Invisiblewall.net: Gilberto Silva News

He is a disciplinarian manager not scared to drop star players or ignore public opinion.

Cracking down on the indulgences of previous regimes, his tough style has led to early qualification for South Africa, leaving a nation convinced that they are going to win the World Cup.

Sounds familiar? Well, this is not Fabio Capello transforming England but former midfield star Dunga working his magic on Brazil.

Ironically, his Capello-style methods are the biggest threat to England next summer.

Just as with Capello’s team, a string of victories have allowed Brazil to use their final group games, against Bolivia and Venezuela, as preparation for the real thing in eight months.

They have also learned similar lessons to England from the last World Cup. While Capello has banished the WAGS, Dunga – still known by his childhood nickname rather than Carlos Caetano Verri – has got rid of the hangers-on that always seemed to follow Brazil.

The two managers will be able to compare their respective progress when England face Brazil in a high-profile friendly in Qatar on November 14.

For both countries, next year’s tournament is a chance to make amends for the disappointment of their efforts in Germany in 2006.

Brazil, then the defending champions, flew home after being beaten by France in the quarter-finals, England meekly going out at the same stage following another penalty shoot-out defeat, this time by Portugal.

Failure was bad enough for Sven Goran Eriksson’s squad but for Brazil it was close to disgrace. They had arrived in Germany full of hope but the magical quartet of Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Kaka and Adriano failed to click and some players blamed fatigue because of the off-field circus surrounding the squad. Former Arsenal midfielder Gilberto Silva, expected to be an important member of Dunga’s starting line-up happened in Germany.

‘We had an amazing team in 2006 but the preparation was terrible,’ he said. ‘There were so many people around us all the time, in training, in the hotel, everywhere. We never had any chance to relax and concentrate on our matches.

‘There was noise all the time. If we walked through the lobby or went to the main door, there would be cameras pointing at us, people wanting autographs. There was no escape.’

Next year will be different. Dunga will ensure neither fans nor media will be invited to training close to matches and the hotel will be off-limits to everyone, including wives and girlfriends, until after games.

Gilberto, who now plays for Panathinaikos in Greece, said: ‘Our fans are wonderful. Wherever we go in the world, they want autographs, they rush past the security guards to try to hug the players. It means a lot to them. But we also need our own space to play well. We have to learn from past mistakes.

‘Dunga talked to the players and we told him the problems from before. There are players in the 2006 squad like Kaka and myself who want it to be different in South Africa. We are in the World Cup to win it – not for a holiday. That is what it felt like in 2006.

‘As players, we make sacrifices to play for our country. So let’s do it properly. We can have a party afterwards, not before.

‘We don’t want agents in the hotel either. The transfer market is crazy around the time of a World Cup and the agents try to stick to us all the time. It can be distracting. The best thing for players is to stick with each other. The circus is over.’

Dunga’s no-nonsense approach to management is a logical extension of his playing days. He may have captained Brazil to their victory in the 1994 World Cup but he was the ultimate workhorse for the more flamboyant talents of players such as Romario.

Little surprise, then, that Dunga the coach has little time for those who let their country down in 2006. To the consternation of the powerful Brazilian media, his players now train behind closed doors, the samba stars are out and the piano carriers like Gilberto Silva and Felipe Melo in.

Instead of 35-yard Roberto Carlos style free-kicks, Brazil now score more goals from headed set-pieces than any international side in the world.

Four of their 10 strikes in the Confederations Cup group stages earlier this year were from dead-balls, while the winner in the final was from a corner.

Just as Michael Owen is not considered by Capello on reputation alone, neither Ronaldinho nor AC Milan boy wonder Alexandre Pato, 20, are in Dunga’s current squad and they are unlikely to make the plane to South Africa.

They are considered luxury items by the new regime, while Liverpool’s much-maligned midfielder, Lucas, 22, is in the 24-man group because of his work ethic. Gilberto, 33, who won the World Cup under Luiz Felipe Scolari in 2002, says the manager’s changes were vital, even if they might seem un-Brazilian.

And with the country on a sporting high after winning the right to host the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, two years after they host the World Cup, victory in South Africa has become imperative.

But Gilberto sees Capello’s side as a major rival, particularly with Steven Gerrard in England’s line-up.

‘Gerrard is my favourite England player and we were lucky he was injured for the 2002 World Cup. If he had been fit, England might have beaten us in the quarter-final. Let’s just say I was glad he was not there,’ said Gilberto.

‘He is one of the best midfielders in the world, if not the best, because you can never predict what he is going to do. He can attack and defend very well, and can pass and score goals. It is unusual to do everything well like that.

‘England were our hardest opponents in 2002, harder than Germany in the final. They will be one of our biggest challengers this year as well. Capello has the balance of the team right and they seem to be mentally stronger now. I can see a Brazil-England final.’

Balance is what Gilberto brings to Brazil, alongside Melo, 26, who joined Juventus from Fiorentina at the start of the season.

‘Everyone has our job to do in the team,’ said Gilberto. ‘My job is to help players like Kaka shine. If I can leave the field at the end of the game almost dead because I have worked so hard, I feel I have done my bit.

‘Then the fantastic players like Kaka have the chance to show what they can do. He could show himself to be the best player in the world next summer but he needs our help to do that.

‘Sometimes the job I do is not appreciated but if the manager knows what we do, it is OK. I have spoken to Lucas about this as well. He has had criticism in England with Liverpool but people should believe in him.

‘People think if you are Brazilian you should have tricks like Robinho or Ronaldinho, or score 25 goals every season. But you cannot have a whole team of players like that. We all have our job to do.’

The problem for Capello and Brazil’s 31 other rivals is that Dunga understands that team philosophy very well.

So while the football purists may miss out on a samba treat in South Africa, Brazil – officially the top-ranked team in the world – will be harder to beat than ever.

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