Fluminense block Ramalho switch to Brazil hotseat

Brazil’s hopes of appointing highly-regarded Muricy Ramalho as the successor to Dunga as national team coach were shattered on Friday when his Fluminense club refused to release him.

“We are not interested in releasing Muricy,” said Alcides Antunes, the vice-president of Fluminense, who currently top the regional championship and have the 54-year-old under contract until December.

“Ramalho is very happy at Fluminense and he is happy to continue. There will be other opportunities in the future for him to coach the national team.”

Earlier Friday, Ricardo Teixeira, the head of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), told TV Globo that he had met Ramalho and was hopeful of having him in place at the head of the team by Monday.

“Now it’s up to him to resolve things, taking into consideration that he is under contract to Fluminense,” said Teixeira.

Ramalho led Sao Paulo to the Brazilian championship in 2006, 2007 and 2008 as well as to the runners-up spot at the Copa Libertadores.

The new national team coach, who will be handed a deal up to the 2014 World Cup which is being staged in Brazil, is expected to be named on Monday with local media predicting Corinthians boss Mano Menezes as the other name in the frame.

Monday is also the deadline for the squad to be announced for the August 10 friendly international against the USA in New Jersey.

Dunga was sacked after Brazil were knocked out of the World Cup by the Netherlands.