Scolari’s Redemption

Ball Harambee By Bagga Wilks

One swallow does not make a summer. Brazil’s 3-0 victory over France in a friendly played at home breaks the cycle of poor performances since Scolari replaced Mano Menezes as the coach of the Brazilian national team. The victory against France gives Scolari a temporary reprieve but the real test of the Brazilian national squad’s capabilities will come at the Confederation Cup that begins June 15 and runs until June 30.

Brazil is the host country for the World Cup in 2014 and the national aspiration is to return Brazilian football to its glory days by winning its sixth lien on the World Cup.

Brazil last won the World Cup in 2002. That team with Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Cafu and Roberto Carlos trounced the rest of the world. Since 2002, the Brazilian national team has stumbled and in the present FIFA ranking is at the country’s lowest, placed at 22.

In 2006, France with the aging Zidane, Henry and Patrick Veira knocked out Brazil in the semi-final and in 2010 in South Africa, Holland eliminated Brazil in the quarter finals. Brazil’s football has been struggling to rebound. Mano Menezes replaced Dunga after the 2010 World Cup but under his managerial watch, Brazil was unimpressive against the top tier teams in the world. Scolari, who was the coach in 2002, has been brought back to capture old glory. His beginning was quite shaky. Brazil lost to England at Wembley; drew with Italy and Russia; beat Bolivia and drew with Chile. Things were looking quite chilly for the Scolari epoch.

The victory against a lackluster French team provides the Brazilian national team with some confidence. Previous matches, the defense seemed porous. Against France, they were able to shut the door for 90 minutes. Particularly in the second half, Scolari’s youthful squad played with greater fluidity and deserved the 3-0 victory.

Neymar is still struggling to recapture his magic but Oscar, Paulinho, Lucas Moura and Luiz Gustavo are emerging as the new nucleus. Brazil’s fans are contentious of mediocrity. Brazil will hear the boos unless they can show they are in the same class as the previous great World Cup teams. Brazil has emerged in a multi-polar world and is recognized as a great power at the same time when their recognition as a great soccer power has declined. The Confederation Cup will give us some sense if the new generation of stars can return Brazilian soccer to recapture the Samba magic.

Germany Takes Center Stage in London

Ball Harambee By Bagga Wilks



Adolph Hitler tired to conquer the world and failed abysmally. Hitler even sent bombers to the United Kingdom in an attempt to bring the British to their knees during World War 11.

Where the Nazis failed, democratic Germany has triumphed. Germany established their supremacy in the Champion's League as two German teams went to war at Wembley Stadium, London. Of course, the German Chancellor was proudly perched in Wembley Stadium overseeing the German Clubs. Bayern Munich and Dortmund fiercely battled on British soil for soccer supremacy. Both teams played like champions. The level of ball lived up to the expectation.

Bayern was the favorite but Dortmund dominated the first half and it looked as if we could be in for an upset. Both goalkeepers were scintillating and it was their superlative performance that kept the score nil all at the end of the first half.

In the second half, a long ball from Dante, the Brazilian central defender, found the Dortmund defenders napping. Robben got an opportunity to run at the Dortmund defenders and in a flash the favorites were on the scoreboard.



Dortmund equalized with a penalty. As the game progressed, Ribery and Robben got more and more opportunities to run at the Dortmund defenders. Nonetheless, it appeared that we would go into over-time and perhaps penalty kicks which Bayern lost to Chelsea in the Champion League last year.

Robben is a deft dribbler and his left foot is like a guided missile. For someone designated as a great player, Robben failed to play well in the World Cup final in South Africa in 2010 when the Netherlands lost to Spain. Bayern Munich lost the Champions League finals in 2011 and 2012. In both games Robben failed to rise to the occasion.

The 2013 Champions Final became Robben*s redemption. The flying Dutchman picked up a ball in the 89th minute and produced some magic that left Dortmund defenders spread-eagled. Robben scored in the 89th minute.



Bayern Munich for 2012-2013 was a cut above all other teams. Next year the Champions League final will not be monopolized by Germany, we hope, but the German teams displayed a high level of football and the Bundesliga has re-emerged as one of the top teams in the World and the German national team will be serious contenders for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Scolari Hears the Boos

Ball Harambee By Bagga Wilks



The Brazilian Football Federation has changed horses in mid-stream. They have fired Mano Menezes and replaced him with “Big Phil” Scolari. Since the second coming of Scolari, the Brazilian national team has not made much of a dramatic turn around. The Selecao possesses an abundance of talent but the molding of a great team has just not occurred. The Confederation Cup will be a test as to what this Scolari aggregation is capable of achieving.

At the end of the friendly with Chile that was drawn 2-2, the disappointed Brazilian fans, 50,000 strong, booed the poor performance of the team. As a result, Scolari in the Confederation Cup has opted to go with the young, the promising and the untested. In the Confederation aggregation, there is no Kaka, no Robinho, and no Ronaldinho. And even though Chelsea’s Ramires is in the bloom of his career, he was not included.

