It is a great day ! Brazil football federation has finally done the right thing and fired Dunga and replaced him with Corinthians coach Tite.
A few days ago, i remarked that Brazil's current state resembles that in the year 2001, where things had hit rock bottom. They were even in danger of missing the World Cup.
Then a new coach was hired in Scolari and things started looking up. Then Ronaldo came back from his various injuries and the rest is history.
Some replied back and said that there is a big difference back then in that we had someone called Ronaldo, as well as the Ronaldinho and Rivaldo. True, but only in hindsight! First of all, no one knew the three would come together and form one of the deadliest trios in WC history. In 2001, Ronaldinho's stardom had already started, but he still wasn't nearly as famous as after he won the World Cup and later becoming a Barca legend. Rivaldo was obviously already a superstar.
But the point is, we take it for granted now since we have seen it happened. But in 2001, no one was saying 'don't worry guys, next year, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Rivaldo will win the WC for us' because we weren't even sure Ronaldo would be healthy enough to play at 100% . As some of you know, France and Argentina were the favorites to win it that year, but both ended up crashing out in the first round. Brazil wasn't even in the conversation about favorites to win the WC. And as I mentioned already, at times brazil was in danger of missing out on the WC. By the end of the qualifications, Brazil was 3rd, up by just 3 points on the 4th and 5th place teams.
So who are our Ronaldo-Rivaldo-Ronaldinho of today? We don't know and that is exactly the point. Because we didn't know in 2001 either. I do know we don't have players as good as back then. But that is only now. If they do go on and win the WC, we will be talking about a new trio, duo, quartet or whatever else. It could be Neymar sandwiched between the two Gabriels? Or it could be Neymar-Gabriel-Countinho. Or any number of other combinations. When it does happen, we will look at this new attacking combination in years or decades and also speak of it in special terms.
When compared to 2001, three things have already happened. Brazil is out of the qualification if the World Cup was held today. They have fired the previous coach and hired a new one. Actually, unlike in 2001, Brazil did the coaching shuffle with 2 years to go to the WC. And just like in 2001, Brazil performed badly in Copa America (eliminated in the quarter finals in 2015 just like in 2001; not to mention the 2016 one but that is not even a real one...)
History does repeat itself. Let us hope that is the case this time.
Ashoor
A few days ago, i remarked that Brazil's current state resembles that in the year 2001, where things had hit rock bottom. They were even in danger of missing the World Cup.
Then a new coach was hired in Scolari and things started looking up. Then Ronaldo came back from his various injuries and the rest is history.
Some replied back and said that there is a big difference back then in that we had someone called Ronaldo, as well as the Ronaldinho and Rivaldo. True, but only in hindsight! First of all, no one knew the three would come together and form one of the deadliest trios in WC history. In 2001, Ronaldinho's stardom had already started, but he still wasn't nearly as famous as after he won the World Cup and later becoming a Barca legend. Rivaldo was obviously already a superstar.
But the point is, we take it for granted now since we have seen it happened. But in 2001, no one was saying 'don't worry guys, next year, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Rivaldo will win the WC for us' because we weren't even sure Ronaldo would be healthy enough to play at 100% . As some of you know, France and Argentina were the favorites to win it that year, but both ended up crashing out in the first round. Brazil wasn't even in the conversation about favorites to win the WC. And as I mentioned already, at times brazil was in danger of missing out on the WC. By the end of the qualifications, Brazil was 3rd, up by just 3 points on the 4th and 5th place teams.
So who are our Ronaldo-Rivaldo-Ronaldinho of today? We don't know and that is exactly the point. Because we didn't know in 2001 either. I do know we don't have players as good as back then. But that is only now. If they do go on and win the WC, we will be talking about a new trio, duo, quartet or whatever else. It could be Neymar sandwiched between the two Gabriels? Or it could be Neymar-Gabriel-Countinho. Or any number of other combinations. When it does happen, we will look at this new attacking combination in years or decades and also speak of it in special terms.
When compared to 2001, three things have already happened. Brazil is out of the qualification if the World Cup was held today. They have fired the previous coach and hired a new one. Actually, unlike in 2001, Brazil did the coaching shuffle with 2 years to go to the WC. And just like in 2001, Brazil performed badly in Copa America (eliminated in the quarter finals in 2015 just like in 2001; not to mention the 2016 one but that is not even a real one...)
History does repeat itself. Let us hope that is the case this time.
Ashoor