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Back to the grind

September 21st, 2006 | By: Luis | 4 Comments »

After a little break from the football headlines, it’s time to get back to work. Let’s get everyone up to date with the national team news.

Between Euro 2008 qualifying games Big Phil has been eating out a lot. Most recently, at an awards dinner in his home town, Cascais. The city of Cascais recognized Big Phil’s achievements by presenting him with the city’s Medal of Honor. He must have a bucket of these by now.

In his acceptance speech, Scolari praised SCP Sporting and head coach, Paulo Bento, for the tremendous work he is doing in Sporting’s youth camps to develop new talent. He stressed the importance of close cooperation between the U21 team and the seniors, promising to make key players available for U21 duty if needed. Scolari also spoke in favor of a law to limit the number of international players allowed to play in Portugal which, he says, would encourage the development of home grown talent.

With all those fancy dinners, Scolari somehow manages to squeeze in a football match or two. On October 1st, Scolari will be in Spain to catch the “Madrid Classico” between Real Madrid and Atlético. No doubt he wants to see how Maniche and Costinha are doing after their holiday break.

And if that wasn’t enough to keep Big Phil busy, there’s always the routine competing offer rumor, followed by the time honored denial statement. Somehow Scolari still has time to put together his next list of call-ups on September 28th

On the injury front we have some good news and some bad news. The bad news is that Fulham captain Luis Boa Morte will be out for six weeks after he was banged up in Fulham’s nil – nil draw with Tottenham. The good and I should say great news is that Jorge Andrade is returning to Deportivo to finish the final stage of his recovery. Let’s hope we see Jorge in Portuguese red and green soon.

A big thank you to Pedro P, Carlos and others for keeping things interesting in my absence.

Força Portugal!

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Comments

By Pedro P | September 22nd, 2006 at 4:14 am

Welcome back, Luis!

At the risk of sounding a biased fan (which I am), it must be said that SCP youth academy didn’t start yesterday… It was SCP’s policy that changed a bit, in the recent past.

It’s true that during the WC, our dutch blog colleagues stated Portugal doesn’t have a youth formation culture, but nothing could be further away from the truth (of people would only bother to check things before they start talking…). I mean, everybody knows about THE Ajax school… I guess everybody should also know where so many good players, surelly not as old as the Ajax school of 20 years ago, came from…

Maybe the world only knows 2 of it’s most brilliasnt “creations”, Figo and C Ronaldo, but the fact remains that some 60% of the talented portugues kids that start playing at top leavel, all come from there… Even if they are sold to Barcelona and later return to the domestic enemy, like Simao, now in Benfica or Quaresma, now in FC Porto.

After the Bosman law, portuguese football droped a lot, at international level, simply cos it wasn’t possible to compete with the big european clubs anymore. Then everything got globalized… Basicly this means that Portugal is “forced” to sooner or later sell their good players to foreign clubs, usually Spain or England – Italy also but it’s a physically too hard league, very defensive, and players end up kinda broken down, unless they are “brick-wall” defenders like F Couto – because they also simply cannot compete with those offers and need the money (badly).

What SCP’s president is now doing is the novelty… Not so much what the academy is doing – this is my point. This president decided to sell club’s property, to raise $, and not sell players. SCP is chronically “bankrupt”… All the tranfers made were at the expense of loans, getting young players, selling some other players. Overall, according to what was stated, SCP spend very little money with tranfers. Essencially, they started doing what everybody has been saying, for the past 10 years, in Portugal – BET ON THE KIDS!

I believe a law that would limit the foreigners presence on a given league would always favour the nation’s national football. Shortly after the WC, the english started talking about it, fearing the level of english players could be droping, due to so many (excellent) foreigners in their league. Currently, there must be some 50% of foreigners in portuguese football. Almost all are brazillians… And almost all are strikers… The NT’s chronicall problem…

Anyway, Scolari managed to give the U21 team a dimension never seen before. SCP’s policy is also “sailing” in that direction. Paulo Bento was one of our NT’s former def mid and after retiring he became SCP’s junior team coach. As soon as he became SCP’s main coach he started bringing the kids he knew so well and slowly introduced them in the big team. The results are there to see…

Still, there’s always the pressure…

http://www.ojogo.pt/22-213/artigo580058.htm

Posted from Netherlands

By Pedro P | September 22nd, 2006 at 7:23 am

Oldie but goodie…

WC coaches
http://www.maismundial2006.iol.pt/noticia.php?id=706125

WC systems
http://www.maismundial2006.iol.pt/noticia.php?id=706072

POR after WC / Renovation
http://www.maismundial2006.iol.pt/noticia.php?id=705779

Here, an interesting issue is brought up… WHO will be the next leader for Portugal…? I mean, some players retired, others are still there but will be too old for the next WC (maybe they’ll show up in the EC) and then there’s the new generation, already showing up sometimes… BUT… WHO WILL BE THE LEADER? C Ronaldo, R Carvalho, Maniche and Deco, all brilliant and “bosses” of the areas where they play in the team. But none really has (I agree with the article’s writer) really what you’d call A LEADER!

Costinha does, but he’ll be 35 next WC… Simao, who’s old enough and got nothing to prove anymore…?

Posted from Netherlands

By Carlos | September 22nd, 2006 at 10:39 am

There is such a law about foreigners in some ice hockey leagues, and as a result, the NTs play quite good.
The Portuguese league is at a high level at the moment (not only because of those Brazilians), and this is an important factor for the national team.

Although I like Benfica as well as Sporting, you’re right about the youth academy. Without it, Luís Figo couldn’t be such a brilliant player and great captain today.

We all hope Cristiano’s team competencies will improve soon, but it will take a long time until he is an acceptable captain.
Now, Costinha is first class, of course, but not for very long. Simão Sabrosa is a quick and intelligent player who always thinks of his team-mates first.
I think the world of Maniche (especially after the goal against the Netherlands – sorry if you are a patriot, Pedro) and I hope Big Phil will give him a chance to show his leading qualities.

Jorge Andrade is already training busily, and Good Death, how they call Luis, is supported by his numerous fans very much.

Posted from Austria