Johannesburg - Vastly experienced, cosmopolitan and streetwise
in international soccer matters, Brazil's Carlos Alberto
Parreira silenced his most vitriolic critics - at any rate those
who dared attend his media briefing in Johannesburg on Friday -
when he made a second-time-around entree as Bafana Bafana
coach.
In the process, Parreira demonstrated why the many uninformed,
ill-conceived and reckless aspersions made against him were
woefully off the mark, with a jam-packed audience of potential
protagonists veritably eating out of the palm of his hand when it
was all over.
The coach who led Brazil to the 1994 World Cup title explained
Benni McCarthy's controversial return to the squad for games
against Japan and Jamaica in the next 10 days as a means of placing
the enigmatic, out-of-touch and reportedly overweight striker on
trial.
"Bafana have a need for a striker with McCarthy's
experience and proven goal-scoring penchant," said Parreira,
"but we are not naive as to the reasons why he has been
overlooked for recent matches.
"He will be treated in the same light as any other player,
needing to obey the same rules regarding discipline and showing he
can muster the form and dedication that could make him a World Cup
asset next year."
Parreira, who initially abandoned his R1.8-million-a-month contract
to prepare Bafana for the 2010 World Cup in mid-stream because of
his wife's illness - "an excruciatingly difficult decision
I had to make, just as any of you would have reacted under similar
circumstances" - said it was not the money that had lured him
back, but the honour and accompanying challenge of coaching the
host nation at the World Cup.
"I've had offers recently to coach two other national
teams," said Parreira, "and numerous other offers as
well, but it needed something special to lure me away from my Rio
base - and that is why I am here.
"What is more, my wife has made a complete recovery over the
past two years," he added, "and will shortly be joining
me in South Africa until the World Cup is over."
He was not blinded to the problem of Bafana regaining poise and
confidence after eight defeats in their past nine games, but was
confident he could mould a squad with enough technical ability to
qualify for the second-round stage of the World Cup - "and
once this is achieved anything is possible in knock-out
competition. A quarter-final berth certainly, and who knows, even
going further."
He demonstrated his character by not plunging a fashionable knife
into the back of Joel Santana, who had replaced him during the past
18 months, describing his predecessor as "a good coach with a
proven success record in Brazilian soccer.
"But in this business," he added, "there is a thin
line between success and failure for any coach, no matter who he
is. And while everyone has his own personal traits, I share the
same world-admired Brazilian soccer philosophy as
Santana."
One thing for sure, however, is that Parreira's eloquent
mastery of English is miles better than that of Santana, who
battled to get his message over to the bitter end and did not
improve matters much by employing a Portuguese interpreter.
Indeed, Parreira's English acumen is a good deal more polished
than that of the majority of his South African critics and when
asked in what way South African Footballl Association (Safa)
officials could assist him most, he replied "by staying away
from me as far as possible."
He also did not mince his words when he said there was "no
need" for Safa to appoint a third assistant Bafana coach in
addition to Pitso Mosimane and Brazilian Jairo Leal as had been
announced - "but if they want to blood someone else on the
international stage for the future, well and good," he added,
"I'll go along with the idea."
What all this indicates, however, is that Parreira intends to be
his own man and succeed or fall by his own decisions.
He said he welcomed suggestions and contact with all and sundry who
had something to offer and would evaluate what they said. But it
was obvious he had no need for a technical director, as had been
mooted in certain obscure areas, and the panel of three Bafana
assessors named by Safa, namely Clive Barker, Gavin Hunt and Jomo
Sono, were largely superfluous to his needs as well.
Santana believes a month of intensive preparation in Brazil early
next year, in which as many as 10 training games will be played
against top-class opposition, could perform wonders for the Bafana
players.
But there are some potentially insoluble obstacles threatening this
brainwave. A good half or more of the frontline Bafana players are
operating overseas and there is no indication their clubs will
release them for a month's bonanza in Brazil.
All in all, doubts still remained as to whether Parreira could cure
an ailing Bafana in the short period before the World Cup. But he
demonstrated on Friday he was probably better-equipped than anyone
to attempt the intricate operation.
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