Araken Patusca with the word
Araken Patusca | 28/03/1952

Calls and injustices in the National Team — Own history of Brazilian football — In the past, more sense of team and collaboration — wing half-back and the up front defender — The diagonal restricts the star's role — Like Fried, only Fried — Domingos still without a substitute — Always the same mistakes — Before, there were fewer defects, due to the plethora of players — Zizinho was dismissed and Ipojucan was called up — And Antoninho and Luizinho? — The middle of Santos resembles Camarão and Mario Andrade — Fausto, Danilo and Rui.

My director friend, I will gladly respond to your request, giving my impressions of football below. Many may diverge from these impressions, but they were gleaned from long and long years of practice on the lawn, later becoming an observant study outside. I know football, therefore, from both sides, inside and outside the court, and, therefore, modesty aside, I can speak with knowledge of the facts. I'm not going to say that yesterday's football was superior to today's, nor that this one has an advantage over that one. What used to exist, as a primordial basis, was more sense of team, more collaboration, let's put it that way. It was said, for example, that a midfielder was in charge of a wing, however, behind him the defender called frente, the withdrawn centre-half of today, while further back was the defender. Currently, the function of this last player is restricted, as he acts on the wingers's marking.

The diagonal, while being a new tactic, partly detracts from the beauty of the spectacle, because it restricts a man to the almost unique function of taking care of another man. Furthermore, today's trend is more defensive, whereas in the past there was a greater range of functions, one doing for the other and the other helping the other. A kind of "one for all, all for one". I do not believe that a man like Fried has yet emerged, in terms of rank and class. The same happens in Argentina, which had in Sastre its greatest exponent, the perfect player, still remembered by Buenos Aires. It is logical that other centre-forward appeared, such as Petronilho, Heitor, Leônidas, but, in my opinion, Fried remains the greatest of them all, yet without a replacement. Domingos da Guia didn't have a beating that matched him either. He was great! As for the last call-up for the Brazilian team, in my view this is the history of Brazilian football. It has always been like that, calling oneself this or that, to the detriment of many good people. Only, in the past, these flaws didn't appear so much, they didn't have so much repercussion, behold, there was a plethora of values, countless aces for each position. And within that WM tactic, all you had to do was call two or three at each post, without fear that the ace would only have the function of marking a winger, supporting or playing in front. Do you understand me? Since, at that time, few foreigners played in Brazil. And the situation is there! Numerous values ​​were called-up, but others, of greater technical importance, were forgotten. Mauro, from São Paulo, and Helvio, from Santos, for example, could not be left out. When the two were not called-up, at least one deserved the post. That way I didn't want the caller, who must have his reasons, but...

And today there was a call that borders on incongruity. We don't discuss Zizinho's class, arguably the best national midfielder. However, since the Bangu player is physically inept, why call himself Ipojucan? Antoninho is better than Vasci's midfielder, he is a great player, one of those who are very similar to the stars of the past, as he plays for the team, helping the defense and supporting the attack. I remember Camarão and Mario Andrade, when I saw Santos play. Luizinho, from Corinthians, is another in better condition than Ipojucan. Anyway, the technician took another path and we can't do anything. It may even be that Ipojucan gets it right, as he usually does from time to time. The truth, however, is that player for player, when compared to qualities, Antoninho or Luizinho are far superior to Rio. And it's not because I'm from São Paulo, because I'm sure that everyone who wants to think with their heads will be on my side. I quote now another point of your questions: Faust. It was effectively a medium-sized center of high technical capacity. He did, however, have good substitutes. Danilo, in form, and Rui were worthy followers of the "Dark Wonder". This is my opinion, my friend, and I hope I have fully satisfied his wish. For the rest, I will be ready to serve you, in whatever clarifications you deem necessary.