The Portuguese fans are now singing a different tune then they were here now that Brazilian coach Luis Felipe Scolari has gotten them to the Euro 2004 Championship Game.
The New York Times has an interesting profile of him here today. Scolari is very successful having led two teams to the Copa Libertadores Championship (the South American Club Championship), Brazil to the World Cup and is on the verge of taking Portugal to the European Championship. This is probably one of the keys to his success:
Unusual for a modern coach, Scolari makes it clear that he does not care about superstar egos."With substitutions, it depends on how the game is going," he said Tuesday. "I don't see individual players, I see the team as a whole. I don't care who it is."
His success is the greatest evidence of the wisdom of this approach.
I discovered the pleasures of watching the "real football" during the 2002 FIFA World Cup (no ads, no stopping, lots of running, etc.). And, as long as I don't ever have to hear another round of "Vindaloo" again, it doesn't much matter to me who wins the game.
It's a great game.
Posted by: roxanne | July 02, 2004 at 01:16 AM
Even more unusual, he's not afraid of not looking like a genius by chaning his mind and going along with what everyone else is suggesting (ya hear me, Advocaat? [Holland coach]). Witness the starting lineup changes after the first match...they haven't lost since (until Sunday, that is).
Posted by: Incadenza | July 02, 2004 at 09:17 PM