Comments on: So many players. So little success.

By: steph

steph — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 20:39:01 +0000

yo i like football

By: shoemoney

shoemoney — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 18:57:16 +0000

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By: KENNEDY

KENNEDY — Sat, 27 May 2006 21:32:43 +0000

PERFECT. WELL SAID.

By: Luis

Luis — Sat, 27 May 2006 18:08:04 +0000

So let me sum this thread up. We believe in our players talent. We want them to be well served by good coaches. We love our culture and believe that Portugal can achieve anything it sets its collective mind to. Oh and one last thing. WE WANT TO BE WORLD CHAMPIONS! And we would gladly give up the life of a millionaire for that glory since being so lusolicious is riches enough for us. FORCA PORTUGAL!

By: Pedro P

Pedro P — Sat, 27 May 2006 14:54:04 +0000

Agree 100% with what you just wrote, Kennedy.

But the risk of the counter is always there if you want to play in possession. Naturally, to do so without a clinical killer in the box is already quite corageous… And sometmes the line between bravery and stupidity is thin. STILL, in 2004 we saw the team didn’t lose foccus and determination while loosing – ENG match – nor made stupid mistakes nor lost their minds like against Korean in 2002. So, I keep my hopes…

The bad calls always happen in favour of the favourites, and man… THE qualifying match against Germany, in 1997, is one I’ll never forget…

By: Pedro P

Pedro P — Sat, 27 May 2006 14:48:37 +0000

Kennedy: spotting a culture’s downsides doesn’t mean lack of pride in it. Every culture has highs and lows. The country’s history speaks for itself. What Spain and Portugal did in the XV and XVI centuries could only be compared to what the USA and the USSR did in the XX, with the space race. And let me say it’s more dificult to get your ass in a piece of wood, heading to what everybody believes to be the end of the world, than to go on a rocket heading for the moon. But I diverge… This doesn’t mean the portuguese culture, then or nowadays (I’d even say the whole latin european culture), doesn’t have it’s flaws…

Even if it wouldn’t it’d still be my country and part of who I am. I’ve lived my life in Portugal and since some years live in The Netherlands. 3 hours flight that puts me in a more diferent culture than an entire ocean – any portuguese would feel more at home in, say, Brazil than in North Europe…

The fact most people that write here actually live abroad surelly counts on the national pride department.

I am super proud of the way our players play and, to be honest, I kinda prefer them to win less times but not to sell their soul and start playing like Italy…

But, admiting one’s flaws – not the same as considering them a curse – is the first step to overcome them and be better.

By: KENNEDY

KENNEDY — Sat, 27 May 2006 14:47:53 +0000

TONY , MOST EUROPEANS HAVE AN EASY GOING ATTITUDE WITH SOME EXCEPTIONS OF COURSE. THE GREEKS HAVE A LAID BACK ATTITUDE AND THEY PULLED IT OFF.

THE SENSE OF ANXIETY THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU WITNESSED AT THE GAMES IS A RESULT OF PORTUGAL PLAYING IMPORTANT GAMES AGAINST TRADITIONALLY BETTER TEAMS THAN US AND WE SOME HOW LOOSE.I MYSELF FEEL THIS WAY AT TIMES BECAUSE I HAVE SUFFERRED IN EURO 84, 96, 2000,AND 2004.

THE REASON FOR THIS ANXEITY IN MY OPINION IS A RESULT OF NOT BEEN ABLE TO PRODUCE QUALITY STRIKRES THAT CAN SCORE AT KEY MOMENTS.

SO WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT THE TEAMS WE PLAY AGAINST BUNKER DOWN 11 PLAYERS IN THE BOX AND WE COME REAL CLOSE TO SCORING BUT WE DON’T AND/OR WE SUFFER A GOAL AND ANOTHER GOAL ON A COUNTER ATTACK(GREECE 2004).

ANOTHER REASON FOR THE ANXIETY -REMENBER WE ARE A SMALL NATION WITH SMALL INFLUENCIAL POWERS- THERE HAVE BEEN SOME CALLS AGAINST US THAT TURN ANY SANE PERSON INTO A NUTCASE.

THERE ARE 2 REASONS FOR PEOPLE BEING SATISFIED WITH THE EURO RESULT 2004.
1- WE LOVE TO THROW A PARTY AND BE GREAT HOSTS AND THAT IS WHAT WE DID – WE SHOWED OFF OUR BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY(CULTURE) WITH CLASS.
2-THAT WAS OUR BEST RESULT TILL TODAY AND THAT ACHIEVEMENT IS WORTH CELEBRATING-THE NEXT TIME -PEOPLE WILL WANT MORE.

