(Sports Focus) Former Brazil coach Menezes eyes triumph in China

Former Brazil coach Mano Menezes, who officially took the helm of Chinese Super League (CSL) giants Shandong Luneng here on Saturday, vowed to help his side retake the CSL title.

   Menezes, 53, replaced his countryman Cuca who had coached Shandong under a three-year deal from the end of 2013 but stepped down due to the team's disappointing performance.

   "I want to take Luneng to the CSL top podium again as the club got the title last time in 2010," said Menezes, who just arrived here and attended the first press conference held for him.

   "I have watched some videotapes about Shandong Luneng. The Chinese football club has many high-level players and boasts high-quality infrastructure and a youth-training system," he said.

   "With the club's huge investment and the fans' great support, I am confident of directing the team to the top," he added.

    Shandong Luneng fired three foreign head coaches in past four years, but Menezes thought coaching in China would be less stressful than in Brazil.

   "I feel much relaxed here, as Brazilian clubs have already changed 30 coaches in one season," Menezes said.

   Luneng did not reveal the details of the contract, but Menezes had told a press conference in Brazil's Belo Horizonte before coming to China, "Luneng's offer was out of this world, and from a financial point of view there is no way to turn it down."

   According to Brazilian reports, Menezes agreed to pay a 1.8 million U.S. dollar contractual buyout fee and will receive a monthly salary of about 530,000 dollars, about four times of the amount he earned at Cruzeiro.

   Menezes took charge of Cruzeiro in September when the club was in the relegation zone of the Brazilian league. He led Cruzeiro to eight wins, six draws and just one defeat in the past months, lifting the team to the eighth place in the end.    

   So far, Luneng's midfielder Jucilei, forwards Diego Tardelli and Aloisio, all Brazilians, had even been coached by Menezes, which will help the new Brazilian coach get along well with the Chinese side in a short time. 

   But Menezes stressed the need to pay more attention to local players. "Chinese footballers will play an important role in my team, as they are the majority," Menezes said at the press conference. He also deemed "inappropriate and irrespectful" when asked to say a few words about Luneng's players. 

   As to his football tactics, Menezes said that a strong team can play in different tactical systems, depending on what kind of opponent it meets.

   "But the core is the ball control," he noted. 

   "As a Brazilian coach, I am glad to come to China and bring the Brazilian style of football here," he added.

   Menezes took the helm of Brazil after the 2010 South Africa World Cup. During two and a half years coaching, Brazil lost to several old rivals and only beat some weak teams. Brazil were eliminated in the quarterfinals at the 2011 Copa America.

   "We did have an 8-0 win against a strong team in 2012, team China," Menezes said in a smile. He explained that he made some necessary reshuffling of the then Brazilian national team, which might lead to bad results.

   He was also the coach of Brazil's Olympic team at the London 2012, hoping to win the long awaited gold medal for Brazil, the only title Brazil has not won. 

   After Brazil were beaten by Mexico in the final, Menezes became the target of criticism and was sacked in November 2012. 

   In his clbu coaching career, Menezes had led Gremio and Corinthians back to "Serie A" of Campeonato Brasileiro in 2005 and 2007.

   Menezes is the third Brazil national team coach to continue his career in China, besides Guangzhou Evergrande head coach Luiz Felipe Scolari and Super League side Tianjin Quanjian head coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo.

   Scolari replaced Menezes in 2012 as Brazil coach and Menezes succeeded Vanderlei Luxemburgo this September to coach Cruzeiro.

   "I am highly confident to help Luneng, otherwise I will not come here,"  said Menezes.  Endi