“1430 Steps to Brazilian Redemption” The Diary of a Heartbroken Brazil fan – Day 4 (12/07/2014)

“1430 Steps to Brazilian Redemption” The Diary of a Heartbroken Brazil fan – Day 4 (12/07/2014)

I am a huge fan of horror movies, but I will be watching the Brazil v Holland game later from behind a sofa. I have never gone into a Brazil game fearing the worst, but today I am dreading another shellacking. I just want the game over and done with so that the slow and hard rebuilding can truly commence.

Reports on the O Globo website suggest that Jose Mourinho has tentatively thrown his hat into the ring to lead Brazil at the next World Cup. That is assuming, of course, that we qualify.

 

Date: Saturday July 12^th 2014

Current Brazil manager: Luis Felipe Scolari

FIFA Ranking: 3

Likely Brazil line-up in 2018: Neymar + 10 others.  

“1430 Steps to Brazilian Redemption” The Diary of a Heartbroken Brazil fan – Day 3 (11/07/2014)

“1430 Steps to Brazilian Redemption” The Diary of a Heartbroken Brazil fan – Day 3 (11/07/2014)

I woke up to the sound of rain today and left for work under grey and miserable looking skies. Conditions that are incredibly reflective of my current mood. My wife says that living with me right now is like living with a constant grey cloud, so perhaps that’s apt.

I read an article in the Evening Standard yesterday by Brazilian journalist Edgar Alencar, who works for Globo TV in Brazil . I always love reading the views of Brazilian journalists when it comes to the national team, as they never pull any punches, tell it how it is and give reasoned and well thought out views.
Edgar’s view, like Romario’s, was that there are problems within the CBF that need to be addressed if Brazil are to ever recover from their current predicament. He also stated that Brazil had gone away from the highly organised football system that had won the World Cup for Brazil in 1994 and 2002. I think that due to players like Bebeto, Romario, Rivaldo, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho, people forget that those two World Cup winning outfits were incredibly organised and well prepared. The flair players were the icing on the cake.

I think the wheels really started to come off around about the time of the 2005 Confederations Cup, when Brazil swept Argentina aside in the Final, winning 4-1. It gave them a sense of invincibility and a belief that they would stroll through the World Cup a year later. They seemed totally dismissive of the fact that Brazil only just scraped through the Group stage of that tournament following defeat to Mexico and a draw with Japan . For some reason, it seemed at that time that the management team of Brazil wanted to show that they could win things by playing attacking and attractive football. The defensive discipline and all around organisation of Brazil teams that had been in place since 1994 were simply tossed out of the window. They’ve never really looked the part since then.

My only quibble with Edgar’s article is that he says “The current players will not have it so bad as times have changed. Maybe14 or 16 of them will be in Russia in four years time. They will get another chance”. I know it sounds incredibly harsh, but the only players in the current squad I would be happy to still be around in four years time are Thiago Silva and Neymar.

No quotes or headlines today. However, I was interested to observe that Yahoo are running a feature about the Most Embarrassing Losses in Sport as a result of Brazil’s humiliation.

Date: Friday July 11^th 2014

Current Brazil manager: Luis Felipe Scolari

FIFA Ranking: 3

Likely Brazil line-up in 2018: Absolutely no idea.

"1430 Steps to Brazilian Redemption" The Diary of a Heartbroken Brazil fan - Day 2 (10/07/2014)

"1430 Steps to Brazilian Redemption"
The Diary of a Heartbroken Brazil fan - Day 2 (10/07/2014)

 

The pain of defeat is still raw today. Not helped by hearing on the news this morning that apparently the German side made a pact at half-time that they would ease off against Brazil in the second-half so as not to humiliate or embarrass them any further. If true, this would appear to be a gesture of wonderful sporting and gentlemanly behaviour from the Germans. The fact that they have revealed this pact though does away with all the good work and only serves to cause more pain and embarrassment. Still, the Germans are not to blame. They are professional sportsmen who play to win. It is in their very nature as professionals to go for the jugular when the opportunity presents itself. The moment you ease off, you lose that edge, that killer instinct that separates the champions from the also-rans.   

 

In Brazil , Felipe Scolari spoke in a press conference about the “disaster” that was the debacle against Germany . He said that he, his staff and the players were all responsible, and that his future as Brazil manager will be sorted after the 3^rd Place Play-Off with Holland on Saturday.

