Skip to main content

Zico says Brazil should replace Scolari as coach

By WTOP Staff

LUKE NORMAN
Associated Press

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (AP) — Brazil football great Zico says coach Luiz Felipe Scolari must be replaced if his country is to move past its disappointing World Cup performance.

“We should thank him (Scolari) and thank (assistant coach Carlos Alberto) Parriera too. But we need to choose new people with new thoughts about how to play the Brazilian way,” the three-time World Cup veteran said Thursday, just two days after Brazil’s humiliating 7-1 semifinal loss to Germany.

Zico said Sao Paulo coach Muricy Ramalho would be an ideal candidate to lead Brazil.

“He is one the greatest champions of the Brazilian league, which is one of the hardest in the world to win,” Zico said.

Ramalho was reportedly offered the national job in 2010, but amid some confusion with his then club Fluminense, he turned the position down. He is known as a progressive coach, defined by tactical flexibility.

“We had no alternatives,” Zico said of Brazil’s tactical approach to this World Cup. “They stayed focused entirely on the success of the 2013 Confederations Cup. They kept the same formation and the same team. Everyone had a year to work out exactly how to play against Brazil.”

Often referred to as the “white Pele”, Zico represented Brazil at the 1978, 1982 and 1986 World Cups. He scored 52 goals in his 10-year international career.

While his 1982 World Cup squad is considered by many Brazilians to be the nation’s finest ever, Zico acknowledged that Scolari was not blessed with the same caliber of talent.

“If you look at the starting players in the last year, none of them were key players at their clubs,” he said. “Look at Neymar, the best player in Brazil, but how many times was he on the bench for Barcelona last season? Fred, Marcelo, Hulk all played inconsistently. Even David Luiz and Oscar, you can’t say they were first choices at Chelsea.”

Zico said Brazil’s problems run deeper than just a current dearth of talent, blaming poor administration, a lack of structure and a vacuum of leadership for the loss of the traditional “Brazilian style.”

Former Barcelona and current Bayern Munich coach Pep “Guardiola has always said his style, his approach was inspired by the Brazilian national team, but now we don’t have that style,” he said. “(Johan) Cruyff has said we are not playing true Brazilian football. (Jose) Mourinho has said it doesn’t seem like we know how to use our talent to play true football. I don’t know why we don’t listen to these great minds of football.”

Keeping the country’s brightest talent playing in the Brazilian league is a critical first step to recovery of Brazilian football, Zico said.

“The CBF (Brazilian football federation) needs to invite the heads of all the clubs in Brazil to a private meeting and ask them what they need to make sure the big names, the best players, play every Sunday in Brazil instead of in Europe.”

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote