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From Russia With Love
Dunga looks to the future
My Friend Who Played With Pelé
Salvador Dally
Fatso or Fenomeno?
The Romance of the Copa Brasil
The Little Canary
The Transformation of Atlético Paranense
Footvolley
Rugby in Brazil? Don't Laugh!
Canadian Joe Raso
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From Russia With Love - But Will Vágner Blossom For Brazil?
Barney Cullum
Ronaldo’s weight problem made him an easy target for criticism in the feast of football that was the just-ended-but-already-a-distant-memory 2006 Germany FIFA World Cup. But now, as the easy target spends the close season endeavouring to get fit for the start of another arduous campaign, a potentially just-as-vulnerable figure has stepped up to the plate to be judged by the Seleção’s incomparably demanding global fan-base. You see, it is the unfortunately named, incongruously located, malcontent maverik Vágner Love that Dunga has chosen as his wild-card in the pack for his up-coming debut match as Brazil coach, against Norway in Oslo on August 16th.
Dunga means warrior in Portuguese and the Seleçao’s former skipper has certainly demonstrated some characteristic guts in placing his faith in such an unpredictable striker in the absence of his World Cup stars, the majority of which will be rested for the friendly. Having stressed his intention to give youth and domestic players a chance following his shock appointment last week, Dunga’s first squad roster was quite a surprise as a whole in that only six home-based players made the cut. Although, on the back of a Bohemian career that has included work everywhere from Angola to Japan to the gangster-filled boardrooms of lower-league England, no one should have been surprised that the manager would be prepared to cast his net far and wide.
In fact, the 25-year-old Love has been on the international radar for quite some time, scoring goals for the Roman Abramovich-bankrolled Russian outfit CSKA in the Champions League, initially, and then on their subsequent run to the UEFA Cup trophy later in the 2003-2004 season. Love’s compatriot Rogerio opened the scoring for Final opponents Sporting Lisbon that year, and on the balance of the play it looked a certainty at half-time that the Portuguese club would hold on to take the title on home soil. Love, in particular, turned in a dreadful first half-showing that night, missing a hat-trick of six-yard box sitters. The pre-match media had painted this unlikely hero, a Brazil-Russia love-match, as a potential match winner right up until kick-off only for the perpetual enigma to then appear disinterested and distracted right from the first whistle.
It was a sadly typical performance to anyone who had past experience of watching the Paulista ex-pat, for Love often fails to last the course on the big occasions. His confidence and form are as fickle as his moods. He did eventually get on the score sheet that night, but even the consequent satisfaction and status of being part of the first club to win a European title for Russia in a quarter of a century did little to help Love through the cold Moscow nights. He has never adjusted to the eastern European climate and is constantly being linked with a return to his native-Brazil, most often to Corinthians, another club unofficially part of Abramovich’s portfolio.
None of his soon-to-be international team-mates will suggest Love goes anywhere near that particular club when he meets up with the Seleção for training later this month -rooted to the bottom of the table as they currently are- but the experience of being around fellow Brazilians is bound to stir at least some feelings of home-sickness nonetheless.
Whether the international get-together will be enough to rekindle the £5million Moscow misfit’s desire to run home to São Paulo remains to be seen, but selfishly there is only one thing we are all hoping for, and that is that he will show his love for Brazil by playing as we all know he can against Norway- he won the 2004 UEFA Cup golden shoe after all.
Sponsors, television and the insatiable appetite of their fans dictate the relentless fixture schedule of the Seleção; all of us are always lusting for more. However, after the anti-climatic exit from the FIFA World Cup, the sluggish travails of Ronaldo and Emerson, the confused cameos from Kaka and Ronaldinho, and Robinho’s transition this week from angelic choirboy to angsty teenager, we could do with a timely reminder of why we fell in love with them in the first place. Step forward Váagner… And then step-over. And then shimmy. And then pirouette. And then head for goal- fast. Brazil needs some flair. You have the crazy name Mr Love, but do you have the crazy moves? Here’s hoping.
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