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flordoexilio

Listed below are comments made by flordoexilio between Monday, 13th July 2009 and Monday, 16th November 2009.

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Brazil refine tactics for World Cup 11:57pm on 16 Nov 2009 Great post Tim.

Will people ever get over the Brazil 70-82 sides? Can't people please stop going on and on about flair and jogo bonito? This is 2009 and football has changed. Brazil is now a pragmatic team and no one should expect to see a showdown on a FRIENDLY in the middle of nowhere where no one wants to get injured. Victory 1 x 0, tactics refined, job done.

I guess everyone wants to see samba-style football, including myself, but results are far more important to Dunga and no one can really argue with him. But I don't find it ugly at all, it is still very much watchable.

The Brazilian side still has deficiencies and the team who manage to explore them has a great chance to win the WC. England is far too scared of Brazil as we just witnessed so I list the big old enemies as possible contenders: France and Argentina. Old dogs, but very dangerous ones.
Brazil's new breed of guard dog 10:50pm on 10 Nov 2009 I personally don't see anything wrong in having Gilberto in the Brazilian squad for SA World Cup. I was suspicious at the begining but it seems that Dunga doesn't have a better option for the position.

Gilberto has an expiry date for internationals - July 2010 - and Dunga knows it. He should be capable of doing a good job until then and will no longer be needed after that, then he can end his career at Panathinaikos or in Atletico Mineiro where he came from.

He is perhaps the most successful Brazilian ever to play on the Premierleague so far having been part of the magical 2002-2003 Arsenal squad and was part of the team that played the Champions League final in 2006. He was called by Wenger as "the invisible wall" (someone can correct this if I am wrong). To come to this country with this weather, learn the language and earn the respect of players and media is impressive for a humble guy coming from Central Brazil.

It was a series of factors that led him out as most already stated here; time has come for him to move to give way for a much younger Arsenal side that we see now. I read in the news that he was mobbed at the airport in Greece and it seems he is earning more fans over there.

His experience of two WCs and European football make him a important figure in the squad. Gilberto always had a good reputation in the pitch and is a player who leads by example - for the position he plays he is an extremely clean player, would rarely get carded. Also, he is not prone to stupid mistakes or giving the ball easily away. If he is not that fast, he is still decent at tackles and can cover the centre backs when they need to go forward.

Having said all that, it makes perfect sense to me that Dunga chose him ahead of all options mentioned on previous comments to keep the team together when the pressure is on. I was suspicious at first, but he cannot change the team at this point. As I used to hear in his last years at Arsenal, he has a "calming influence" over the youngsters. Before Flamini came along, Fabregas would rely entirely on Gilberto behind him to be able to attack.

I am pretty sure that any Brazilian would rather a team who win cups with an ugly side than loose with a fancy one. I personally don't care how they win it, as long as they win it.

I understand all the criticism, but Gilberto is certainly not past his date. No yet.

Very strange to see that an article about Gilberto Silva attracted double more comments than the article about Lionel Messi...
Can European managers succeed in South America? 11:14pm on 26 Oct 2009 I cannot imagine Brazil being coached by a foreigner ever. Perhaps Mourinho who speaks Portuguese, but it would have to be for a lot of money otherwise we all know he wouldn't bother. To be the national Brazilian team manager, you go through so much pressure that I don't think any foreigner should ever be considered; they wouldn't cope as they don't have the background of growing up in this culture. You must not only win matches, but you must display the "jogo bonito".
Perhaps at club level someone might venture from abroad, but it would have to be just for the challenge.
Grafite poses threat to Man Utd 11:30pm on 28 Sep 2009 Brilliant post Tim, fantastic read.

Shame about a couple of posts of some of my fellow countrymen who I do not share my views with, people who must themselves live in bubbles. Please, Tim, ignore them if they don't have anything interesting to debate and concentrate on your useful great stuff.

There are many different reasons that explain why Brazilian players are so good at football: climate, futsal, music, you name it. When I came to England many years ago, I finally found out why there aren't that many good players in this country. There are plaques in every residential estate which read: No Ball Games.
Maradona turns to fans for helping hand 10:09am on 02 Sep 2009 For me, Maradona's appointment illustrates the desperation of Argentina to qualify. I think and hope Brazil will hammer them down on Saturday (with Luis Fabiano scoring) but I honestly cannot envisage a World Cup without Argentina. Also, a WC with Maradona as a manager would be highly entertaining. Are managers also subject to anti-dopping exams?
Club v country takes new twist 10:31am on 18 Aug 2009 "This idea of representation is especially strong for the South Americans, where the shirt of the national team is such an important symbol of the country."

