Argentina's Basile says what Brazilian fans want to hear
BARQUISIMETO, Venezuela: It was exactly what Brazilian fans, frustrated by their team's emphasis on efficiency and winning at all costs, had been longing to hear from their national team coach.
"It's not just about winning. You can simply win a game, but to win the way we are doing makes me proud."
Unfortunately for Brazil, those words were uttered not by Dunga but Alfio Basile, coach of arch-rivals Argentina.
Argentina and Brazil both enjoyed big wins in their Copa America quarterfinals at the weekend to keep alive the chances of meeting in the final.
Argentina, who face Mexico in the semifinals, routed Peru 4-0 and Brazil, who meet Uruguay, hammered a demoralized Chile 6-1.
Yet, although Brazil scored more goals, it was Argentina who turned on the style as they pulled Peru apart in a memorable last 45 minutes.
Peru coach Julio Cesar Uribe was full of admiration for his team's conquerors.
"Argentina are a fantastic team," he said. "Argentina had the variations and superior talent.
"We gave it our best effort but we were well and truly beaten. It's part of football."
Physical power
There is nobody in the Brazil line-up who can play with the nonchalant elegance of Juan Roman Riquelme, or who shares the enigmatic midfielder's ability to see and execute a defensive-splitting pass.
Nor do Brazil have forwards with the speed and guile of Lionel Messi and Carlos Tevez or a midfielder with the all-round ability of Juan Sebastian Veron.
Even allowing for the absence of Kaka and Ronaldinho, who said they were too tired to play, Brazil have come nowhere near to matching Argentina for flair.
Instead, the defending Copa America champions have reached the last four thanks to their raw physical power and ruthless finishing, coupled with isolated bursts of talent from Robinho and a few slices of luck.
While Basile has repeated throughout the Copa that he cares about how his team wins, Dunga's discourse has been of efficiency, compactness and team work.
"The reality is the pitch," he said last week.
It is a complete reversal from the past when Brazil were associated with panache and Argentina, particularly under former coach Carlos Bilardo, were ruthless and uncompromising.
But since Carlos Alberto Parreira took them to a fourth world title in 1994, Brazil have been led by a succession of coaches who have preferred a more European style.
Argentina changed direction when Basile, who is in charge for the second time, replaced Bilardo following the 1990 World Cup.
Sadly from the purists' point of view, Argentina appear to have lost their killer instinct and have not won a major trophy since 1993, when Basile led them to victory in the Copa America.
In the last few years, Argentina have repeatedly arrived at tournaments as favourites, played the best football but gone home early.
The Copa America is an ideal chance to put the record straight.
Agencies
(China Daily 07/11/2007 page24)
