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Olympic squad's preparation worries Dunga
Brazil manager is worried he won't be able to properly prepare the country's under-23 squad for the Beijing Olympics because of the lack of opportunities.
- Associated Press
- Updated: December 12, 2007 04:14 PM IST
Read Time:2 min
Sao Paulo:
Brazil's Olympic squad played its first match under Dunga's command on Sunday, losing 3-0 to a Brazilian league select side.
Dunga, who called the result "normal for a debut," said it will be hard to gather the under-23 players as often as he would like because many of them compete in Europe and won't be easily released by their clubs.
"It's going to be hard to set up matches," the manager told the Agencia Estado news service after Sunday's game. "We'll likely have to use the dates reserved for the main squad to practice some of the Olympic players."
AC Milan striker Alexandre Pato was the only European-based player selected for Sunday's friendly at the Joao Havelange stadium.
"We'll need to ask the players to act within their clubs, asking to be released," Dunga said. "We'll do whatever possible to try to put the team together."
The Olympics is the only significant soccer title Brazil has never won. The Brazilians won the silver medal twice, in 1984 in Los Angeles and 1988 in Seoul, and the bronze in 1996 in Atlanta.
Dunga was a member of the Brazilian runner-up side in Los Angeles. The former defensive midfielder later helped Brazil's senior squad win the 1994 World Cup in the United States.
Brazil's senior team is third in the South American qualifying tournament ahead of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. It has eight points from four matches, one point behind rival Argentina and two behind Paraguay.
Brazil manager Dunga is worried he won't be able to properly prepare the country's under-23 squad for the Beijing Olympics because of the lack of opportunities to train the team.Brazil's Olympic squad played its first match under Dunga's command on Sunday, losing 3-0 to a Brazilian league select side.
Dunga, who called the result "normal for a debut," said it will be hard to gather the under-23 players as often as he would like because many of them compete in Europe and won't be easily released by their clubs.
"It's going to be hard to set up matches," the manager told the Agencia Estado news service after Sunday's game. "We'll likely have to use the dates reserved for the main squad to practice some of the Olympic players."
AC Milan striker Alexandre Pato was the only European-based player selected for Sunday's friendly at the Joao Havelange stadium.
"We'll need to ask the players to act within their clubs, asking to be released," Dunga said. "We'll do whatever possible to try to put the team together."
The Olympics is the only significant soccer title Brazil has never won. The Brazilians won the silver medal twice, in 1984 in Los Angeles and 1988 in Seoul, and the bronze in 1996 in Atlanta.
Dunga was a member of the Brazilian runner-up side in Los Angeles. The former defensive midfielder later helped Brazil's senior squad win the 1994 World Cup in the United States.
Brazil's senior team is third in the South American qualifying tournament ahead of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. It has eight points from four matches, one point behind rival Argentina and two behind Paraguay.
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