Joel Santana silent on Bafana Bafana clash
Santana silent on Bafana clash
Posted: 2010-03-19 09:59
Either Joel Santana has enough problems on his plate or else he does not view Bafana Bafana as a threat when the South Africans meet his club Botafago tomorrow.
This deduction can be made from the fact that there has not been a line of comment from him about the game in Rio de Janeiro this weekend against his friend Carlos Alberto Parreira who succeeded him after he was fired from Bafana late last year.
Santana signed a one-year deal with Botafogo when he returned home after getting the bullet. However, this deal is to be reviewed in May.
Botafogo, who are currently joint leaders with Vasco in Group B of the Carioca 2010, won their mid-week Brazil Cup away clash against Santa Cruz 1-0, but the local press was not impressed with the result.
Websites in Brazil, described Botafogo players as slow and hardly able to contain the oppositions forwards.
Botafogo's goal came from the boot of Argentinian Herrera, but Santana's critics say goalkeeper Jefferson was Botafogo's hero, saving a penalty and keeping out certain goals from Santa Cruz at the Arruda Stadium.
The media describe Santana, carrying his indispensible clipboard, looking on in silence, obviously baffled trying to understand what was happening as Santa Cruz dominated the first half.
Herrera broke the goalless deadlock in the first minute of the second half, but that only spurred Santa Cruz to press even harder and it was only Jefferson's efforts that saved the day for the former Bafana mentor.
Santana's squad is carrying a number of walking wounded, including Selecao hopeful Jancarlos, and midfielders Sandro Silva and Wellington Junior.
Santana is also unlikely to risk using Lucio Flavio who is on the mend after suffering an ankle injury or any other of his key players in Bafana's last match in Brazil tomorrow as he obviously feels there is nothing at stake.
What do you think?
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