SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - WORLD CUP 2010 - Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez says he's offended by debate and controversy around forward Luis Suarez's handball in Uruguay's match against GhanaL

Record ID: 351468

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - WORLD CUP 2010 - Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez says he's offended by debate and controversy around forward Luis Suarez's handball in Uruguay's match against GhanaL
  • Date: 6th July 2010
  • Summary: CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA (JULY 5, 2010) (REUTERS) PHILIPPI STADIUM WITH EVENING SKY IN BACKGROUND URUGUAY TEAM FORM A HUMAN TUNNEL AND LUIS SUAREZ RUNS BETWEEN THEM. TEAMMATES PAT SUAREZ ON THE BACK POLICEMAN WATCHING FROM THE STADIUM LUIS SUAREZ EXITING THE HUMAN TUNNEL OF URUGUAYAN TEAMMATES STILLS PHOTOGRAPHER SUAREZ WARMING UP WITH TEAMMATES URUGUAY CAPTAIN DIEG
  • Embargoed: 21st July 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA71FJT1OGEGW92THUU6VRN9HIM
  • Story Text: Uruguay's soccer coach responded angrily when questioned about the dismissal of his in-form striker Luis Suarez in their World Cup quarter-final against Ghana which will see him miss their semi-final againist the Netherlands on Tuesday (July 6) in Cape Town's Green Point stadium.
    Suarez is serving a ban for his controversial match-saving handball on the line against Ghana.
    Uruguay's coach Oscar Tabarez was offended when a reporter asked whether the Uruguay people should show more humility following the Suarez handball.
    "Please don't talk to me about the lack of modesty of the Uruguayan people. I think we have shown throughout history that believing in oneself, and we bring out our personal strengths when we have to, we don't talk about other countries or what other people do. I am very upset with this whole topic, with this whole issue. We feel very proud about our performance here in this World Cup, how we've overcome our difficulties and what we've contributed to the development of football at this World Cup. We're proud of our behaviour. Uruguay has played almost three matches with no yellow cards at all. So please don't suggest that we cheat, I don't accept that in any way," said Tabarez, speaking at a media briefing on Monday (July 5) ahead of the semi-final.
    He said that being based in Kimberley has kept the team away from the "noise" of the World Cup and allowed them to concentrate on their game, adding that getting this far in the tournament is the fulfillment of a dream.
    "It's almost 40 years since we were actually present in the later stages of a World Cup. And it's not only for that reason. It's also for the effect that we've had on the Uruguayan people and the effect we've had back home, especially for children, teenagers, young people, 30-year olds who have never seen anything like this. And also at a time when nobody really believed it could happen. We are now in a party, in a celebration to which we haven't been invited, if you like. But I think we have right to stay at the party," said Tabarez.
    Repeating their predecessors' 1930 or 1950 World Cup wins will be an extremely tall order for Uruguay, especially having to face the world's fourth-ranked team, the Netherlands, in the semi-finals.
    "If we were to talk about which team is superior in terms of what we've done over the last few years and at this World Cup, then we would simply not play the match tomorrow, because it's Holland, right? Do you agree, that that's the point? We know that. But you don't come to a World Cup see who's got the greatest potential," said Tabarez.
    Captain Diego Lugano may not be able to shake off a knee injury in time for Tuesday's match. He was not on the pitch during the team's training session, instead doing exercises on the sidelines.
    With Lugano on the sidelines was midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro who is out with a foot fracture.
    Tabarez said his team will go into Tuesday's match with "enormous faith".
    With a population of just 3.5 million, Uruguay have gone further at this World Cup than regional heavyweights Brazil and Argentina, both beaten by European teams in the quarter-finals.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register