Goodbye Évora

Lets hope the time in Evora was well used. We will see this weekend if Scolari has tightened up all those annoying loose ends or at least most of them.

Scolari and the FPF took a lot of “heat” for holding the training camp in the brutal heat of Alentejo and for playing such easy teams in their friendly matches, but I think the critics are missing a few points.

First, lets start with the friendly games issue. Most of us know that there are two schools of thought on this. Some argue that you should play tough teams to get players into the high stress mind set and physically fit. Others suggest that it’s better to play easy teams that allow you to focus on fine tuning tactics and strategy without having to leave a pint of blood on the pitch. Scolari has opted for the second approach. As for the weather conditions, well there again we have two schools. Some argue for an easy climate while others prefer more challenging conditions to simulate some of the high stress conditions of actual match play. I for one am willing to give Scolari the benefit of the doubt on this. The easy competition and tough conditions approach seems to be part of the Brazilian school of WC preparation. This is obvious if you look at Brazil’s choices for training – easy competition, even easier then Cabo Verde and Luxembourg, and high altitude training in Switzerland. This approach, as we all know well, has worked quite well for Brazil in the past. Lets hope it helps Portugal achieve the same kind of results. What do you all think? Forca Portugal!

Posted from  United States

Great points Luis!

I agree Portugal needs to just work on basic familiarity with eachother (Meira and Carvalho pairing/communication is key), get passing machine going, refine tactics, gain confidence and get into good frame of mind.

Capo Verde

Posted from  Canada

hey message was cut off, I guess no arrows allowed?

Cabo Verde, Luxembourg, Angola, Iran, Mexio…..

The games get harder and harder, probably a decent way to prepare…..

A few other things but now must return to doing work….
FORCA PORTUGAL FORCA !!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted from  Canada

Hey Trinco, that’s an interesting way of looking at it. I hadn’t looked at it that way at all. Our games are against progressivily tougher opponents and hopefully we can improve as we go along also..

Starting to sound way too good?? I’m starting to get a little nervous as the start aproaches.

Posted from  Canada

Actually, Cabo Verde plays better thn Luxembourg, thus proving dat ur theory is incorrect and the games only get “harder and harder” after Angola.

Posted from  Canada

I think it’s pointless to argue weather this or that approach is better. It’ll depend on the coach’s way of thinking and also what each team actually needs at a given moment.

The guys say the players are physically better prepared than 2 years ago. We all know that the factor “playing home” will probably counted more than just fitness. And so on…

Anyway, we (at least I for sure did) thought our FPF president didn’t have balls to fight back some of the portuguese TV promoted idiots I keep talking about, but after all, the man showed he can answer… (in portuguese):

http://www.ojogo.pt/22-101/artigo556454.htm

Posted from  Netherlands

I find the hostility toward Scolari in general to be offensive. He was given the job! I wish all these idiots that have never achieved anything in football would just shutup. Once the tourney is over, there will be plenty of time to criticize and analyze performances. For now, I wish they would just crawl back to their holes and shut their mouths. I’m starting to think, like Medaile, that there is some xenophobia at work here. The next thing you know, they’ll be criticizing Scolari’s choice of wardrobe. Pathetic and I hope all these idiots end up eating their words. They all hide behind patriotism, but really it’s just envy. Scolari has done a great job so far. Leave him alone! Forca Scolari! Forca Portugal!

Posted from  United States

The “voices” will never shut up. Portugal had never reach any final till 2 years ago. Did they shut up? No. They got worse. Quaresma didn’t go, it’s the FC Porto people saying the NT is not their team. Costinha went and Maniche, it’s everybody saying they shouldn’t, because they weren’t playing and they aren’t fit and lack this and lack that.

I mean, if the guys who work with the players everyday, who are professionals in this stuff, who have actually won the WC once, say player “A” is fit, then who are we to say he isn’t? And so on… This time, a coach tries to build what U21 showed they didn’t have: collective spirit and etc, and what do the voices say? The voices say Scolari is not a coach, Scolari is wrong because he doesn’t take “the best” players, Scolari only creates “Club Scolari” because he is a dictator and because he only takes players that “bend-over”.

Well… I don’t imagine Figo kissing ass, I don’t imagine portuguese players showing the genuine respect and tenderness they always do towards Scolari, if this was the case. So, as I once said, these people should just go back to washing dishes, rather than making $ going on TV undermining the people’s spirit, doing so called “analysis”… Maybe try the coaches seat for once, and see if they can do better. OR maybe (just maybe) shutting the **** up…

Posted from  Netherlands