 

It’s too easy to blame people when things go so catastrophically wrong, as they did on Tuesday evening. The Brazilian fans inside the Minerao in Belo Horizonte clearly wanted to vent their anger at Fred.

It isn’t Fred’s fault that he was selected. The same way it wasn’t Hulk’s fault, or Maicon’s fault or any other player’s fault. They were chosen to play for their country at the World Cup. Is it their fault that Brazil has such a wonderful football history? Is it their fault that the nation expected and wanted them to win the World Cup? Do people expect Fred to turn to Scolari and say “Sorry, I know you have selected me to play, but I am not good enough. Pick somebody else!”? We need to lay off the players.

 

Nor is it Scolari’s fault. He picked the squad that he believed he could manage to World Cup glory. He hasn’t deliberately chosen a mediocre squad. Do you think he wanted to lose in such a manner? Of course not. The cold hard truth is that there are simply not enough good players coming through at the moment in Brazil . That conveyor-belt of talent that everybody likes to say Brazil have got seems to have broken down. It remains to be seen if it’ll ever be fixed.

 

One of my all time heroes, Romario, feels he knows where the problems lie and has been pointing the finger of blame at the people that run the CBF. I reckon every country has Football Federations or Associations that could do a much better job, but I think the problem with Brazilian is more widespread than that.

 

Date: Thursday July 10^th 2014

Current Brazil manager: Luis Felipe Scolari

FIFA Ranking: 3

 

Likely Brazil line-up in 2018: Absolutely no idea.

 

Some Brazil related headlines/quotes from today:

 

"THIS WAS A FREAK! Brazil exit will haunt for quite some time" – The Sun

"The Brazilians lost the plot. But we have not achieved anything yet" - Germany assistant manager Oliver Bierhoff

"We lost in a way that we had never done before in the history of Brazilian football. But the tournament was not all bad. We had a bad defeat" - Brazil manager Luis Felipe Scolari.

The man has a point, we did make it to the semi-finals after all, but still, that match will scar me until my dying day.

"1430 Steps to Brazilian Redemption" The Diary of a Heartbroken Brazil fan - Day 1 (09/07/2014)

"1430 Steps to Brazilian Redemption"
The Diary of a Heartbroken Brazil fan - Day 1 (09/07/2014)

 

There are a mere 1430 days until the 2018 World Cup in Russia starts.

 

As far as I am concerned, that’s 1430 that Brazil must now take on a long, long road to redemption following the humiliation of the 7-1 mauling at the hands of Germany in the World Cup semi-final last night.

 

I intend to follow every single one of those 1430 steps. I am going to read as many articles, tweets, jokes, blogs and posts that I can. I’ll listen to as many interviews that take place as possible. I am going to keep any eye out for news, critiques and reviews of Brazilian football players around the world, analyse friendlies, Copa America matches, World Cup qualifying matches, U17 and U20 matches in the hope that some light can finally appear at the end of what now seems an eternally long tunnel of darkness.

 

First things first, though. All you need to know about me is the following. I am 35 years-old. I was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in February 1979 to a Brazilian mother and English father. We moved to London when I was 4. My first football memory was seeing friends and family crying after Brazil lost 3-2 to Italy at the World Cup of 1982. That feeling of trauma in 1982 instilled in me a love and passion for the seleção that will never diminish or perish, no matter how bad things get. Right about now, I very much doubt that things will ever get worse than what I witnessed last night.

 

I am hurt, angry and upset. I will never forget the match, but I desperately want to put it behind me. I will only be able to put it behind me though when Brazil win a meaningful game at the World Cup in four years time. I can’t even bring myself to fill in the 7-1 score line on my World Cup wall-chart. For now, I shall leave I blank.

 

Statistics and numbers play a huge part in football. Indeed, the fact that there are 1430 days until the next World Cup starts can be used to play a cruel joke if one were so inclined. For example…..

 

The number 1430 can so easily turn into (1) & (4+3+0) = (1) & (7)……the humiliating score-line from last night.

 

I prefer to look at another set of numbers. In 1950, Brazil lost 2-1 to Uruguay in the Maracana and lost the World Cup. A nation went into mourning, but it was a watershed moment. First off, Brazil changed the colours of their shirts from white to the famous yellow that everybody had grown to love over the years. Also, that moment lit a fire of burning desire, to win a World Cup that ensured Brazil became obsessed with the whole thing.

