Memorable improvisations that produced sensation
Carlos Carlomagno | 18/05/1945

In football life, so extraordinary things happen, which are worth remembering, for the live experience that is collected. Just like the aforementioned improvisations, they always have disastrous results, others, carried out with the necessary time, give the desired results. I will start with the one team, which was organized in 1923. Remember that there was a split in our football. The Association, firm in its purposes, and the Federation, seeking to guide the future. In the midst of the struggle, the prospects of the South American Championship emerged and, soon, the correspondents to the 1924 Paris Olympics. The Association team had to be selected and formed, but values were lacking. There weren't those figures that are always clear bases for a deal. It was urgent to go out and look for, discover them or adapt them to positions for which they had no practice.

Thus the team of 1923 was formed. Today it would be impossible to carry out all that. The excess of "experts" and "coaches" would not allow such innovations to be attempted. Criticism would fall on promptly, defeating the whole initiative. The hasty comments would create such an environment, which would serve to frustrate the trust, faith, and all the moral aspects that facilitate the good performance of the players.

GOOD JUDGMENT, AUDACITY AND CHARACTER TRIUMPHED

Let us analyze what those "masters" accomplished.

Andrés Mazali, who played as forward, played basketball and athletics, immediately became an excellent goalkeeper; the unrivaled Nasazzi, who played both centre-forward and centre-half, was placed as right back, as he occupied Roland Moor of the former National League, becoming the great marechal of Colombes.

Andrade, La Marveille noir, who was inside right, was converted into half, and constituted the amazement of the public.

Petrone!!... who was goalkeeper for Solferino, became sensational as a centre-forward.

Ángel Romano, the unsurpassed, of great performance in the central positions, returned to his original position of left winger, as in 1912.

With all these innovations the team was organized. What seemed problematic at first, soon became a reality: South American champions of 1923, and Olympic champions of 1924!!

SIMILAR CASES THAT SHOULD NOT BE FORGOTTEN

Melgar and Varelita, who were a pair of full-backs for Reformers' team in 1917, were right and left wingers, respectively. Arturo Seoane great figure as Wanderers' full-back was centre--half in Durazno.

Raul Pini, now extraordinary full-back, came to Montevideo as a centre-half; Minella and Santamaria were forwards. Heleno, the current centre-forward from Rio de Janeiro, aged 24, was a left half-back in 1937. Carlos Brant, the scientific centre-half from Fluminense, acted in Belo Horizonte, as an inside left. José Piendibene, El maestro, was a right winger in 1908 and 1909.

INNOVATIONS I MADE IN FLUMINENSE

When I arrived in Rio, in 1936, Fluminense's front line was: Sobral, Russo, Romeu, Lara and Hércules. I weighed its quality, it didn't produce. I studied the subject and realized this formula: "Sobral, Lara, Russo, Romeo and Hércules". From that moment on, this quintet managed to thrash opponents every Sunday.

In 1938, due to the World Cup, I was without seven players: Batatais, Hércules, Romeu, Machado and Tim; Moysés and Celeste injured. I had no choice but to resort to improvisation for lack of elements and we won the Torneio Municipal — Municipal Tournament.