Scolari gives the team a thumbs up

Big Phil took the opportunity during Monday’s morning workout to offer his players a vote of confidence. According to a report in O Record, Scolari told his players that he liked what he saw in their opening game against Angola, but that the team was capable of better performances. The same report goes on to state that Scolari saw this first game as a test for the less experienced players. This was the World Cup debut for many in the line-up. Among the more stressed out players was Tiago, who admitted he did not play at his best because of nerves.

Big Phil has a great bed side manner, that’s for sure. He knows when to give you a pat on the back and when to smack you with the reality stick. This first game was certainly a test, but for the team as a whole, not just the newbies on the squad. Some of you have criticized me for being too soft on the team after their 1 – 0 victory over Angola, but if you consider that, as Scolari stated, the lineup was untried at this level and the engine of the offensive attack was sidelined, then maybe Sunday’s result wasn’t that bad afterall.

We learned that, while not performing perfectly, this squad stood its ground and gained confidence for future battles. More importantly, we learned that they managed to get a positive result without Deco. Even if it was against a team that was ‘percieved’ to be a weaker side. That’s a big step forward. I’m not just being an eternal optimist or cheerleader. During qualification, some glaring weaknesses were exposed, the Deco factor being the most detrimental. When I heard Deco was hurt last week, I feared we might start the tournament with an upset loss, yet again. Thankfully, this did not come to pass.

Scolari has his critics but we have nothing to lose by sticking it out with him. He has his finger on the pulse of this team. He knows what they need and when they need it. He deploys his players in ways we don’t always understand, but he’s testing the limits of what can be done with these valiant 23. In the end, the team benefits from this. His management style makes sense to me. I am, however, fully aware that time may prove him/me wrong because it’s about results afterall and coming in second best just isn’t good enough. Scolari was hired to win a major title and he will have to deliver on that to secure his legacy in Portuguese football. The challenges are many and the bar is certainly set very high, but we can do this if we all pull in the same direction.

FORÇA PORTUGAL!

(in portuguese)