 

Fast forward 32 years to 1982. Brazil by now had won three World Cups, but defeat at the World Cup in Spain was yet another watershed moment. That team of 1982 was utterly beautiful and was widely and rightly considered to be one of the greatest teams of all time, and definitely one of if not the greatest to not win World Cup. However, the fact they didn’t win the World Cup caused a change of footballing philosophy in Brazil. In order to win the World Cup again, the beautiful game, the free flowing game for so long associated and trademarked by the Brazilians would have to be forsaken for a more pragmatic, European style of football. And so Brazil changed, and eventually another two World Cup victories followed, but the identity had gone. The beauty had gone. Brazil used to be the team that everybody would adopt as their second team, but fast forward another 32 years to 2014, and I very much doubt that this is still the case. I am not a religious man, but I am praying, to the football Gods if necessary, for Brazil to rediscover that flair, return to their roots, and reclaim that beautiful flowing style of football.

 

If this 32 year cycle of watershed moments continues, then Brazil are about to embark on yet another change of styles and philosophies, and as I said at the top of this post, it begins with step 1 of 1430.

 

I love the seleção, and will never give up on them, but I never want to feel the way I am feeling right now. I believe that 200 million Brazilians will agree with me, once they have had a chance to calm down and get over the hurt. I am hoping that Brazilians will follow me on each and every one of these steps, and that together we will see our team return to glory in 1430 days.

 

Date: July 9^th 2014

Current Brazil manager: Luis Felipe Scolari

FIFA Ranking: 3

 

Likely Brazil line-up in 2018: Absolutely no idea.

 

Headlines about THAT match today:

 

“ROUT OF THIS WORLD – Brazil are Humiliated” – The Sun

 

“RABBITS..1 HERRS.. – Ripped apart in 179sec” – The Sun

 

“SORRY BRAZIL AT SIXES AND SEVENS” – The Times

 

“SCOLARI SET THE TONE BY MAKING LUIZ HIS CAPTAIN” – The Times

 

“DAS BOOTED – Germany tear Brazil to pieces” – The Metro

 

 

Above is my Wall chart. I will not fill in the 7-1. I cannot bring myself to do it until Brazil have shown me that they are recovered.

Big Decisions for Big Phil

Big Phil Scolari has got some decisions to make ahead of Tuesday’s World Cup semi-final against Germany. Once the dust has settled on the emotional victory over Colombia, a harsh reality will have to be addressed. Brazil will have to face Germany without their two best players.

Thiago Silva, captain and talisman, is suspended, whilst superstar Neymar has been brutally kneed out of the tournament by Juan Zuniga. Both will need to be replaced, but how do you replace the irreplaceable?

The Thiago Silva situation seems a lot easier to deal with. I have no doubt that Dante of Bayern Munich will come in for Thiago Silva. Whilst Henrique has been used more often in training sessions when central defensive pairings have been tried out, Dante’s familiarity with the Germans through his association with Bayern Munich will see him drafted in. The captain’s armband will pass to the mercurial David Luiz.

Replacing Neymar will prove a totally different kettle of fish altogether. The simple thing to do will be to draft in Willian out wide, and free up Oscar to focus more on playmaking. There are other options available though. Bernard could also be brought in to play wide with Oscar through the middle.

Scolari is a pragmatist though, and is always striving to achieve a perfect balance with his sides. I wouldn’t be surprised if he went for a 4-3-3 with Ramires playing alongside Fernandinho and the returning Luiz Gustavo in midfield, with Hulk, Fred and Oscar further forward.

My personal preference would be for Hulk to be deployed as the central forward, jettisoning the thus far totally ineffective Fred in the process. I would have Willian and Oscar support him, with Ramires, Fernandinho and Luiz Gustavo holding in midfield.

Whatever way Scolari decides to go, Brazil will have their work cut out to get past the Germans. Brazil have seemingly struggled to cope so far with the emotions of proceedings and the pressure of carrying the hopes and dreams of 200 million passionate Brazilians on their shoulders. The injury to Neymar and absence of their captain could well push them over their edge in terms of their emotional turmoil. I’m hopeful though that it will actually galvanise them into pulling off a wonderful victory and a date with destiny in the Maracana on July 13^th.

