PORTUGAL: Ronaldo is a great player but I worry about the whole team–Bento
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Why did you choose Campinas, in South-east- ern Brazil, as Portugal’s World Cup base?
For several reasons, ranging from the logistics, the hotel facilities and
the training-camp conditions. We are very happy with it. We have been very well received in Campinas, as indeed has been the case everywhere in Brazil. Now it’s the coaching and medical staff, to manage the fitness levels both in physical and psycho- logical terms, in order to prepare for the finals.
What of your group op- ponents?
Germany will be no different from their 2012 team. They are an extremely stable team with well- defined game plan. They always show great mental strength in tour- naments. The United States do not bring happy memories for us. They are also physical strong and well organized. As for Ghana, we can’t forget that in the last World Cup they only missed out on the semi- finals by a whisker. Alongside Ivory Coast, they are the best African teams.
What is your ambition for the group?
Just like in any other group to quality for the knockout stage, try- ing to accumulate as many points as possible, Germany is one of the fa- vourites to win the whole thing and can be considered favourites in our group, but it’s not a given. We will fight with
the conviction that we
can reach the last 16-and if we do so by finishing top all the better.
How important is Cris-tiano Ronaldo to Portugal?
I believe justice was done when he won the Ballon d’ Or giv- en the output in an extraordinary year
by an extraordinary player, with tremen- dous talent and
the utmost profes- sionalism. Only
as such can you
win this prize.
He’s the first
Portuguese to win it
twice and I’m delighted as the national team coach to have him.
I am extremely proud that Portugal can court on a player of this mag- nitude. Ronaldo is a great player, a huge name in world football, but
I have to worry about the whole team. I’ll be working with a 23-man squad, and not just one player, but of course Ronaldo is very important to us. he is in great form and like all the other players will look to stay at the top of his game.
Will Ronaldo be a lone striker in the Portugal line-up?
Using Ronaldo as our only striker from the start is not the best op- tion given his characteristics. At certain moments, and depending on the match situation, he has played this role, like against Sweden and Russia (in the qualifiers). The other possibility is to play him up front alongside another forward. We have time to think about that. But he won’t play as the lone striker from the start.
•Culled from World Soccer
For several reasons, ranging from the logistics, the hotel facilities and
the training-camp conditions. We are very happy with it. We have been very well received in Campinas, as indeed has been the case everywhere in Brazil. Now it’s the coaching and medical staff, to manage the fitness levels both in physical and psycho- logical terms, in order to prepare for the finals.
What of your group op- ponents?
Germany will be no different from their 2012 team. They are an extremely stable team with well- defined game plan. They always show great mental strength in tour- naments. The United States do not bring happy memories for us. They are also physical strong and well organized. As for Ghana, we can’t forget that in the last World Cup they only missed out on the semi- finals by a whisker. Alongside Ivory Coast, they are the best African teams.
What is your ambition for the group?
Just like in any other group to quality for the knockout stage, try- ing to accumulate as many points as possible, Germany is one of the fa- vourites to win the whole thing and can be considered favourites in our group, but it’s not a given. We will fight with
the conviction that we
can reach the last 16-and if we do so by finishing top all the better.
How important is Cris-tiano Ronaldo to Portugal?
I believe justice was done when he won the Ballon d’ Or giv- en the output in an extraordinary year
by an extraordinary player, with tremen- dous talent and
the utmost profes- sionalism. Only
as such can you
win this prize.
He’s the first
Portuguese to win it
twice and I’m delighted as the national team coach to have him.
I am extremely proud that Portugal can court on a player of this mag- nitude. Ronaldo is a great player, a huge name in world football, but
I have to worry about the whole team. I’ll be working with a 23-man squad, and not just one player, but of course Ronaldo is very important to us. he is in great form and like all the other players will look to stay at the top of his game.
Will Ronaldo be a lone striker in the Portugal line-up?
Using Ronaldo as our only striker from the start is not the best op- tion given his characteristics. At certain moments, and depending on the match situation, he has played this role, like against Sweden and Russia (in the qualifiers). The other possibility is to play him up front alongside another forward. We have time to think about that. But he won’t play as the lone striker from the start.
•Culled from World Soccer
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