Brazil offers Fluminense’s Muricy Ramalho national coach job

Brazil offers Ramalho national coach job

SAO PAULO — The Brazilian Football Federation says it has invited Fluminense coach Muricy Ramalho to lead the national team.

Federation president Ricardo Teixeira tells the O Globo TV network he invited Ramalho on Friday in Rio de Janeiro.

Teixeira says that before the appointment becomes official, Ramalho must first talk with his Rio club, with which he has a contract until the end of the year.

Ramalho will replace Dunga, who was fired just days after Brazil’s disappointing loss to the Netherlands in the quarterfinals of World Cup in South Africa.

ESPN’s website says that at the end of the meeting Ramalho told reporters: “Who wouldn’t want to coach Brazilian national team?”

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

SAO PAULO (AP) — Local media say Fluminense coach Muricy Ramalho has been asked to lead the Brazil national team.

The websites of ESPN Brazil and the O Globo newspaper say Brazilian Football Federation president Ricardo Teixeira extended the invitation Friday in Rio de Janeiro.

Ramalho would replace Dunga, who was fired just days after Brazil’s loss to the Netherlands in the quarterfinals of the World Cup in South Africa.

ESPN reports that at the end of the meeting Ramalho said he still has to talk to his Rio club before the appointment becomes official but “who wouldn’t want to coach the Brazilian national team.”

Brazil will host the 2014 World Cup.