Euro 2012 Qualifiers: Something new in the making

August 29th, 2010 | by: Miguel |

Euro 2012 Logo In the midst of all the turmoil that is currently surrounding the Selecção the first call for the Euro 2012 qualifiers has just been released on the FPF website. No press conference. No spot lights. No music. No shiny video showing off the team that starts paving the way to Ukraine & Poland. Just a short statement naming the 20 lads Queiroz summoned for the match against Cyprus, no mention of Norway anywhere. There is actually no mention of Carlos Queiroz or Agostinho Oliveira either. It is said the latter will be at the helm for the next 2 games but without a doubt this draw has CQ written all over it.

Deco and Simão bid the Selecção farewell. Marching into their 30s, the lack of pace undisguisable, they did the wright thing: made way for younger legs to fill their void. Deco made the announcement before the WC whilst Simão decided to surprise us just 2 days ago. Nothing more is left then to thank them for their great contribution to the Selecção.

Pepe, Bosingwa and Pedro Mendes are ruled out due to injury.

And so the 20 choices came down to:

Eduardo, Miguel Veloso (Genova)
Beto, Rolando, João Moutinho, Varela (Porto)
Miguel, Manuel Fernandes (Valencia)
Ricardo Carvalho, Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
Bruno Alves, Dani (Zenit)
Nuno André Coelho, Liedson (Sporting)
Fábio Coentrão (Benfica)
Sílvio (Braga)
Raúl Meireles (Liverpool)
Tiago (Atletico Madrid)
Nani (Manchester United)
Hugo Almeida (Werder Bremen)

As UEFA allows for a 23 man squad on standby are:
Rui Patrício (Sporting)
Paulo Machado (Toulouse)
Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas)

Silvio and Nuno André Coelho make their first appearances for the team. The 21 year old right-back from Braga, Silvio, is making an enormous impact in the press today. Scored Braga’s only goal against Maritimo (fantastic shot) and is mentioned by Mourinho as the only player in the Portuguese league to measure up to his standards. I did see both his performances against Sevilha for the Champions League qualifiers and have to agree the boy is a rock solid defender and knows how to carry the ball upfront.
Nuno André Coelho is a fine centre-back in the making. Arrived at Sporting this year and quickly made the starting eleven. With Carvalho at the age of 32 we need to start looking at the options and Nuno is a very valid one.

Varela and Nani are back after injuries and together with Cristiano Ronaldo cover the wings. And although we have our wings well covered with these lads I do feel disappointed for the absence of Ricardo Quaresma. After watching these two beauties:

I was so hoping to see skill like this repeated at the next two matches. Well with the likes of Nani and Ronaldo I probably will.

Glad to see Paulo Ferreira and Duda are dropped. Both just lack the quality to be in the squad. I can only hope it’s something permanent.

On to something odd: Miguel. As we all know Miguel played just one game during our South African adventure. The 7-0 trashing of North Korea. We all liked it. Queiroz didn’t. Queiroz went and used Ricardo Costa as right-back from then on. And so we come to what’s odd: Ricardo Costa is nowhere to be seen on this list and Miguel is. I don’t get it. Don’t get me wrong: I’m glad Miguel is an option and Costa isn’t. What I don’t get is why did Queiroz go and do right-back experiments DURING THE WORLD CUP FFS!? I’ve beaten this horse to death a couple of times now. I’ll give it a rest.

Raúl Meireles enjoys a status very comparable to Costinha during Scolari’s reign. Untouchable. He played a couple of minutes for Porto during the pre-season. Nothing more. Has just made a move to Liverpool but has probably not acquired the game rhythm necessary for the next couple of matches. Me thinks. Me is probably wrong. Queiroz in his infinite wisdom likely called up Villas Boas at Porto asking “André. My boy. Do you think Meireles is fit enough for the next couple of matches with the Selecção?” to which André probably replied “Master. I have no idea. I was told to forget about him. So I did.”. And Queiroz just went ahead and did what HE thinks is best.

And while we are on the subject of Queiroz. I was told to forget about him. So I did. An inquisition is underway to terminate his reign so we had better start talking about is replacement.

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Comments

By Miggy | August 29th, 2010 at 10:03 pm

These matches should be as straightforward as the naming of the 20 players were.

My starting XI:
Eduardo
Miguel-Carvalho-Alves-Coentrao
Miguel Veloso
Tiago
Dani
Nani- Ronaldo
Hugo Almeida.

Then have Varela for Nani, Moutinho for Dani and Coelho for Carvalho or Alves.

By NINA | August 30th, 2010 at 7:32 am

Cristiano Ronaldo will be three weeks out with a ” contusion of the internal malleolus of the right ankle with post-traumatic bone edema . ” The player has been submitted this morning to a more detailed exploration of the injury he suffered yesterday in Mallorca at the clinic Sanitas La Moraleja. The first medical report spoke of a bruised right ankle, the same joint that was injured September 30, 2009 and that he had stopped two months . The MRI revealed that this injury is not serious.

