GO TO HELL! Big Phil bites back ahead of Brazil's blockbuster with Colombia... but it's all smiles for Neymar and Co
Luiz Felipe Scolari and Thiago Silva, once safely ensconced
in the city whose name means 'Fortress', started to fight back after a
bruising few days.
Luiz Felipe Scolari says: Go to hell! Under-fire Brazil boss hits out at critics... as Neymar and Co show they're no pushover
- Brazil have been under intense scrutiny since nailbiting win against Chile
- Captain Thiago Silva has been criticised for lack of mental strength
- Neymar says he's ready for Colombia clash despite knee injury
Luiz Felipe
Scolari and Thiago Silva, once safely ensconced in the city whose name
means ‘Fortress’, started to fight back after a bruising few days.
Silva
responded to claims that his tears during the penalty shootout win
against Chile proved he was too emotional to captain Brazil with a
reminder of his successful battles on and off the pitch, which include
fighting for his life when he spent six months in hospital with TB.
Scolari,
in his own inimitable bar-room style, told Brazilian reporters to ‘go
to hell’ if they didn’t like the fact that he leaked information to a
select group of friends in the media.
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No pushovers: Neymar shares a joke with Dani Alves during training on Thursday
All together now: Neymar (left), Marcelo (centre) and David Luiz link up in training
VIDEO Brazil coping with home pressure
Brazil
have been under intense scrutiny since the nailbiting win against
Chile, when they scraped into the last eight with good fortune,
penalties and the lucky religious charm of the reserve goalkeeper, while
the press officer has been charged by FIFA for attacking one of the
Chilean team.
No-one
took more flak than Silva. He seemed to be an emotional wreck during
the shootout in Belo Horizonte but his bond with Scolari is strong.
‘He
is my commander and he never went against me,’ said Silva. ‘I don’t
care what people think because no one knows me. I just think about my
job. This is the way I am. I am emotional and it’s a natural thing for a
human being to be emotional.
High spirits: Neymar falls to the ground with a smile on his face as Marcelo, David Luiz and Oscar look on
Eyes on the prize: Brazil's Real Madrid left back Marcelo balances the ball with the top of his hand
‘It
doesn’t affect me at any time on the pitch. I think it helps me. People
are saying silly things. I don’t think it makes any difference. I have
overcome many things in life. I overcame tuberculosis. I fought for my
life.’
Perhaps
it was the Fortaleza factor which stiffened their resolve. It was in
this northern city of 2.5 million that the extended a cappella national
anthem was born during last year’s Confederations Cup.
Outside
the stadium, 30,000 protesters were clashing in the streets with riot
police as public opinion was turning against World Cup largesse.
Inside,
Scolari’s players locked arms and sang the anthem as they had never
sung it before and, when the music stopped after the FIFA-regulation 90
seconds, they sang some more, led by Silva and David Luiz. They
roared on, into the second stanza which includes the words: Thou wilt
see a son of thine flees not from battle. And the Fortaleza fans, proud
to have the team back in their city for the first time in more than a
decade, went with them.
VIDEO Fully fit Neymar points to Ronaldo inspiration
Battle: Neymar plays the ball on as David Luiz and Fernandinho make a late challenge during training
Fever pitch: Thousands of fans gather outside the stadium as Brazil prepare for World Cup quarter-final
Picture this: A Brazil fan poses for a photo between cutouts of Neymar and David Luiz
It
stirred the soul and soon became an established element of Scolari’s
team. Through the rest of the Confederations Cup, which they won, and
into this World Cup, the Brazilians sang the second verse of their
national anthem without music.
Others
followed, notably South American nations with meandering anthems. It is
a token of resistance to the 90-second limit, another unnecessary FIFA
rule squeezing identity from the game, like the guidelines on team
colours which have England and Germany playing in all-white and Spain in
all-red.
For
Brazil, however, the anthem is special: their very own haka; a
goose-pimpling pre-match ritual and display of unity; a nation together
behind the Selecao in spite of everything; a nation willing this flawed
team to a sixth world title.
Whether it actually helps has been the
subject of heated debate, fuelled when Scolari summoned his trusted
sports psychologist Regina Brandao to the team’s mountain retreat in
Teresopolis. ‘She isn’t paid,’ rapped Big Phil. ‘They love going to talk
to her, in a meeting or on the phone.’
Good call: Neymar, pictured during training on Thursday, has been Brazil's star man at the World Cup
Not impressed: Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has told his team's critics to 'go to hell'
Support
gathered for the idea of taking the captaincy from Silva and giving it
to Luiz. ‘Crying is normal, but he needs to stop,’ said Cafu, the last
Brazilian to lift the World Cup.
Fabio
Capello talked about the weight of the England shirt but it cannot
compare to a nation of more than 200 million who will not be satisfied
until the Maracanazo defeat by Uruguay in 1950 is exorcised.
The
pressure is intense and no-one is under more than Neymar, who spent 90
minutes fielding media questions. He also told Brazil what it wanted to
hear: a knee injury will not stop him playing.
Colombia have been in fluent form but they have beaten Brazil only twice and not for 23 years and never on Brazilian soil.
Brazil
have won seven of 12 since Colombia’s last win in the Copa America in
Chile. The last four matches have been drawn and Scolari told how he
expects a more even game against a team committed to open and attacking
football.
‘Does Brazil continue with a hand on the cup?’ asked Big Phil, before answering his own question.
‘Yes. We are on the fifth step. There are seven steps. Our supporters don’t expect anything different. We continue.’
It was fighting talk in Brazil’s fortress city.
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