Dunga to coach Qatari side Al Rayyan

Former Brazil coach Dunga is expected to be officially revealed as Al Rayyan’s coach in next few days [GALLO/GETTY]

Brazilian Dunga who has been out of work since last year’s World Cup is to coach Qatari side Al Rayyan, a club source confirmed on Monday.

The 47-year-old – who captained Brazil to the 1994 World Cup trophy – replaces compatriot Paulo Autuori, who has moved on to coach the Qatari Under-23 side, who are involved in the 2012 Olympics qualifiers.

Dunga, who was sacked as Brazil coach after they went out of the World Cup in the quarter-finals, will be officially unveiled as coach by the club this week.

“Yes Al Rayyan will be coached by Dunga,” a club official said.

“His name was recommended by Autuori.”

Qatar, controversially awarded the hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, has seen a spate of coaching changes recently.

Earlier this month Brazilian Sebastiao Lazaroni was named the coach of the national side after Serbian Milovan Rajevac was sacked just five months into the job.

Rajevac – who guided Ghana to the World Cup quarter-finals last year – had taken over from Frenchman Bruno Metsu, who was fired in January after Qatar were knocked out of the Asian Cup quarter-finals.

The Qatar Stars League, the country’s top competition, is set to begin on September 16.

New UAE boss for AFC?

Asian Football Confederation vice-president Yousuf al-Serkal has put himself forward to replace the suspended Mohammed bin Hammam as head of the sport’s peak continental organisation.

Bin Hammam remains nominally in charge of the AFC while he launches legal challenges against his lifetime ban from FIFA for allegedly trying to buy votes in his failed bid to replace Sepp Blatter as FIFA president.

The AFC has delayed filling the presidency while the appeals continue, but United Arab Emirates official al-Serkal says he intends to run when the position is contested.

“Corruption, it’s among players, it’s among referees, it’s among also officials. So we need to take a stand against this, we have really to work hard and work harshly against those who are corrupt” Yousuf al-Serkal

“Now is the opportunity, following FIFA’s decision not to allow Mohamed Bin Hammam to carry on his sporting duties, and for me to preside over the Asian confederation to help Asian football and bring more to the table, because I feel I have more to offer Asian football as a president,” al-Serkal told SNTV.

The reputation of Asian football was tarnished by the charges against bin Hammam and al-Serkal said the game must do more to stamp out corruption.

“We have to be frank,” al-Serkal said.

“Corruption, it’s among players, it’s among referees, it’s among also officials. So we need to take a stand against this, we have really to work hard and work harshly against those who are corrupt. We don’t need them in our world of football.”

The AFC is bound to call a fresh election for the presidency if bin Hammam is unable to fulfil his duties for 12 months, meaning a poll would be due in May next year. The next regular AFC congress is not until 2013.

China’s Zhang Jilong has been acting AFC president since bin Hammam was suspended in June.