I kind of understand where you are coming from Tim. For a Brazilian player, the lure and power of the yellow canary shirt is way stronger than what the white shirt means for an English player. It's not easy to explain in words, but it's a fact.

As for the last point about players playing for another country other than their own, I think I am the odd one here: as long player, country and FIFA all agree, I don't see why all the fuss. They are just a minority anyway.
South America's wayward footballing stereotypes 12:26pm on 03 Aug 2009 Good part of the Brazilian press is made of people without a Journalism degree and in the sports department it is even worse. Very few of the old generation that have been around for ages are the ones that creates these stereotypes. Unfortunately, the new generation with journalism degrees have not been around for long enough to have a good understanding of football as all they know about football is since Romario and Bebeto won 94 World Cup. Ask around in Brazil who knows who was Sir Bobby Robson? Bobby who?
I could not compare the level of journalism that I see in the UK with what I see when I go on holidays in Brazil. The difference is abysmal. Those round table discussions about fooball on Sunday night are all about football stereotyping. By the way, I do have a degree in Journalism as I used to dream about covering Olympics and World Cups, but gave this up as I wouldn't cope with the job's stress.
The reason why the Brazilian press heap praise on the England side since earlier this decade is because of the ascension of the Premierleague with the influx of foreign money and players and the growth of the internet that allows the world to see what is going on in the European fooball leagues. Personally I belive Mr & Mrs Beckham might have a part on this influence too.
Stereotypes will always be going around, some true some not, but people chose to believe whatever they want to. It is annoying to read the ones we don't agree with, but that's life.
Cheers
Spanning the South American age spectrum 12:06pm on 27 Jul 2009 Another very interesting post, many thanks Tim.

Common sense would say that 16 is already a overly young age to play an adult match so thirteen is plain wrong. Some men keep in pretty good shape after retirement so a fit man could well be playing in a lower division at 45 and a goalkeeper would not have much problem to keep up.

Just some info to add to your post, if you don't mind, about Sao Paulo. Sao Paulo Football Club is a club based in Sao Paulo city, as well as Corinthians and Palmeiras. Sao Caetano and Barueri are clubs from smaller cities located in the Great Sao Paulo, therefore in the outskirts of Sao Paulo City. Sao Paulo city, the largest city in South America, is the capital of Sao Paulo state which is roughly the size of the UK and is one out of the 26 states that form Brazil.
Seba Veron, an heir to Cerezo 4:28pm on 20 Jul 2009 I reckon Veron needs to play in a "medium" team revolving around him to flourish. Lazio is not classified as top of the Serie A, neither Sampdoria or Parma. Same for Estudiantes in Argentina. He may have done better perhaps going to Man City or Newcastle. Shame really as I would have loved to see what was he all about.

Re Toninho Cerezo. I had him as one of the main culprits in that crucial match defeat against Italy in the 1982 World Cup. The trauma followed me for many years. Until he played for SPFC and won every title in the 1992/1993 years and all was forgotten.

Tim, funny you saying you used to watch the Seria A matches in a little Italian cafe in the West End. I did watch the 2000-2001 final when Roma won the title in a Italian cafe in the West End, dark room at the back with three screens showing the three main matches at the same time, so I wonder if it was the same place.

Lastly, I had to laugh at this new boy's name, Taison. Does he knocks the defenders down? Was his dad a keen boxer? Does he get sent off often? Was he bullied in school? Funny name.
Gomes sets sights on World Cup 10:29am on 13 Jul 2009 This blog is the only thing I look forward to reading on a Monday morning back to the office. I found today's post a wonderful piece, full of facts and football history, thanks for that.

Re Gomes, I have no doubts he is a class goalkeeper and he proved his quality overcoming a difficult start in the Premierleague last season. However, Julio Cesar is making his mark with the number 1 shirt and he is one of the few certainties for the next WC. Gomes, like the people from Minas Gerais are known (and some may disagree with me), is far too laid back. Okay, Gilberto Silva is also a mineiro and has been around since 2002 so yes, Gomes is a possibility for 2014 but I have my doubts.

I fully agree with your opinion that Brazil won the 2002 WC due to the physical preparation. It wasn't only based on talent alone. Cafu was in such a good shape he could easily run marathons. This is also the reason why they won the last Confederations Cup - in the second half where most of the players played a full season, plus WCQ, plus CL, plus friendlies. They need the lungs working well to perform their tricks. They have the top medical and fitness preparation people in the country working for them, it's serious business.

And yes, samba is not everyone's cup of tea in Brazil.

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