Scolari's winning blend
Friday 2 February 2007
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Magazine Promo 02.02.07 (uefa.com)
How do you follow up winning the FIFA World Cup? Having reached the top, expectations can be hard to live up to. Aimé Jacquet stepped down after leading France to their first title in 1998. Last summer Marcello Lippi lit his cigar and followed the Frenchman's lead. Luiz Felipe Scolari, in contrast, jumped straight back in the ring after masterminding Brazil's run to a fifth title in 2002 and doesn't look like resting until Portugal have also had cause to celebrate.
Talent
He may not have quite hit the heights of Yokohama since swapping Brazil for Portugal, but Scolari has come tantalisingly close to getting his hands on more silverware. And this with a country whose best finish in a major tournament prior to his arrival was a solitary World Cup semi-final spot in 1966. "There's no way to eclipse a World Cup win," Scolari told uefa.com. "A victory in that tournament is tremendously difficult for any team or coach - even for those considered favourites. But the results we had in EURO 2004 [when Portugal reached the final] and the 2006 World Cup [semi-final] are comparable with 2002 because of the difference in the talent pools in Portugal and Brazil. There are hundreds of thousands of players in Brazil and a few dozen thousand here in Portugal. With Brazil you could build three or four very competitive national teams with different players. In Portugal, we don't have as many world class players for every position so we have to use different methods and strategy."
Ronaldo maturity
The pool may be smaller but Scolari has no shortage of talent at his disposal. Cristiano Ronaldo is in the form of his life and has grown in stature since his run-in with Wayne Rooney in Gelsenkirchen. The maturity with which the then 21-year-old dealt with a hostile reception on his return to England came as no surprise to his national team coach. "Those who know him, know he can deal with the pressure and sometimes that pressure motivates him even more," Scolari said. "He's one of the best players in the world and he still has room to progress. If he keeps raising the quality of his game, he can get to the very top. If Cristiano keeps this attitude and leadership on and off the field he could be a future national team captain. He has a unique skill and creativity but he also knows that talent per se is not enough so he works a lot."
Backs to the wall
Ronaldo has come to symbolise this side and his World Cup was in some ways a microcosm of the Portugal team under Scolari. When they are up against it, they come out fighting, and more often than not they get their way. After losing their opening game at UEFA EURO 2004™ the host nation embarked on a run that took them to the final. In Germany criticism of their playing style only spurred them on. Scolari points to the controversial last-16 tie with the Netherlands, calling it "his best memory from last summer. That's especially because we advanced, but also because of what we went through with all the unfair critics and pressure cast upon us."
Football is a collective sport so we can't simply look at the beauty of a shot or a dribble. Those are very important but a good defensive system can have its own beauty and effectiveness even though it's less visible
Collective
Four players were sent off and 16 booked during a brutal game, but the controversy that surrounded the match brought his squad closer together. "The atmosphere a team can create and that includes players and staff, the way bonds are strengthened and the way friends are made - that's what gives me most pleasure. My greatest motivation is always to achieve the objectives we set for our work. I work hard for that and I'm motivated in everything we do because I love my job. Football is a collective sport so we can't simply look at the beauty of a shot or a dribble. Those are very important but a good defensive system can have its own beauty and effectiveness even though it's less visible."
New generation
Scolari's Portugal will be in London on Tuesday to play Brazil. Scolari admits playing his old side is "always a very special thing", but his focus will be on preparing for upcoming UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifiers against Belgium and Serbia rather than renewing old acquaintances. Portugal have started slowly in Group A and there are already points to make up. It is a time of transition with the likes of Pauleta and Luís Figo making way for a new generation.
'Irreplaceable'
"They are irreplaceable in the sense that they made history as internationals," Scolari says. "Luís is one of the best players the world has ever seen and the caps record holder for Portugal. Pauleta holds the record of goals scored and was also a leader. They were both captains of the team but life goes on." With the likes of Ricardo Quaresma, Nani, João Moutinho, Manuel Fernandes and Raul Meireles progressing well since stepping up from the Under-21s, the future looks in good hands. "If we can keep together as a group, as a team, and everyone keeps giving their all, we have a chance against any opponent," Scolari says. What better way to prove that than by beating Brazil?
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