Teenage kicks

Robinho, Diego restore Santos' luster

When Santos beat Corinthians to win the Brazilian title last weekend, it wasn't just a case of fallen giants recapturing glory after 18 years in the wilderness.

Emerson Leao's side did much more than that: for the first time in decades, it restored glory and hope to one of the world's most celebrated clubs.

Santos, of course, is a part of soccer lore for being, among other things, Pele's club, a team which, in the 1960s, took over from Real Madrid as the world's top club side.

What sets this team apart is its age -- less than twenty-three on average -- and the otherwordly precocious talent of its two brightest stars, Diego and Robinho.

It was the 18-year-old Robinho who grabbed the headlines -- largely because the 17-year-old Diego was substituted in the early stages of the second leg of the final against Corinthians -- and it's fair to say the bandy-legged boy is generating as much buzz among the big European clubs as any teenage Brazilian phenom since a guy named Ronaldo nearly a decade ago.

Robinho¹s agent claims he has no fewer than eight offers on the table and, according to one account, there were scouts from no fewer than 37 European clubs at the final.

Some have compared him to Garrincha because of his intoxicating dribbling ability, but, in my opinion, he's more of a cross between Thierry Henry and a less powerful Ronaldo.

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When he gets the ball at his feet and runs at the defenders, cutting diagonally into the box, he is nearly impossible to stop without resorting to a foul (or a scythe).

All a defender can do is try to crowd him and hope he scuffs his shot.

Brazilian agent Marcel Figer, son of superagent Juan Figer, is quoted as saying: "Whoever signs him will be making the deal of the century."

It's hard to disagree. With the current cash crunch in the game and the economic uncertainty in Brazil, he is unlikely to cost much more than US$10 to US$12 million, which would be an absolute steal.

As good as Robinho is, Diego's future may be even brighter. At first glance, he seems carry the weight of destiny on his shoulders.

He wears Pele¹s old number 10 Santos shirt and shares his name with Maradona. All that's missing is for his godparents to be revealed as Alfredo Di Stefano, Ferenc Puskas and Marco Van Basten.

He plays in the hole and has some of the purest instincts you¹re ever going to see on a soccer pitch, whether he¹s dribbling, picking apart opposing defenses or simply moving into his space, he makes everything look easy.

Diego is a classic 'number 10' in the Zico or Michel Platini mold, but you get the sense that, as he matures, he will redefine the position. Already, he wastes very few balls, despite being ambitious to the right degree.

Both Diego and Robinho are likely to move abroad, though Santos has indicated it wants to keep them at least through next season, so it can take a crack at winning the Copa Libertadores, which has been missing from its trophy cabinet for way too long.

In many ways, it¹s only natural that they should move to one of the big European leagues. If anything, it will give them more exposure and allow more fans around the world to enjoy their talents.

Personally, however, I hope Santos manages to hang on to them for a few more years. If the team is this good, this young, just imagine what they might achieve with a few more seasons under their belt. It would be a shame to break up this squad now, just as they approach their peak.

A strong Santos team, one which can compete with the likes of Real Madrid, Manchester United and AC Milan would also be a big boost for the Brazilian league, which has suffered in the last few years from mismanagement, incompetence, greed and, in some cases, sheer dishonesty and corruption.

Here¹s hoping the romantic streak at Santos prevails over financial sense so that Diego and Robinho can stay where they are for a few more seasons. Brazilian fans, and lovers of great soccer everywhere, deserve it.

Good Week/Bad Week

GOOD WEEK: The Oceania Football Confederation, who discovered it would be getting an automatic spot in the next World Cup. This must be one of FIFA¹s most boneheaded decisions ever, as it reduces the South American slots to four and basically grants Australia free passage to Germany 2006, as the Socceroos dominate their qualifying zone. Australia has won four of the last five Oceania qualifying tournaments (the one time it did not, it lost out to Israel, which was shunted over for political reasons), but each time it lost its playoff for qualification.

This decision smacks of marketing and economic concerns (the sale of TV rights for the World Cup in Australia is worth much more than the sale in, say Chile or Uruguay), not footballing logic.

BAD WEEK: Celtic, who had three of its players arrested following a drunken night out at the team Christmas party. The three men in question, Bobby Petta, Joos Valgaeren and Johan Mjallby are all seasoned veterans who should have known better. I realize drinking heavily at Christmas parties is a staple of British life, but is it really asking too much to expect a smidgeon of professionalism from millionaire footballers?

GOOD WEEK: Lazio midfielder Stefano Fiore, whose two goals sank Juventus, 2-1, in Serie A, ensuring that Roberto Mancini's men stay second in the table. Two-and-a-half years ago, Fiore was shining as the playmaker in the Italy team which only lost the finals of Euro 2000 on a Golden Goal.

Since moving to Lazio however, Fiore lost his luster, looking overweight and ineffective. Mancini has re-invented him in a wide position and he is now playing some of the best soccer in his career.

BAD WEEK: Barcelona, who lost 3-0 at home to Seville, and embattled coach Louis van Gaal and chairman Joan Gaspart. Van Gaal¹s team is a shadow of the side which powered to two Liga titles in the late 1990s, while Gaspart¹s bizzarre transfer decisions (why buy Juan Roman Riquelme if you can't fit him into the side? Why give playing time to the man impersonating Gaizka Mendieta? ) aren't doing Barca any favors. There is enough talent at the Camp Nou to do reasonably well, it's just that the players at Van Gaal¹s disposal don¹t fit his tactical system. And, since Van Gaal is a stubborn dogmatic man, it won't be the system that will change.

 

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