THE GERMANY COMPARISON IS A GOOD ONE- I’M NOT SURE THIS TIME AROUND GIVEN THEIR POOR RESULTS OF LATE THAT GERMANY WILL NOT BE HAPPY WITH TOP 16.

WE NEED TO FIND STRIKES WHO CAN RESOLVE SITUATIONS – I THINK MY FATHER’S GENERATION KNEW THAT EUSEBIO WOULD SOMEWAY, SOMEHOW FIND A WAY TO PUT IT IN THE NET-THEIR SENSE OF CONFIDENCE EVEN TODAY WHEN TALKING ABOUT THAT TEAM IS SUPREME.
LET’S NOT LOOK FOR OTHER RAESONS FOR LOOSING. THE PLAYERS ON OUR NATIONAL TEAM ARE WINNERS ABROAD – AND THEY HAVE THE SAME CULTURE (PORTUGUESE) BUT WHAT THEY POSSIBLY HAVE IS -STRIKERS- WITH BETTER QUALITY THAN ON THEIR NT.

MAYBE LIEDSON IS THE ANSWER OR PLACING RONALDO BEHIND THE STRIKER TO CREAT SPACE.

VIVA PORTUGAL – CHAO

By: Tony O

Tony O — Sat, 27 May 2006 08:23:29 +0000

I didn’t mean to imply anything about producing losing, though I think our culture is not as achievement oriented as say Germany. I think that the Portuguese are more easily satisfied and that I consider to be a good thing. As much as we love futebol, we also understand that it is just a game…yes, no matter how much you love it, it is not life and death. I was in Portugal during the Euro and I was lucky enough to attend 9 games, including all four Portuguese victories. The whole experience was great but the poinit I wanted to make was that despite losing to Greece at home, the mood was still positive. We realized and were proud of what we had acheived, even if it was NOT ultimately the championship. I do feel that there is a certain attitude however that permeates Portuguese culture. You will see it mentioned even in tourist books and it’s intermingled with the defenition of soldade. It is this inexplicable feeling of impending doom. Even when we are winning games, you have this sort of expectation that they will do something or something crazy might happen. It’s the…oh no, here we go again feeling. I know I’m not the only one. The stadium was filled with this exact feeling during the Spain game and the England game of the Euro. I even think that this over confidence that people percieve portuguese players to have is really just their way to cover up for ultimately is a lack of true belief. Often times this only comes out when we are under pressure and we panic, but I do feel it’s there. Maybe I am way off, but I do feel that if we can ever get over the hump, which btw we are doing – remember this is the FIRST time we have qualified in back to back WCs, that our confidence will grow and much of this might change. Also, Kennedy, your point about being proud of our achievement is well taken. There are very few countries of our size that can match us in quality of players. Off the top of my head I can only think of the Netherlands, but I’m sure there are others.

Forca Portugal.
-Tony

By: KENNEDY

KENNEDY — Sat, 27 May 2006 03:28:12 +0000

I AGREE. SCOLARI IS WINNER. I THINK THE LESSONS THAT WE HAVE LEARNED FROM HIM ARE PRICELESS BUT UNFORTUNELY WHEN THE NEXT COACH IS SELECTED THE CLUBISMO WILL START AGAIN AND INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENTS WILL BECOME VENUES TO SHOWCASE PLAYERS THAT WILL FETCH THE GREATEST DOLLARS. THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH CULTURE-IT SIMPLY HAS TO DO WITH PAYING THE PEOPLE OR CLUBS THAT HELPED YOU BECOME NT COACH.

SCOLARI DID NOT HAVE A HISTORY IN PORTUGAL AND DID NOT HAVE TO PAY OFF FAVORS OR ELSE THE TEAM WOULD BE MADE UP OF CURRENT FC PORTO PLAYERS. PINTO THE COSTA IS THE GODFATHER AND THE NT COACH IS SIMPLY A PAWN.

THE CURRENT NT IS OUR TEAM AND LET’S CELEBRATE TOGTHER WHEN CARVALHO HEADS IN A CORNER TO START THINGS OFF WITH ANGOLA

CHAO VIVA PORTUGAL.

By: Luis

Luis — Sat, 27 May 2006 01:28:06 +0000

Proud to be Lusolicious! We do rock! That’s why it is so frustrating when bad coaches squander our talented players. Every day I see the excitement build in our people. The love and committment I see around Scolari and his players makes me proud. Such “carinho” should always be valued and respected. I know Scolari won’t let us down. Forca Portugal!