Parreira: Words of Encouragement

What would be Brazil’s chances to win the cup without Ronaldinho? It is not an alternative most are willing to even consider, most especially Carlos Alberto Parreira.

In a television interview last month, Parreira admitted that he would not mind if Barcelona were knock-out of the UEFA Champions League and Copa del Rey (King’s Cup) in their upcoming quarterfinal matches. His rationale is that Barcelona’s disqualification from cup competitions will give his star player the much needed rest before Germany’s tournament.

Well as luck would have it, Barcelona was knocked out of the Copa del Rey by Zaragoza, despite winning the return match 2-1. Parreira must be rejoicing over the fact that his player will have a less stressful season by avoiding the four matches that constitute the remaining portion of the tournament. But, one must wonder if Parreira’s attitude has a positive impact on his team?

A coach should expect the very best of his players in all competitions, even in at a club level. A consist and regular number of matches throughout the season is extremely important for a player reaching a major tournament in their prime condition. Furthermore, knock-out competitions have the added value of preparing players for the “win or be eliminated” mentality, which is so crucial for games at the World Cup level.

With that in mind, I hope Ronaldinho’s Barcelona continue their success in the Champions League. Otherwise, Barca will have an extremely boring second half of the season because of their current enormous domestic league advantage.

Finally, Parreira’s support for his players should be unconditional, even if that means he runs the risk of having some of his players unavailable for the tournament. The risks are part of the game that we love so much.