Soccer: From donkey to thoroughbred, dustbin to Dom Perignon

YOKOHAMA - A World Cup of surprises has shown how the job prospects of a coach are about as secure and predictable as confetti in the wind.

Last month, Brazilian coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, known as "Big Phil," was being harassed in the centre of Rio de Janeiro and called a donkey by fans.

Yesterday the criticism was forgotten in feverish celebrations across Brazil after the country reached Sunday's World Cup final against Germany.

The donkey was suddenly being regarded as a thoroughbred and "Big Phil" was buzzing.

"On the pitch, I felt a positive energy coming from Brazil and the Brazilian supporters who, it seemed, were together with us here," he said after his team reached the final in Yokohama with a 1-0 defeat of outsiders Turkey.

His German opposite number Rudi Voeller knows exactly how he feels.

Both teams came to the finals in South Korea and Japan with a poor qualifying campaign behind them. Many believed they would struggle.

Before the World Cup former German international Guenter Netzer, now a television pundit, was telling the German public that Voeller had no strategy or system after they lost 1-0 to Wales in a friendly in Cardiff.

The German newspaper Bild called the team "garbage."

Netzer said: "They were just whacking the ball and hoping it would land in a good spot."

Now Bild is calling the former Germany striker's team the sensation of the tournament.

"Now we're the cork that wants to fly out of the champagne bottle as world champions," it said.

From dustbin to Dom Perignon. There are few other jobs where an employee's performance appraisal can change so swiftly.

Some managers have already been shown the door after disappointing campaigns at the tournament.

Poland coach Jerzy Engel, hired two years ago, took his country to their first finals in 16 years and was hoping to stay on for the 2004 European championship qualifying campaign.

But Engel, 49, was fired last Friday after his team finished bottom of their first-round group.

"The decision was taken by people nobody has ever heard of. It was sad and unpleasant," he said.

Portugal coach Antonio Oliveira, who had a contract until Euro 2004, was sacked on Tuesday after his team failed to get past the first round following a surprise defeat by the United States and a controversial loss to South Korea.

France coach Roger Lemerre is just hanging on to his job after the defending champions failed to get past the first round in the worst performance by any champions in the 72-year history of the tournament.

In Nigeria, Sports Minister Steven Akiga has urged the national side to revert to a foreign coach after the team's first-round exit under Adegboye Onigbinde, who has yet to be offered a firm contract.

But Italy's experienced coach Giovanni Trapattoni seems to have survived after blaming his team's second-round exit at the hands of "diabolical" refereeing decisions.

The biggest winner has been down-to-earth Dutchman Guus Hiddink, the most marketable coach in the world game after he inspired the Koreans to reach the semifinals.

- REUTERS

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