Following the 1966 World Cup shambles by the Brazilians (I watched them collapse with dismay!), Brazil then lost matches in 1968, to West Germany, Czechoslovakia, Mexico (twice) and Paraguay. The 1970 World Cup was looming and signs were not good.
With the press sharpening their pencils, the Brazilian FA president, Joao Havelange, gave the managerial job to journalist, Joao Saldanha. Many thought this was a cynical trick to quieten the press but maybe just an act of genius!! Maybe his journalist comrades would not attack "one of their own". Saldanha, a former Botafogo player turned writer had been asked to step in as coach to his former club in 1957, leading it to the state championship, so there was evidence.
In Saldanha's first 13 matches, Brazil won them all, including the World Cup qualifiers, in which Brazil scored 23 goals and let in two. Off the pitch, there were "issues", with Pele, the World's greatest player, apparently, not able to see from one eye and therefore should be dropped.
Saldanha also failed to bow to pressure from the Brazilian FA President, Emilio Medici, to pick his favourite striker, Dario! Saldanha said, "I don't choose the president's ministry and he can't choose my front line." When his predecessor as coach, Dorival Yustrich criticised his managerial skills, Saldanha went looking for him to discuss the issue, carrying a loaded pistol!! Accused of being emotionally unstable, in early 1970, Saldanha was replaced by Mario Zagallo, who led the team that Saldanha had "crafted" to the most famous of all World Cup victories. Zagallo was rewarded with a winner's medal, to add to his two winners' medals
Remembering the "violence" of the previous World Cup's, the 1970 Tournament passed without a single sending off, equalling the 1950 record and Mexico's competition was noted as a World Cup when "skills returned".
Brazil won their South American tournament, winning 6 out of 6 matches (v Paraguay, Columbia and Venzuela) scoring 23 goals (including 11 in two ties against Venezuela), letting in ONLY 2 goals. They beat Italy in the Final, wiping them 4-1 in front of 107,000 at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.
England (the holders) did well to get to the Quarter-finals, inevitably losing to West Germany 3-2, after extra time, (after 90 mins 2-2), having been 1-0 up at half time. In the Guanajuato Stadium in Leon, only 24,000 attended.
No comments:
Post a Comment