Gary’s Granny to coach Portugal: Lineker wants local coach to NT

First of all, let me say that I understand the strong opposition to Scolari. After news of the English FA official proposition to Mr. Big Phil, many voices have risen to state that the job should be given to an English coach. In this new century we will see many changes in the football scenario, and we humans are not so fond of sudden changes like this. I remember hating Zico for leaving my Flamengo. I remember being confused by Brazilian teams contracting foreign players (since we are the main suppliers to the rest of the world) and I clearly remember being more eager to see Barcelona play than my Flamengo. But times change and we must all bow to the money laws, unfortunately.

I already said that these issues should be dealt with only after the World Cup has ended, but we know that’s impossible nowadays. It’s not good for the English players and coach, it’s not good for Portuguese players, so I can’t see anyone profiting from this situations. It is particularly bad for those spontaneous people that say anything without knowing what they are talking about.

Take this Gary, for an example: “MY GRANNY COULD PROBABLY HAVE MANAGED BRAZIL TO WORLD CUP SUCCESS”. Wow! After hearing so many times that the Brazil team is fragile because of it’s strong attack and pure individual talents, this football Hall-of-Famer comes to say that the mother of his mother could lead Brazil to success in 2002? Where was she in 1982, 1986 and 1998?

Anyway, to me it seems that people say Brazil is weak when they want, but rapidly changes opinion when they want to undermine ‘the foreign coach’. I just would like to remember him that Big Phil led Portugal to their first final in an Euro Cup and got Portugal to qualify to the World Cup first in their group seven points ahead of the second team, while England was just one point ahead of Poland at the end of qualifiers. England is a World Cup champion, right? Portugal isn’t, and Phil is doing his job well.

Now take a look on what did Portsmouth’s manager Harry Redknapp said: “I’m sure he is a good manager, although I don’t know too much about him.” Oh Harry, go do your homework, ok? You should read more of our WCB posts. We read things before opening our mouths or striking our keyboard.

I already wrote too much about this meaningless issue, but to close it, let’s give Lineker another opportunity to express himself about Scolari: “He clearly knows his stuff but it’s the difference culturally and [in] the football between Brazil and England that worries me. I think it will take him three or four years just to work out the crazy game we play.”

(Sigh) … I hope Scolari don’t go to England after the WC, he would be more useful to Portugal or Brazil any day of the week, but Lineker seems to like the Beckenbauer/Pele fortune-teller style. He already ‘knows’ that Big Phil is not capable of handling the English bunch.

This is what I know: it may be unpleasant to have a foreign man coaching your National Team, but this may be the best solution for English lads to learn some new tactics. Can it hurt English coaches? Only if they are too proud to learn new tricks and tactics from a Brazilian football master mind like Felipe.

Again, I would not like to see non Brazilians guys coaching our team, but that’s only because we have been successful along the last 13 years. Sometimes we must consider having foreign help, as many, many NTs have today. My number one concern is that this matter can be presented into the racism/prejudice realm. I don’t think this is the case, but many can get to that conclusion, unfortunately. I say we should respect England’s public opinion.

Read ‘The Guardian’ issue here.

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