Well, Dunga is well into it—the downsizing of Brazil to a level where they are manageable: manageable, in terms of being coachable, so there is enough space in the locker room for players’ heads, as well as their cleats.

Carlos Alberto Pereira put a black mark against his name by fueling this soccer tragedy during the 2006 World Cup. Yes, I know the cup is over, but a mess was left for Dunga to clean up.

Pereira softened Brazil with their build up to the Cup. He had a hunch that playing super soft teams would keep his players happy and smiling. Well, of-course it did! Outrunning a defender who has the jump on you by 5 yards, to finish a goal from half field would put a smile on a cheetah. Well, against the Swiss Lucky 11 (Switzerland select team picked to play Brazil), Kaka did it with his shoes untied.

Pereira wanted to keep his players happy, but with a miscalculation, he made them soft. They sat on the field waiting for someone to start the play. When someone kicked into gear to finally start a play, they would expect the greatest highlight to happen instantly. The mind of Brazil was not Jogo Bonito, it was “Money, Money here we go.”

So, Brazil lost and has been shamed. Where does that leave us now? Frankly, welcome to the Cave of Dunga. These young players will be taught “to be and not be,” in the Cave of Dunga.

So if you didn’t before, now you know the damage that Brazil has suffered. Dunga has begun to rebuild, breaking down the poisoned mentalities and building from within. The super stars are out of hand, so the plan is to break the big boys down to size. This is Dunga, this is not Sven Goran Erickson. Dunga lives in a cave, and you will live with him in that cave, learning in the dark, resetting your outlook on futebol.

We are not going to see some cerebral answer to Brazil’s situation. I guarantee, everyone is afraid of Dunga in that cave and treat Dunga like “if you mess up, you will not eat.” That is how much respect he commands, or should command, in such a big situation. They have bowed to him before as a player.

He has sent the big heads away, stripped them down to pupils and has begun his brain wash. You laugh at the Brain Wash. Why is Ronaldinho wearing the No# 20 then? Just because he got into the second half of the Ecuador game and didn’t start. Wrong! Ronaldinho has forgotten his place, he thought he was a “Galactico” in the Cup, and he needs to be brought down to earth.

Where is Earth? It is where Brazil attacks from the wings. Where you have no idea where they will make a mockery of your team. That cannot happen right now because of the current situation. Dunga must play 2nd rate players because they are good yes, but not world class.

The label of Brazil being World Class is surely cast off in the cave. There should not be even a whisper. Brazil was Brazil in 1994! Brazil was less Brazil in 1998! Brazil was kinda Brazil in 2002 and now Brazil is crap, and Dunga is breaking down walls to rebuild on the Brazilian playing foundation, that can never be changed, just the players who interpret it.

Even Dunga from his cave is still producing wins and therefore less, or no controversy. By the way, Ecuador imploded in the friendly last week, after going one up in the very early stages. One fire averted. 

Good Luck Dunga! It will always be tough for Brazil when they are fielding a team that can barely break individual tackles. He has until Copa America 2007 to get this team out of the Cave and back to Brazilian style, or the hounds will start a callin’. He is 50-50 to be canned by 2008.  I think he can do it though, he is a Matador. 

Kamal de Gregory
Soccer Luminary
www.4skills.com

To read Oct. 13, 2006 Edition, Click here

To learn more about Aerobic Soccer Training, Click here

Click Here to Listen to this Week’s Episode:

1. European Qualifiers

2. Weekend Picks in the EPL

3. MLS Playoffs

4. Champions League Situations

Even without red-and-white stalwarts Marcelo Gallardo and Arial Ortega, River Plate humbled Boca (3-1) in Argentine’s 171st Super Classico, to pull themselves within just 1 pt. of leaders, Boca Juniors.

River took the lead in a super-charged match with an incredible back-heel from striker Gonzalo Higuain in the 30th min. Boca responded immediately with a strike by red-hot Rodrigo Palacio in the 32nd min., to pull the scores level before half-time.

