In the age old battle between pride and fear as the main motivational forces, Diniz clearly favours pride. Much of his thinking is based on a belief that the players can do more, that all of them, whatever position they now play, were at one time the outstanding figures in street kick abouts, and that some of this spirit can be recreated even in an ultra-competitive professional environment.
He first appeared as a coach a decade ago with a number of minor Sao Paulo sides, all of whom stood out for their commitment to playing out from the back. He was instantly dubbed a “Brazilian Guardiola.” It was a label he was quick to discard, with reasons that have become clearer over time.
His opening forays into the first division were not successful. In 2018 he was fired by Athletico Paranaense with the club in the relegation zone, and the same happened the following year with Fluminense. In the normal way, in Brazil’s intolerant environment, such failures would have stymied his career. But he was obviously not any old coach. His teams were ambitious and distinctive, and hopes continued to burn that he would come good. His next spell, with Sao Paulo, showed some progress, and even though he was not successful with either Santos or Vasco da Gama in 2021, the call came last year to go back to Fluminense where, finally, the idea began to click. And the differences from the Guardiola school became apparent.
In the system of Diniz there is no necessity for certain spaces to be filled at all times, to have players rotating into set positions. The setup is more free, more anarchic, with the team often grouping together into reduced space, often on one side of the field, at times with both wingers in close proximity. When it clicks it can have the aspect of improvised street football. Those human bonds favoured by Diniz have helped create a team where the players trust each other enough to play in an unorthodox way — and given that they leave plenty of space for the opposing counter, a method with its own risks.
But the parts fit. When he is in close proximity to the rest of the team, veteran playmaker Paulo Henrique Ganso can come up with some of the best football of his strange career, threading passes through for Colombian winger John Arias, who makes the bullets for Argentine striker German Cano to fire.
There are plenty of less glamorous heroes. Olympic gold medal winning centre-back Nino is a far better defender than his ungainly appearance might suggest, central midfielder Andre is a terrific prospect, and the return of Marcelo from Real Madrid has added more quality. There is no more attractive team in South America.
The future, of course, is unwritten, and there are legitimate doubts about the idea of Diniz in charge of the national team. He would not have the prolonged time with his players to forge the human bonds he considers so important. The level of opposition in the business end of a World Cup would be much higher than anything Diniz has ever faced. Would his team have enough structure to cope?
It would be fun finding out. Brazil, then, might end up with Ancelotti, but Diniz is emerging as a Plan B. Either way — first foreign coach or Brazilian free thinker — fascinating times lie ahead.
