkably, it was in Africa. That was way back in 1967/68 in Ghana, when he led the Black Stars to the threshold of African Cup of Nations glory, where they lost to Zaire (now DRC) in the final.
He would later coach Asante Kotoko, one of Ghana's giant clubs, but he decided to return home in time for the 1970 World Cup finals.
Having majored in physical education at university, Parreira was called on to assist with the conditioning of the players for one of the great Brazilian national teams - a side which included Pelé and Jairzinho and won the tournament in Mexico in some style.
Afterwards, Parreira was to hold the post of physical trainer at several clubs but a burning desire to be the main man resurfaced. After a stint with Brazil's Olympic side, he managed Kuwait, taking them to their first and only World Cup finals appearance at Spain '82. He did the same with the United Arab Emirates at Italia '90, but the chance to finally coach his country at the finals arrived four years later, when Parreira led Brazil through a tough qualifying group to win the tournament at USA '94.
For all his big reputation and impressive CV, Parreira is not without flaws. He was fired by Saudi Arabia after only two matches at France '98, and his club football record pales in comparison to some other lower profile coaches.
No top European club have seen it fit to enlist his services, except for Spanish La Liga side Valencia, but even there he survived only for a year. Returning to Brazil, where he's revered, was always an easy option for Parreira and, after spells at Fluminense, Internacional and Corinthians, he assumed the national coach's position yet again.
But no-one could have foreseen the world champions and tournament favourites plummeting to new depths this year, particularly after a sustained pre-tournament hype about their supposed superiority.
Even the man himself was taken by surprise. "It is something that neither I nor anyone else was prepared for," he told The Guardian. By their standards, that defeat to France was shocking, so shocking that even Parreira was reportedly too scared to walk in the streets of Rio until, as had been expected, he tendered in his resignation. This he did with the knowledge that another opportunity to coach a World Cup-bound squad was beckoning, even better, a World Cup host.
Having been courted by Safa officials for several months, Carlos Alberto Gomes Parreira finally put pen to paper two weeks ago, agreeing to coach Bafana for the next four years.
The BBC recently described him as: "A studious figure, Parreira has often been branded a defensive coach, an accusation he is quick to refute. Instead he stresses that his aim is to find a balance between attack and defence. Indeed, the defining characteristic of most Parreira sides is their emphasis on patient possession of the ball." This approach will anger South African fans, who prefer seeing the odd shibobo and tsamaya. But perhaps under him, local footballers can be more disciplined and eliminate wasteful showboating.
The road ahead doesn't look rosy, especially with huge expectations that Parreira could revive fortunes of a country whose players lack heart, whose fans lack patience, whose football administrators spend too much time on menial quibbles, and whose media have never spoken with a single, united voice.
Fact File
After working with Ghana in 1968, was Brazil's fitness trainer at the 1970 World Cup. Five years later became a coach in his own right for the first time and won the Carioca Championship with Fluminense.
Appointed coach of the Kuwait national team in 1976 and in 1982 led them to their only appearance at a World Cup tournament.
Appointed coach of Brazil in 1983 but resigned a year later after indifferent results and returned to Fluminense.
Coached the United Arab Emirates at the 1990 World Cup in Italy before returning home and leading modest provincial club Bragantino to the Brazilian Championship final. Named Brazil coach for the second time in 1991, replacing Paolo Roberto Falcao.
In 1994 Brazil win the World Cup for the first time in 24 years, beating Italy on penalties after a goalless final, but Parreira was criticised for the team's alleged lacklustre style.
Resigned after the tournament.
After spells at Spanish club Valencia and Turkish club Fenerbahce, returned to Brazil in 1996 to coach Sao Paulo.
Appointed to lead Saudi Arabia at the 1998 World Cup finals in France but sacked during the tournament after his team lost their first two games.
Reappointed Brazil coach in 2003, winning the Copa America in 2004 and the Confederations Cup in Germany one year later.
Quit as Brazil coach for the third time after their quarterfinal exit at the World Cup finals in Germany, where they lost to France. Accepted a return to Africa, where he first started coaching, as coach of the 2010 World Cup hosts.
13 Bafana Coaches in 14 years
1. Stanley Tshabalala
June 92-Oct 92
2. Ephraim Mashaba
Oct 92, April 01, August 02-Nov 03
3. Augusto Palacios
Dec 92-Jan 94
4. Clive Barker
March 94-Dec 97
5. Jomo Sono
Jan 98-Feb 98, March 02-Jul 02, May 03
6. Philippe Troussier
March 98-Jul 98
7. Trott Moloto
Oct 98-Sep 00, April 02
8. Carlos Queiroz
Oct 00-March 02
9. Kenneth Kubheka
Jul 03
10. Styles Phumo
Jan-March 04
11. Stuart Baxter
May 04-December 2005
12. Ted Dumitru
Jan-February 2006
13. Pitso Mosimane
May 2006, August 2006
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