Higuain scored another great goal in the 2nd half, rounding the keeper and finishing in the 54th min. Farias Ernesto put the game out of reach in the 69th min., finishing off a one-on-one, set up nicely by the through pass of mid-fielder, Bellushci.

Boca has gotten off to an indifferent start under new manager, La Volpe. While Boca is still on top with a game in hand, River has just made the race more interesting in Argentina.

Top three goals of the week:
1. an American wonder goal
2. a Brazilian razor’s edge
3. a Hondurian cracker on US soil
click here to see them in action!

Ah, it is so nice when the under dog starts to achieve. That has been the case for Bahamas Soccer in the past few weeks. A country that stood at the bottom of the Caribbean Soccer Totem Pole has begun to climb.

What has made this former weak team into a power house in the region? Quite frankly, their Technical Director Gary White will tell you “its work.” Something he likes to exclaim on the sidelines of their many nail biting matches.

Currently the Bahamas is through to the second round of the Digicel Caribbean Cup, a tournament created to crown the champions of the Caribbean. Some might say, “that is small potatoes,” but to be crowned champions of any tournament is difficult, let alone one that has 3 world cup finalist amongst the competition (Trinidad and Tobago (06), Jamaica (98) and Haiti (74). This cup is no joke, and the top 3 teams at the end of the tournament will automatically qualify for next years Gold Cup, where all the big boys in the Concacaf battle it out. The Gold cup names the champion of one of the 5 world soccer regions.

So besides work, what can be attributed to the Bahamas’s success. Well, a proper developmental structure that is producing consistent NCAA players, churned from their ranks. A structure that produced a diamond in the rough a short time ago, has begun to roll out a new type of diamond created from the pressure of the Bahamas Football Association.

This Association’s five year goal is to become a power in the Northern Caribbean Region, and they are well on their way. From minnow to middle-of-the-road, Bahamas is producing results–Results that have made country history! The challenge now is to maintain this structure, this manufacturing environment that would most definitely solidify this country with the names of Jamaica, Haiti and Cuba.

The Bahamas play their next round of qualifiers in Barbados on Nov. 15 - 24th. You can find out more information about how all the teams in the Caribbean are doing at www.digicelfootball.com

Warning this article is for focused players and coaches who want to get serious.

The most elusive question about soccer is the one that asks how to create players that perform with Pele-like renditions of the “beautiful game.”

These players seem to glide effortlessly across the field, pulling sombreros, dribble de vacas, oles, and any of the other intangible moves that deceive the most ardent of defenders and amaze spectators on fields across the globe.

Creativity lies in those players that dare to create within the game, who approach every game as another chance of creating the unbelieving and thrilling moves that make soccer a game of genius.

If you expect to create on the field, Ronaldinho-style—be sure to remember to develop your ball control skills and work to open up your vision. These two abilities are integral in your imagination connecting to the field. Without control of the ball, and the ability to find your teammates, creativity will always frustrate you on the pitch, leading to turnovers, misplaced passes, and fingers pointed in your direction.

If you’re not truly confident in your touch, check out our innovative soccer training systems for ways to develop your ball skills. We can also help to open up your mind and understanding of the game.

Coaches and parents, remember to focus on the individual skills of your players and encourage touch and individualism, especially at the youngest ages, to develop the natural talent of the player.

Try not to discourage, or stereotype players into “less important” positions because of their inadequacies. Train players to better their overall ball-control and to play within the positional roles of the game.

While creativity is rooted in the class of the individual player, it is really the overall development of a team of players that allows that creativity to shine through.

So, to capture the essence of playing soccer creatively, you must provide an environment where enough of your players are being developed with proper base skills, but not holding those players to emulate that exact skill every time they enter a situation. It will be up to them to imagine themselves getting out of it and then making it reality.

