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Sleepless nights Sheepish Brazil returns home after Copa America debacle
RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) -- Brazil sheepishly returned home on Wednesday following a humiliating Copa America quarterfinal exit at the hands of modest Honduras in Colombia on Monday. Several players admitted to sleepless nights since one of the most embarrassing defeats in Brazilian history as they arrived in Sao Paulo. But they followed the example of coach Luiz Felipe Scolari in refusing to use the word disgrace. "I don't feel disgraced because everybody is dedicated to doing their best," said central defender Roque Junior, who did not play on Monday because he was sent off in the Brazil's previous match against Paraguay. "Disgrace is robbing, hunger and violence," said fullback Junior. "I don't think there's any disgrace in working." Goalkeeper Marcos said Brazilians needed to wake up to the new reality in which their team were no longer world beaters. "Brazil have had Pele, Garrincha, Tostao and Rivelino but now we have another team. We can't keep considering Brazil as favorites in all the competitions we take part in," he said.
Speak for hours"I could speak for hours without explaining what happened," he added. "I didn't sleep the night after the game or the night after that either." Striker Guilherme added: "I haven't managed to call my mother because I don't know what to say." Scolari, who has lost three of his five games since taking charge in June, headed straight for his native southern Brazil and did not speak to reporters. Meanwhile, the chaos which many have blamed for Brazil's stunning demise in the last two years continued off the field. Nobody knew when Scolari would name his squad for the crucial World Cup qualifier at home to Paraguay on August, where another defeat could leave Brazil in even greater danger of failing to qualify for Japan and South Korea. Guatemala undecidedThe Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) were desperately searching for opponents to play a warmup friendly in Curitiba on August 9 after Jamaica pulled out and Guatemala remained undecided. As the same time, a legal battle threatened to prevent the Brazilian championship from starting on time. The competition is due to begin on August 1, but the CBF will not go ahead until they have overturned a court order ruling that Remo, a club from the northern city of Belem, be included in the first division. CBF sources said an appeal was launched on Tuesday and that a decision was due by the end of the week. Last year, a similar battle prevented the competition from taking place. The clubs improvised, organizing their own contest which was dubbed the Joao Havelange Cup and featured 116 teams and a bewildering format. Commentators agreed that the tournament, which finished more than one month late after constant rows over venues, dates and the rules, was a fiasco. Fans protest outside Brazil football confederationRIO DE JANEIRO -- Angry football supporters wearing red noses protested outside headquarters of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) on Tuesday after the four-time world champions' shock defeat by Honduras the day before. A group of around 50 fans called for the resignation of CBF president Ricardo Teixiera, who many Brazilians blame for the crisis which has hit the sport in their country including the once mighty national team itself. They changed various slogans of which "Get out, Teixeira," was the most polite and launched black balloons into the air as a sign of mourning for Brazilian football. Monday's 2-0 defeat by the Central Americans in their quarterfinal Copa America tie in Colombia was the latest setback for Brazil, following recent defeats against Ecuador, Australia and Uruguay and draws with Canada and Japan. Brazil, the only country to have played at all 16 World Cups, are also in danger of losing their proud record after slumping to fourth place in the South American World Cup qualifying group. Brazil cannot afford any more slip-ups as the top four teams qualify automatically for Japan and South Korea and they are only ahead of Uruguay on goal difference. Their next match is at home to Paraguay in mid-August. Luiz Felipe Scolari is Brazil's third coach in less than one year and like his predecessors, he has had to deal with chaotic organization including enormous difficulties over the release of players. Scolari was reportedly furious after he accepted a request from veteran Romario to be left out of the Copa America to regain fitness, only to discover the player had gone on a tour to Mexico with his club Vasco da Gama. The CBF are blamed for most of the problems faced by the team. Earlier this year, a Congressional inquiry into Brazilian football produced a 700-page report condemning the CBF's administration and pointing a number of irregularities. It accused Teixeira of committing 13 criminal offences as well as breaking CBF statutes which banned him from receiving a salary from the organisation. Monday's debacle is likely to result in the recall of European-based big names players -- referred to in Brazil as "big medals" -- such as Rivaldo, Roberto Carlos, Cafu and Antonio Carlos to face Paraguay. The foreigners have been accused in the past of a lack of commitment and again performed poorly earlier this month in the defeat by Uruguay.
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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