Neymar Injury Sours Brazil's Victory

Brazil’s advancement to the semi finals of the World Cup with victory over Colombia will have been a bittersweet moment. The players will undoubtedly, and rightly, be ecstatic at having made the semi finals. One step closer to glory on Big Phil’s Seven Step World Cup Plan. However, the ecstasy has been dampened by news that Neymar, the poster boy of these World Cup finals, will miss the rest of the tournament having suffered a fractured vertebra.
In one game, the World Cup has lost two of it’s shining lights in Neymar and the hugely impressive James Rodriguez. Both of them will be dearly missed, but whilst Colombia get to go home with heads held high and dream about what might have been, the Brazilians have to prepare for themselves for a semi final against Germany, in which they will be without not only their star player, but also their captain Thiago Silva who will be suspended for the match.
There are many reasons to feel fearful for Brazil. Despite reaching the semi final of the World Cup, they have still not clicked as a fully functional unit. Neymar dragged them to the knock-out stages virtually singled handed, and they seem to be gripped with fear and panic whenever they take to the field. That said, an injury to Neymar may compel the Brazilians to play more as a team. When your one star player is no longer available, the onus naturally falls on others to step up to the mark and take on more responsibility. Oscar, for example, will now be tasked with playmaking duties. He won’t be able to do it alone, and I would expect Willian to come into the starting line up in place of Neymar, and operate along with Oscar and Hulk in an interchanging creative three behind the still misfiring Fred.
Luiz Gustavo will be back from his own suspension, and will in all likelihood replace Paulinho, to form a solid midfield pairing with Fernandinho, who has been hugely impressive since being given his chance.
Thiago Silva will be a hard man to replace, but Dante knows most of the German players very well as a result of his time in the Bundesliga, so I would expect him to come in for the skipper.
All in all, Neymar has tragically been forced to miss the rest of his own party. It falls on his teammates to ensure that the party continues.

Jurgen Klinsmann – Not Respected Enough

In 2006, Germany hosted the World Cup, and there was a real fear not only in Germany but around the world, that the German team would fail miserably and suffer humiliation on their own door step. Indeed, prior to the World Cup commencing, the Germans were Ranked 19^th in the World by FIFA (not always the greatest gauge, granted), and Uli Hoeness was quoted as saying "I believe, like the rest of the country, that the national team is a catastrophe.". It is fair to say that Klinsmann was the recipient of constant and stinging criticism from all corners of Germany going into the World Cup

They needn’t have worried. Klinsmann, aided by his assistant Joachim Low, got the German side playing an up-tempo possession based passing game that would go on to define the German sides we see today.  The players he brought into the squad were – Michael Ballack aside – considered average at best, but Klinsmann had them well drilled and incredibly organised, and you could see that he had also instilled in them a passion and desire to succeed and never give up. Germany would eventually finish 3^rd at their own World Cup, losing out to eventual winners Italy in a classic semi-final, and have barely looked back since.

Since 2006, Germany have gone from strength to strength. Whilst Joachim Low gets most if not all of the credit, Jurgen Klinsmann was the man who got the ball rolling with regards to rebuilding and rejuvenating the German side, and making them a force again on the world stage.

After that World Cup, Klinsmann stood down as manager. He returned to football management with Bayern Munich in July 2008. Whilst his tenure as Bayern Munich manager is often considered a failure, it should be noted that he played a part in the designing of a new player development and performance center for Bayern Munich, and that when he lost his job, Bayern were only three points off the top of the table with five games still to play.

On 29 July 2011, Klinsmann was named head coach of the USA national team, who lost four of their first six games under his management. Once again, as with his time as Germany coach, Klinsmann faced criticism not only due to the poor results, but also for the decisions he was making and tactics that he was deploying.

Slowly but surely, Klinsmann began to implement his style and beliefs on the US team. Results started improving, and in February 2012 the USA beat Italy 1-0 in Genoa. Their first ever win against Italy. The following year, in June 2013, the USA beat Germany 4-3, which acted as a launch pad for a CONCACAF Gold Cup campaign that would end in victory for the USA.  

Ahead of the World Cup in Brazil, the general consensus was that Ghana and Portugal would battle it out for the runners-up spot behind the Germans. Team USA would merely be there to make up the numbers. Klinsmann had even left out Landon Donovan, a decision that would surely blow up in his face.

That’s not how things played out though, and Jurgen Klinsmann deserves huge praise for the way in which he has got the USA team organised. Their discipline, passion, desire and fitness saw them get through Group G in second place behind Germany, and those same factors saw them play their part in an enthralling Last 16 fixture with Belgium in which Tim Howard put in one of the greatest individual performances that I have ever seen at a World Cup finals. After all the success he has enjoyed as a manager, it has taken a defeat for people to finally appreciate the qualities that Jurgen Klinsmann possesses as a manager.