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Brazil train in Soweto; Ronaldinho missed by locals
Saturday, June 5th, 2010
(By Paul Morrissey)
Dunga doesn’t like talking about “Weggis.” In much the same way Roy Keane baulks at the very utterance of the word “Saipan,” the Brazil coach would prefer if all things “Weggis” were consigned to the past.
For “Weggis,” like “Saipan,” has its place reserved in the footballing thesaurus - look it up, and you’ll find it synonymous with “decadence,” “holiday camp,” and “saunter in the sun.”
Dunga is loath to allow a repeat of the Weggis Jolly Up 2006, Brazil’s access-all-areas Swiss-based World Cup training camp, where Ronaldo and Ronaldinho were the rumoured ringleaders behind late nights out, late morning lie-ins; the self-appointed chilled-out-vibe coordinators.
The ego massaging coach, Carlos Alberto Parreira, was Walen Smithers to their Monty Burns. He was all too happy to bow down to their carnival atmosphere, in the hope they would weave their magic when it came to the crunch.
They lapped up the attention from the “oohing” and “ahhing” of the onlookers. The images would lead you to believe time was split between rehearsing for their upcoming Nike adverts, and trying to get Ronaldo off his arse (he was nursing blisters). All the hallmarks of a day out in Orlando Seaworld.
As it turned out, they were hopelessly out of shape, somehow managing to stumble along to the quarter finals, thanks largely to the spade work of the likes of Kaka’, Ze Roberto, and Gilberto Silva. For Senhors Ronaldo and Adriano up front, it was ball to feet or nothing - they weren’t for chasing down corner flag-bound balls.
The Thierry Henry goal they ultimately crashed out to was symbolic of their tournament. Roberto Carlos, like a beaten boxer on the ropes, allowed himself a cheeky private time out before Zizou’s free kick. Result: Henry ghosts in solo at the back post and guides a delicately weighted volley into the net. Tchau.
Dunga was known to be aghast with the carry-on that unfolded in Germany, and upon taking over from Parreira in July 2006, he wasted no time stamping his authority on the camp - his era has been defined by organisation, efficiency, and perfunctionary play.
While a definitive breakaway from Parreira’s relaxadissimo reign was duly in order, it is difficult to justify his omission of a joker in the pack, having won a World Cup himself with the inspiration of one of the biggest mavericks of them all; Romario.
With Adriano currently in the dock over ties with favela mafia, he’s dodged a bullet by leaving the troubled Emparador back in Brazil to get his house in order. Neymar’s ommission has also been linked with character issues.
Ganso can count himself unlucky insofar as Julio Baptista is the Emile Heskey of the current regime: always there, no one knows why.
The South African fans in the Dobsonville Stadium yesterday, however, left us in no doubt as to the player they believe should be there: Ronaldinho Gaucho. With Weggis still fresh in the mind, Dunga yesterday decided to get a token open day out of the way as soon as possible, as the Brazil team trained in front of the Soweto public.
The vocal dismay of the local fans at Ronaldinho’s absence demonstrated just how much of a global star he still is, despite his considerable fall from grace since his Barca days.
Said fall from grace was described so dramatically purely because he was at a vertigo-inducing height - and his footballing obituary was all too hastily written. Last season in particular he reproduced that stellar form, in big games too, notably against Juventus and Manchester United.
Unlike most of his fellow Milanese geriatrics, he’s managed to recapture his unique samba swagger and the fact that this did nothing to sway the Brazil coach would suggest his omission has as much to do with attitude as playing style. Perhaps he’s still paying the price for all the peacocking in Weggis four years ago.
Following his recent appearance in Nike’s new “Write the Future” ad campaign, the show of support in Soweto has reminded us once again that he’s got something that Kaka’, Robinho, or Julio Baptista, will ever have: it.
It, is that rare ability to attract young and old to training sessions, to see that spark, that smile, that flip-flap, that joie de vivre.
He doesn’t do tactics. He’s not too fond of the ol’ tracking back. He’s probably quite hazy on the workings of the offside trap.
But if he’s not concentrating on the stringent aspects of the game, it’s because he’s an artist who needs to play within his own realm, to see things others could never see. Like the eye of a needle assist for Ludo Giuly in the 2006 Champion’s League semi final.
Like spotting David Seaman off his line to audaciously lob him from a ridiculously non-existant angle in 2002. Watch it again, the way he runs off in anticipated celebration. He didn’t just mean it - it’s one of the greatest free kicks ever scored.
Dunga’s Seleccao are rightly installed as one of the favorites to win the World Cup given their record under Dunga, and they may well take the trophy. Come what may, on hindsight, many fans will always lament the absence of Ronaldinho to light up the tournament.
As we saw at the Dobsonville Stadium training session, many others will of course ignore who wins the tournament, and just want to see their iconic heroes expressing themselves with their natural jogo bonito.
A Brazilian report into the training session in Soweto can be seen here and a South African report in English here.