All signs pointed to Neymar being signed by Barcelona and making his departure from Brazil. Neymar, from whom much is expected in 2014, has been roughed up not by his opponents but by the fans at Santos and in Brazil in general. Scolari has been encouraging Neymar to play abroad and to develop his full potential. Santos recognizes that the timing is right and if they waited another year, Neymar would have been out of contract and they would have received no compensation for his departure.



World Cup teams need new stars to emerge and establish their credentials on the world stage. Bernard, Ronaldinho’s team-mate at Athletico Mineiro, is designated as a rising star. Often designated stars flop on the international stage like Ganso. But Neymar is no Atlas and cannot single-handedly carry Brazil to another notch in 2014.

Scolari is in the spotlight. Time is of the essence and if he “bombs” in the Confederation Cup, then the boos will not only be directed at the players but at the new manager. Scolari is a long way from covered with glory.

Managers to the Fore

Ball Harambee By Bagga Wilks

The English Premier League 2012-2013 is now history. Sir Alex Ferguson has passed on the baton to David Moyes who will be second guessed to death if Manchester United in 2013-2014 is not off to a roaring start. This summer, football enthusiasts will monitor closely the perennial movement of coaches/managers. Rafael Benitez ended with a bang as Chelsea won the Europa Cup and edged Everton to close out the season. Benitez has indicated that he would like to land a coaching position in the EPL. If Abramovic had any sense, he would keep Benitez but the Chelsea owner is renown for his love of discontinuity.

The rumour is that Mourinho will make his second coming to Chelsea. Mourinho has a history of success but he does not wear well as after a couple of seasons, he becomes a divisive figure.

Wenger is safe as Arsenal by the skin of their teeth made it into the Champion’s League. As an ESPN commentator pointed out recently, in the five years that he has observed Arsene Wenger from the sidelines, he has not seen him issue instructions to his players but has been preoccupied with excoriating the referee and the fourth official.

Brendan Rogers made progress with the Liverpool experiment. The acquisition of Sturridge and Coutinho has added to Liverpool’s offensive potency. With the retirement of Carragher, they must now acquire an outstanding central defender. Liverpool should be a contender in 2013-2014.

Mancini slipped after winning the previous year and has been shown the exit door. The Malaga coach is set to replace Mancini who will pop up somewhere in Serie A.

The role of the manager/coach has become deterministic to a team’s success or failure. The management of highly paid stars requires a special tact. This summer we will not only pay attention to the movement of players but also the movement of managers.

Scolari’s Tinkering: Kaka or Ronaldinho

Ball Harambee By Bagga Wilks

Time is running out for the Brazilian team to get their act together for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Brazil who was rated as the top team in the world in 2002 is now rated at number eighteen and falling. In recent warm-up games, the Selecao have lost to England (2-1), drawn with Italy (1-1) and drawn with Russia (2-2).

Scolari is not waiting on official friendlies and have started playing friendlies using their local based players. In a game against Bolivia, Brazil won handsomely 4-0 and against Chile drew 2-2.

Brazil has two pending international friendlies coming up against England and France. Brazil is the host of the Confederation Cup which serves as the forerunner for the World Cup. The Confederation Cup will be played in Brazil from June 15-30, 2013 and should be a test as to where the Scolari coached squad is in preparation for 2014 World Cup. In the Confederation Cup, Brazil will compete against Spain, Germany, Argentina, Japan and others.

There is no lack of talent inside or outside of Brazil. Brazil did not perform well in the 2006 World Cup when they were knocked out by France. Under Dunga’s tutelage, Brazil also was knocked out in the quarter final in South Africa when they lost to the Netherlands. From 2012 to 2013 Brazil has been struggling to be like Brazil. Under Mano Menezes the Selecao never found their stride and in a practice match against Germany were clobbered. The Brazilian Federation lost confidence in Mano and called back Scolari who had won the World Cup for Brazil in 2002. Scolari in 2014 will either be the hero or the goat.

In a recent interview with a Brazilian publication, Scolari indicated that he will go either with Kaka or Ronaldinho as his playmaker. Kaka was recalled for the friendlies against Italy and Russia. Ronaldinho was recalled for the English game and then again for the matches against Bolivia and Chile. Kaka has not managed to break into Real Madrid’s starting team and has not looked like the Kaka of old. Ronaldinho in the game at Wembley against England was taken off at half time but against Bolivia, the old maestro looked like the Ronaldinho of old. Scolari has stated that he has been impressed with Ronaldinho’s form at Atletico Minero. In the Bolivian game, Neymar and Ronaldinho combined beautifully and Neymar has expressed a preference for playing beside Ronaldinho.

