Brazil and Czechia have decided to name new managers ahead of their major tournaments this summer.
Brazil and the Czech Republic were forced to make critical decisions at the start of this year in order to save their international campaigns. Both teams are playing in the upcoming Copa America and EURO respectively in June and July 2004.
Selecao finally opted to dismiss Fernando Diniz, the current Fluminense boss, as the interim manager due to their series of disappointing defeats, including two consecutive losses against Colombia and Argentina in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Meanwhile, Czechia has been left by Jaroslav Šilhavý since November 2023. Despite sealing their spot in UEFA EURO 2024, the manager, who also guided Patrick Schick and Co. to the quarterfinals in the previous edition, did not renew his contract. Šilhavý reportedly could no longer handle the pressure and harsh criticism from fans at the end of his tenure.
Their chosen successors appear to have a contrastive background too. Here are the new managers of Brazil and the Czech Republic.
Dorival Júnior (Brasil)
His name has been on the top list of the Brasilian Football Federation (CBF) since 2022, alongside Fernando Diniz, to replace Tite. As a result, Dorival Júnior is naturally prioritised to fill the vacant post after their top target, Carlo Ancelotti, chose to extend his contract with Real Madrid last month. CBF does not want to delay naming the permanent head coach any longer.
The appointment of Dorival Júnior, who voluntarily quit from Sao Paulo, is understandably expected due to his accolades at the club level. He is the last manager to win the Copa Libertadores before Fernando Diniz’s Fluminense in 2023. The 61-year-old gaffer clinched the title in 2022 with Flamengo after beating Athletico Paranaense in a narrow 1-0 win in the summit. He also won another continental silverware, the Recopa Sudamericana, CONMEBOL’s Super Cup, in 2011 for Internacional. Unfortunately, the former defensive midfielder has yet to lift any league trophies in the Brasilian top flight, despite having snatched multiple regional titles with Santos, Athletico Paranaense, Internacional, Coritiba, and Sport Recife, plus two Copa do Brasil in the past two years with Flamengo and Sao Paulo.
The ex-Cruzeiro boss will be dealing with a great task to bounce back Alisson Brecker and Co. from their current position in the CONMEBOL 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Brazil is sitting sixth, eight points behind the world cup-defending champions, Argentina, at the top of the table.
Canarinha will be playing two important international friendly matches in Europe beforehand by taking on England and Spain next March, plus one game in June versus Mexico prior to Copa America 2024.
Ivan Hašek (Czechia)
Meanwhile, the Czech Republic chose to name their former caretaker and president of the Czech Republic Football Association Jaroslav Silhavy’s replacement. Hašek’s last coaching job was in 2022. He led Lebanon to progress to the third round of the AFC 2022 World Cup qualifiers. Sadly, he was unable to help them even seal one spot in the intercontinental playoff as they were outclassed by South Korea, Iran, the UEA, and Iraq in Group A.
Unlike his Brazilian counterpart, who has clinched silverware in domestic competitions, Hašek spent most of his managerial career in the Middle East, particularly in United Arab Emirates (UAE), at the club level, without a single notable silverware but in his early coaching years. He did win the Czech top flight twice with Sparta Prague before joining Strasbourg in 2001. He managed to guide them to top-flight promotion in the first season but only finished 13th in 2003. The former Czechoslovakia captain in the 1990 FIFA World Cup returned to France in 2006, taking charge of St. Etienne. Sadly, his stint was cut short because his team finished 11th in the French top flight’s final standings in the 2006/07 season.