Courtesy of: 101Greatgoals.com
Saturday, June 5th, 2010
(By Paul Morrissey)
Dunga doesn’t like talking about “Weggis.” In much the same way Roy Keane baulks at the very utterance of the word “Saipan,” the Brazil coach would prefer if all things “Weggis” were consigned to the past.
For “Weggis,” like “Saipan,” has its place reserved in the footballing thesaurus - look it up, and you’ll find it synonymous with “decadence,” “holiday camp,” and “saunter in the sun.”
Dunga is loath to allow a repeat of the Weggis Jolly Up 2006, Brazil’s access-all-areas Swiss-based World Cup training camp, where Ronaldo and Ronaldinho were the rumoured ringleaders behind late nights out, late morning lie-ins; the self-appointed chilled-out-vibe coordinators.
The ego massaging coach, Carlos Alberto Parreira, was Walen Smithers to their Monty Burns. He was all too happy to bow down to their carnival atmosphere, in the hope they would weave their magic when it came to the crunch.
They lapped up the attention from the “oohing” and “ahhing” of the onlookers. The images would lead you to believe time was split between rehearsing for their upcoming Nike adverts, and trying to get Ronaldo off his arse (he was nursing blisters). All the hallmarks of a day out in Orlando Seaworld.
As it turned out, they were hopelessly out of shape, somehow managing to stumble along to the quarter finals, thanks largely to the spade work of the likes of Kaka’, Ze Roberto, and Gilberto Silva. For Senhors Ronaldo and Adriano up front, it was ball to feet or nothing - they weren’t for chasing down corner flag-bound balls.
The Thierry Henry goal they ultimately crashed out to was symbolic of their tournament. Roberto Carlos, like a beaten boxer on the ropes, allowed himself a cheeky private time out before Zizou’s free kick. Result: Henry ghosts in solo at the back post and guides a delicately weighted volley into the net. Tchau.
Dunga was known to be aghast with the carry-on that unfolded in Germany, and upon taking over from Parreira in July 2006, he wasted no time stamping his authority on the camp - his era has been defined by organisation, efficiency, and perfunctionary play.
While a definitive breakaway from Parreira’s relaxadissimo reign was duly in order, it is difficult to justify his omission of a joker in the pack, having won a World Cup himself with the inspiration of one of the biggest mavericks of them all; Romario.
With Adriano currently in the dock over ties with favela mafia, he’s dodged a bullet by leaving the troubled Emparador back in Brazil to get his house in order. Neymar’s ommission has also been linked with character issues.
Ganso can count himself unlucky insofar as Julio Baptista is the Emile Heskey of the current regime: always there, no one knows why.
The South African fans in the Dobsonville Stadium yesterday, however, left us in no doubt as to the player they believe should be there: Ronaldinho Gaucho. With Weggis still fresh in the mind, Dunga yesterday decided to get a token open day out of the way as soon as possible, as the Brazil team trained in front of the Soweto public.
The vocal dismay of the local fans at Ronaldinho’s absence demonstrated just how much of a global star he still is, despite his considerable fall from grace since his Barca days.
Said fall from grace was described so dramatically purely because he was at a vertigo-inducing height - and his footballing obituary was all too hastily written. Last season in particular he reproduced that stellar form, in big games too, notably against Juventus and Manchester United.
Unlike most of his fellow Milanese geriatrics, he’s managed to recapture his unique samba swagger and the fact that this did nothing to sway the Brazil coach would suggest his omission has as much to do with attitude as playing style. Perhaps he’s still paying the price for all the peacocking in Weggis four years ago.
Following his recent appearance in Nike’s new “Write the Future” ad campaign, the show of support in Soweto has reminded us once again that he’s got something that Kaka’, Robinho, or Julio Baptista, will ever have: it.
It, is that rare ability to attract young and old to training sessions, to see that spark, that smile, that flip-flap, that joie de vivre.
He doesn’t do tactics. He’s not too fond of the ol’ tracking back. He’s probably quite hazy on the workings of the offside trap.
But if he’s not concentrating on the stringent aspects of the game, it’s because he’s an artist who needs to play within his own realm, to see things others could never see. Like the eye of a needle assist for Ludo Giuly in the 2006 Champion’s League semi final.
Like spotting David Seaman off his line to audaciously lob him from a ridiculously non-existant angle in 2002. Watch it again, the way he runs off in anticipated celebration. He didn’t just mean it - it’s one of the greatest free kicks ever scored.
Dunga’s Seleccao are rightly installed as one of the favorites to win the World Cup given their record under Dunga, and they may well take the trophy. Come what may, on hindsight, many fans will always lament the absence of Ronaldinho to light up the tournament.
As we saw at the Dobsonville Stadium training session, many others will of course ignore who wins the tournament, and just want to see their iconic heroes expressing themselves with their natural jogo bonito.
A Brazilian report into the training session in Soweto can be seen here and a South African report in English here.
Courtesy of: 101Greatgoals.com