Cristiano took a big hit in one inning of Cendrós early in the match and although he could finish , he retired the pitch limping . The unrest soon spread club when the ankle so many problems has given the Portuguese and now expects the Federation Lusa, in view of the medical examination , whose results will forward the Madrid, frees you from the two commitments of the selection , Against Cyprus on 3 September and against Norway , 7 .

Cristiano Ronaldo will be sidelined for the Madrid- Osasuna on 12 September and for the opening of Madrid in the Champions League against Ajax on September 15 . It is also doubtful for the league clash against Real Sociedad

source: AS

By ahmad | August 30th, 2010 at 9:16 am

withor without ronaldo,portugal must be able to thrash cyprus and norway easily, we have no excuses
i trust nani a lot more than i used to, he can create wonders single-handedly.

Posted from Lebanon

By Miguel | August 30th, 2010 at 10:36 am

CR’s injury will probably mean Quaresma getting the call. I’m not at all worried. His contribution to the team has been agonizing since Queiroz took the helm. I wonder who’s to blame.

Posted from Portugal

By João | August 30th, 2010 at 2:25 pm

I believe Costa can’t be called because of his red card + match ban.

Posted from Netherlands

By jon | August 30th, 2010 at 4:11 pm

Silvio is a great player, but I don’t know if he is the best player in the portuguese liga.

My starting 11

——–Eduardo———–
Silvio–Carvalho-Alves–Coentrao
—Fernandes—Meireles———
———Danny—————
Nani—–Almeida——–Quaresma

By Miguel | August 30th, 2010 at 4:36 pm

Thanks for clearing that up João. Now I do get it!

Posted from Portugal

By Miguel | August 30th, 2010 at 4:46 pm

@jon
I agree he is very good and could become great, but calling him the best player in the Portuguese league sounds a bit over the top. Consistency is also a huge factor and after 3 and a half games for Braga we can hardly confirm it.

In the mean time Quaresma is confirmed as Ronaldo’s replacement and Varela has been ruled out due to injury… again. Tough luck. Paulo Machado should get the call.

Posted from Portugal

By Paulinho | August 31st, 2010 at 12:19 am

Varela injured again? son of a….

I would like to see this:

———-Eduardo
Silvio–Carvalho-Alves–Coentrao
—–Moutinho—Meireles
————Danny
Nani——————Quaresma
———–Almeida

By Miguel | August 31st, 2010 at 8:51 am

Yannick Djaló got the call to replace injury prone Varela. Fair enough. Although I had hoped to see Paulo Machado rewarded for his performances for the current French League leader: Toulouse.

Posted from Portugal

By Slap Chop | August 31st, 2010 at 1:13 pm

IMHO, This team will be second tier until they find another Pauleta… Or someone remotely like him.

Portugal are the football equivalent of baseball’s New York Mets. They have a boatload of talent but never seem to put it together.

Also, like the Mets, the window of opportunity for the majority of this generation closed a few years ago. When Mourinho hits 55 and is ready to take the squad over, then we can start dreaming again.

By Aviero | August 31st, 2010 at 5:39 pm

I never realized how much Bosingwa really meant to this team until he missed the World cup and until we get him back we will struggle…and if i were coach i would immediately cut danny….that being said the starting XI needs to be this:
Eduardo, Miguel, Calvalho, Alves, Coentrao
Moutinho, Tiago, Miereles
Nani, quaresma
and i guess start Almeida with liedson coming on late

Posted from United States

By Alex | September 1st, 2010 at 10:04 am

Apparently, Danny is gonna start and will be on the wing, as well as Meireles (who hasn´t been playing)… But hte big surprise seems to be the “return” (if you can call it a return) of M Fernandes:
http://www.record.xl.pt/Futebol/selecoes/interior.aspx?content_id=460501

Posted from Netherlands

By qing | September 2nd, 2010 at 10:51 pm

Thanks to the upcoming World Basketball Festival, we now get a “USA” Air Jordan 2010 Team. It seems as if more people like the Air Jordan 2010 Team than the original Air Jordan 2010 because of the windowless side panels. I’m not one of those people who likes the team better; I think the original
Nike Shoes 2010 Shoes looks much better.Since this jordan Shoes Team is made for the USA team, the colorway should be clear. White can be seen on the side panels, toe, shoe laces, tongue, part of the midsole and the entire outsole. Navy blue covers the toe, heel, inner lining and above the midsole. Red accents appear on the tongue, toe, heel, lace panels and the midsole. The sneaker is constructed of perforated white leather with larger perforations placed on the side panels.

Posted from China