Rui Costa wants to play the World Cup

No offense to Rui, but his time has passed. At his peak, he was a great player but he hasn’t done much lately. I can understand Scolari’s desire to find an adequate backup for Deco – impossible to do in my opinion – but Costa isn’t the answer.

Even if Scolari does call him up, he’ll spend the tourny on the bench. Unless, of course, PT is in a bind and they need another long ball scorer to shake things up. Even then, we have plenty of other options for that.

Posted from  United States

Sorry Luis but I have to disagree with you on this one.
I for one, think Rui can help the team. He’s the perfect sub if Deco isn’t having a good game or is in one of his “falling down stints” like the final of EC04.. Rui can change the flow of a game totally. He still has the talent and as far as not playing steady at Milan, that just means the he is both fit and not tired from playing regularily during league, cup and champions league games. He’s fresh wich is important at his age.
Also he has the maturity to accept a secondary role and not mind coming in only when he’s needed.
In my opinion, as long as he’s not getting in the way of a younger better player progressing then Scolari should consider him.

Posted from  Canada

There’s no way Rui Costa is going. I don’t believe in it. I imagine Luis Paulo read a 1st of April joke on the papers, maybe.

To answer Luis and Ceaser, for me, to have Rui Costa on the bench is still a luxuary.

He can’t do 90 mins but he’s still a “Ferrari”. Remember the ENG POR match 2 years ago? Who can say it’s influence (and GOAL) were not instrumental? Besides Deco we don’t have another playmaker. Well, we have Hugo Viana (Valencia on loan from Newcastle) but we don’t even know if he’s going and he’s not as good as Rui Costa. Well, he CAN play 90 mins. Apart from that we DO have several excelllent midfielders. Tiago (brilliant season with Lyon) is almost sure to go as Maniche’s subst. We can also argue if another playmaker is essential, as we already have a lot of creative guys.

Posted from  Netherlands

Pedro, it wasn’t a joke. Here is were i founded.

http://lancenet.ig.com.br/copa2006/selecoes/C06/noticias/06-04-01/369633.asp

Couldn’t get in that site.

I didn’t say it was a joke from you. Maybe a portuguese paper wrote it as an April 1st news – typical – and the brazilian press followed it. I don’t know. In either case, time will tell.

Anyway, he is also not in a position of saying “I want to go” and all the doors are open.

Posted from  Netherlands

Pedro, your right about doors being open. As much as I’d like to see Rui in Germany, there is the point that he didn’t contribute at all to the teams qualification? To pick him for the team at this stage probably wouldn’t be fair to the players who helped the team get there in the first place.
But you never know about these things when FPF is involved. Plus Scolari also doesn’t care about these little things, remember Romario in WC02?
I guess time will tell.

Posted from  Canada

Well, the guy quit the NT on the eve of the final. Maybe he thought we would win and end his NT career in grace. He could have also waited one more day.

He WAS one the most influential players – maybe even more than Figo overall – in the NT for the past 10 years. The undisputed team’s “maestro”, our classic #10.

But also with a bit of “possession syndrome”. One of those with an unchallenged place in the team, unable to play together with another creative in the same spot. All of that changed with time, as it’s quite a long time since he plays 90 min regularly. PLUS now there’s also Deco, better than him globally. A more versatile player, with enough skills in constructing and no less class.

I still think it’d be a luxury to have him on the bench. He can solve a match and his class still puts him high above. Maniche’s goal (NED) was one to stay in all the football books, but I preferd his goal (against ENG).

To Ceaser: Scolari proved his points by not bending to the pressures that wanted Baia, by never calling JV Pinto and did everything possible to help N Valente and H Postiga, after what FCPorto did to them. He never kicked Rui Costa out. He put himself out. There are NO “sacred cows” with Scolari. There are only warriors.

Posted from  Netherlands

Pedro, you make it very very hard me to argue with you. Especially when your right. That’s why Scolari was the perfect man for the NT and why his replacement will only be successful if he also shares the no “sacred cow” philosophy. IMHO
Now we just have to hope the football gods look favourably upon us and we will win it all..

Posted from  Canada

It’s not to argue with you. It’s just how I see it. And I should indeed become more synthetic and not write a full text…

Anyway, the sacred cows I mean are more the lobbies than the players. Rui Costa was a bit like this but he really gave everything he had to give to the NT.

Scolari does well in not giving the authority away because it’s his job. His head, like any coach’s, is the first to roll.

I also pray the gods for a favour… We have the quality but we cannot fight a bench like Brazil’s and as a team we still need WC experience. I’m happy if we show what we can do, solidly and soberly but also passionatelly, winning or not. So, if we don’t repeat 02 and if we reach at least the last 8, I feel we’ve done what we should and could. All the rest is a plus and I do believe we have the quality to go as far as the others. But football is still a game. That’s also why we love it.

Posted from  Netherlands

this is great news even as an england fan i LOVE seeing Rui costa play football his touch is aboslutely magnificent and there is nothing wrong with him. he will do portugal a lot of good they need his experience he is a class act i wish him WELL rui ur a star!.. tony. good luck to portugal!

Posted from  United Kingdom