Scolari will soon name his squad for the Confederation Cup and that will tell us which players are likely to represent Brazil in the 2014 World Cup. There is no shortage of talent. As central defenders, there are David Luiz, Thiago Silva, Dante and Dede. As full backs, there are Dani Alves, Rafael, Marcelo and Adriano. In mid-field, there is Paulinho, Hermanes, Ramires, Oscar and Ferdinand. As forwards, there is Hulk, Neymar, Kaka, Ronaldinho, Osvaldo, Damiao and Fred. Kaka or Ronaldinho is considered to play the role as playmaker, but Scolari should not overlook Coutinho who has shown at Liverpool that he is a mega star in the making.

Scolari must bring players who can forge the right chemistry. That togetherness will determine whether Scolari is the right man for the job or one who will suffer a similar fate like his predecessors, Dungo and Menezes. In the world of soccer, managers can determine whether teams achieve greatness or wallow in mediocrity. At this juncture in their football history, Brazil is in need of a Sir Alex Ferguson. If Scolari succeeds, he will be known not as “Big Phil” but as “Sir Felipe”.

The Cream Rises

Ball Harambee By Bagga Wilks



Football or soccer, as it is called in the United States, is known as a working class sport. In Britain, cricket and polo are seen as the sport of the upper class. The fans who pack the stadiums on weekends are still very much the working class of Britain but some soccer clubs have become the “play thing” of the rich and the no-so-famous.

Clubs are divided between the haves and the have-nots. It has become extremely difficult for the have-nots to compete on the same level of the richly endowed clubs. In fact, the UEFA Champion’s League has become the playground of the wealthy clubs.

As we enter the remaining stretch of the EPL, Manchester United is far in front of their closest rival, Manchester City. Competing for the remaining two places for the Champion’s League for 2013-2014, are Chelsea, Tottenham, Arsenal and Everton. Everton is a club of modest means and if they fail to qualify for the Champion’s League, it is likely that their top players will peel off and seek contracts with the more richly endowed European clubs.



As the struggle for the top four becomes fiercer, in the waning days of the season, the teams at the bottom, predominantly comprised of have-nots, are struggling to remain in the Premier League where the television money for next year will be more fulsome. Reading’s fate has already been sealed and Queens Park Rangers despite the influx of new dollars is destined for relegation.



Interestingly, Aston Villa that has been experiencing tough financial times jettisoned their expensive players and started a youth campaign with a reduced payroll. They have played spectacular ball in recent matches and have slowly climbed out of the relegation zone. Wigan and Sunderland are still battling to avoid the pitfalls of relegation.

Newly promoted Southampton has performed well on their return to the Premier League. Newcastle at times looked shaky but has done enough to distance themselves from the precipice of relegation.

The influx of foreign capital in this age of globalization has rescued some fledgling clubs but in a league of twenty competitors, there will be an ongoing division between the haves and the have-nots.

Demba Ba’s Moment of Magic

Ball Harambee By Bagga Wilks

Demba Ba’s moment of magic eased Chelsea into the semi-final of the FA Cup. This season Chelsea failed to challenge Manchester United down the stretch for the EPL title. The defending champions for the UEFA Champion League were knocked out quite early and to salvage what’s left of the season, Chelsea can win the FA cup and are still competing in the Europa Cup, not to mention finishing in the top four to play Championship soccer in 2013 to 2014.

Sir Alex Ferguson pulled out all stops to get an equalizer once Manchester found themselves down a goal from early in the second half. He inserted Van Persie for Cleverly, Giggs for Nani and subsequently Young for Welbeck. But those astute substitutions precipitated chances but no end product. Van Persie has been off-stride as the season comes to a close and Giggs who can still produce magical moments, was unmagical against Chelsea on April Fool’s Day.

Chelsea were beaten by Southampton over the weekend in a League game as Rafael Benitez, the besieged Chelsea manager, rested most of his starters and against the lowly regarded Southampton looked second best. With the starters somewhat rested, Chelsea played like the talented team that they are. Hazard, Mata and Oscar looked dangerous at times but Smalling and Ferdinand held them at bay.

In his Chelsea career, Demba Ba started at full throttle but the injury to his nose slowed his progress. Against Manchester United in a big game, the former Newcastle striker showed his class by scoring a glorious goal from an adroit pass from Juan Mata.

Chelsea’s dilemma is what do you do with a $50 million striker whose value has dropped as precipitously as the stock market in 2008? Muddying the waters is Lukaku, a Chelsea striker on loan to West Brom who has made great strides in his development as a big league striker.

Roman Abramovic has some important decisions to make at the end of the season. Rumors are that Jose Mourinho, presently the manager at Real Madrid, is destined to return to Stanford Bridge. Abramovic will also have to seek new acquisitions as Ashley Cole does not seem to be his energetic old self and Bertrand, the understudy, is not really a threat going forward. Nonetheless, Chelsea has a surplus of diamonds in the rough and should bounce back as a rival for the EPL title in the 2013-2014 season.