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Latin American Roundup Paraguay wants to wreck Big Phil's farewell partyPosted: Tuesday August 20, 2002 12:58 PM
FORTALEZA, Brazil (Reuters) -- Outgoing Brazil coach Luis Felipe Scolari is hoping to bow out of international soccer in style on Wednesday when his team take on Paraguay, the first game since their victorious World Cup. But their opponents are threatening to spoil the festivities in the international friendly as they look to rebuild their squad. "We've been invited to the party and we intend to eat most of the cake," Paraguay's caretaker coach Anibal Ruiz told reporters on Monday. Paraguay's second round defeat against Germany in the World Cup heralded the end of an era as several key players -- including right-back Francisco Arce, central defenders Carlos Gamarra and Celso Ayala and volatile goalkeeper Jose Luis Chilavert -- are into their 30s. Chilavert, reportedly not match fit, Gamarra, who wants to concentrate on winning a first-team place at Inter Milan, and injured Bayern Munich striker Roque Santa Cruz are absent while Arce, an outstanding crosser and dead-ball specialist, has announced his international retirement. Heir apparent Paraguay have already found an heir apparent for Gamarra in Julio Cesar Caceres, who last month helped his club Olimpia win the Libertadores Cup -- South America's equivalent of the Champions League. But there are still many gaps to fill. Ruiz, a Uruguayan who coaches the under-20 team, may be hoping that a good performance can get him the job on a permanent basis. For Brazil, however, the biggest problem could be meeting local expectations. Scolari, who led his team from crisis to World Cup victory in only 14 months, will bid farewell to a group of players he has often referred to as his family. Felipao (Big Phil), as he is popularly known, has decided he wants to spend more time with his own family and possibly pursue a career in Europe. He originally picked the same 23 players who took part at the World Cup, plus midfielder Emerson Ferreira who missed the tournament after dislocating his shoulder in training, but he has since lost midfielder Juninho and defender Lucio through injury. Hysterical reception The team were given a hysterical reception during a training session on Monday at the Castelao stadium but past experience has shown that the cheers could turn to insults and boos if the expected goal-feast does not materialise. Striker Ronaldo, who has not played since the World Cup final and is in the middle of a soap-opera like saga over his future with Inter Milan, admits he is out of form and unlikely to last little more than one half. The venue for the friendly, however, will bring back fond memories for Ronaldo and Scolari as it is where their World Cup success effectively began. It was during the March friendly against Yugoslavia that Scolari first fielded the base of the team which went on to win all seven games in South Korea and Japan. The game was also Ronaldo's first international after his two-and-a-half years of injury misery. Some critics claimed Scolari was being irresponsible by gambling on Ronaldo, who went on to score eight goals in the World Cup and finish as top scorer. Teams (probable): Brazil - Marcos; Roque Junior, Edmilson, Anderson Polga; Cafu, Gilberto Silva, Kleberson, Ronaldinho, Roberto Carlos; Ronaldo, Rivaldo. Paraguay - Ricardo Tavarelli; Nestor Isasi, Celso Ayala, Julio Cesar Caceres, Denis Caniza; Roberto Acuna, Carlos Bonet, Carlos Humberto Paredes, Gustavo Morinigo; Jose Cardozo, Jorge Campos. Ardiles struggling under predecessor's shadow at RacingBUENOS AIRES (Reuters) -- Racing Club's 4-1 defeat against arch-rivals Independiente has left coach Osvaldo Ardiles struggling more than ever to emerge from the shadow of his predecessor Reinaldo Merlo, whose statue he has to pass every time he goes to work. Ardiles, who last week upset his players by criticizing a lack of effort during a 2-0 defeat by Talleres, had to endure chants of "Bring back Merlo" and "The one who doesn't jump is an Englishman" from disgruntled Racing fans during Monday's derby. "Racing played badly and lost without any excuses. It was a bad day for me and for the team," said Ardiles, who has spent much of his career in English football. Ardiles, whose team slumped to 16th in the Apertura championship, took over last month after the hugely popular Merlo walked out on the club four days before the start of the championship in protest at a lack of new signings. The team made a good start, winning their first game, but have only taken one point out of a possible nine since then. Merlo, known as Mustard for his yellow-tinted hair, went down in Racing's history last year after ending their 35-year wait for a domestic title. Directors rewarded him by placing a statue of him in the entrance to the club's stadium in the industrial Buenos Aires suburb of Avellaneda. Ardiles, who pointed out that only 13 of his team had taken part in pre-season training, at least had the sympathy of Independiente's coach Americo Gallego, who was his teammate in Argentina's 1978 World Cup winning team. Championship contenders "There wasn't three goals difference between the teams," said the fiery coach known as Tolo. "Racing have a good coach, are a good team and are championship contenders like us." Gallego himself had a hard time when he took over at Independiente earlier this year, failing to win any of his first seven games in charge as Independiente finished bottom of the Clausura championship held in the first half of the year. Monday's win took Independiente top of the table, ahead of traditional powers Boca Juniors and River Plate and surprise package Newell's Old Boys on goal difference after four games of the Apertura, though Gallego refused to proclaim his team as favourites. "The big favorites are still Boca and River," said Gallego. Racing's next game is away to Rosario Central and pits
Ardiles against Cesar Luis Menotti, his coach in Argentina's
1978 team.
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. |
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