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Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Portugal loses to Norway


There is no way to deny that Portugal has been gradually going backwards since Portugal ended in 3rd place at the FIFA World Cup in 2006. The results have been less than impressive in the past four years. Who is to blame? The coaches, players, the Federation, the fans? There is plenty to blame all around.

The coaches, both Felipe Scolari and Carlos Queiroz, and even Agostinho Oliveira have plenty of blame with their choices of players and tactical decisions.
Numerous times they called out of shape and out of form players for important games, and then in these games they would make random substitutions, who can forget the Danny for Hugo Almeida sub in the World Cup game vs Spain.

The players are also to blame, as some of them just don't put effort into the National Team.
How is it that a player that can score 40 to 50 goals a season in the English Premier League and in the Spanish La Liga go almost two years without scoring a goal for Portugal?

How about the fans? I can only imagine why someone would go to a stadium just so they can boo and whistle every time a Portuguese player touches the ball. It is no wonder Portugal plays better away from home.
Portugal has to face a hostile environment in home games, it could be that some Portuguese fans do not understand what home field advantage is suppose to be.

What ever the reasons are, the truth is that Portugal has already lost five points in two games.
Portuguese football is in a big mess right now, it reminds me of the dark days of the early 90's.
A team with this much talent, loaded with players who play in the best leagues of Europe with the best clubs in the World should be playing much better.
The truth is that now we see how important Luis Figo was to Portugal. He was a real leader who led by example, something that no one is doing right now, though at least Raul Meireles is trying.

It may be already too late for Euro 2012, but let us get ready for the future. The qualification for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil will start in just over two years from now.

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