The MLS is hitting a home stretch of regular season games, leading into the post season, where only one of the twelve MLS clubs is already eliminated. Even Los Angeles has the opportunity to pull off déjà vu, as last year they accomplished the same thing—the last seed from the regular season—but winners of the Cup title.

The two toughest games of the week are the match-ups of Real Salt Lake versus Houston and Dallas versus Los Angeles. 5 and 6 facing off against 2 and 1 of the Western Conference in a nail-biter to edge out that last playoff spot.

Western club, Colorado also plays an important match against Eastern club, the New York Red Bulls, as they only have a slight lead over both Real Salt Lake and Los Angeles in the West.

Are the top dogs—DC, Dallas, Chicago, and Houston—going to fight it out for this years MLS Cup title, or is another sleeping club going to emerge as unlikely champions? Write us back with your pick for the 2006 MLS Cup title.

If you have followed English football for a few years, especially Manchester United, you would know that there used to be a sibling rivalry of sorts.  Phil and Gary Neville both played for a good many years on the best team England had to offer.

Now I am not saying that either of these players are world class, actually I am asking you to choose who is better. I will share my feelings on them both, but ultimately you can make the call.

By the way, the reason this is actually a story, is because currently Gary is the Captain of Man. U while his younger brother Phil, who was sold before last season, is now Everton Football Club’s Captain. So, this year they will have to duel it out, younger vs. older to see who is the best leader in the family.

The thought is almost unheard of, to have two relatives, brothers no less, captains of opposing teams at this high of a level. Did I mention that they both are currently playing the same position at right back?

Here is the breakdown. Phil (the younger) through observation is more skillful, having the ability to play center midfield as well as on the left side, making him a great utility player to have.

Gary (the older) is a stalwart at right back and is tried and true in that position. You can depend on him to hold down his piece of the field and make moves forward to put in bent crosses.

I have already stated that neither of these players are world class, even though both have spent a long time with the English National Team. The Neville’s fail to posses any one talent that makes you take a second look, maybe except for the size of Gary’s head but far from that abnormality, it is the experience that they have gathered through the years that have gotten them the captaincies that they both hold.

To be honest, even with their long standing membership of playing at the highest level, I could still dismiss both of them as terrible, except that in a resent interview with Phil, when asked, “Who is the best player you have ever played against?” Instead of him naming off some current premiership hero or some past washed up hard man, he spoke the name Ruud Gullit as his biggest nightmare.

Wow, with that response, Phil has brought himself a touch of class, that players like Van Persie or Christiano Ronaldo fail to display yet.

Let me know who you think is better and why. Drop me a line at Mongoose@savagesoccer.com

Meditations from the Mongoose.

Mexico hosted one of the most intriguing fixtures of club football as the Mexican blood ties of the people, represented by the club Chivas, faced off against “The Eagles” of America, the cultured, debonair sportsmen of Mexico.

The Jalisco Stadium in Guadalajara was thumping in appreciation of the rivalry as the game got off to a quick start. Chivas created the most in both playmaking and chances on goal as the American goalkeeper, Ochoa was forced into some very influential saves to keep the scores level.

The interchange and combination play of Chivas’ creative attacking players caused disruption and uncertainty in the American defense time-and-time again, and Bautista, Morales, and Medina were all unlucky to go in goalless at half-time.

America actually started out the better of the two sides in the 2nd half with goal-scoring veteran, Blanco being introduced. The substitution almost paid off as Blanco showed some quality touches and drew two dangerous free-kicks for his team.

Just as the game was about to go off keel, Chivas exploded with 2 goals in the space of three minutes to end any American hope of victory.

The striker, Bautista struck the first goal from distance off a deflected rebound with an outside-of-the-foot bender past a hapless Ochoa. Bautista’s wonder strike was immediately followed by Medina’s, who carved up an American defender deep in the box and delivered a left-footed cracker inside the back post.