URUGUAY: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez prepares his side for a tough group stage at the 2014 World Cup as his side looks to repeat the glory of the 1950 "Maracanazo"

Record ID: 351608

  • Title: URUGUAY: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez prepares his side for a tough group stage at the 2014 World Cup as his side looks to repeat the glory of the 1950 "Maracanazo"
  • Date: 6th February 2014
  • Summary: MONTEVIDEO, URUGUAY (FEBRUARY 05, 2014) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) URUGUAY COACH, OSCAR TABAREZ, SAYING: "The Maracana was another time. The fact that the World Cup is being played in Brazil doesn't make it any different in terms of the realities of Brazilian and Uruguayan soccer in such a different time from the other World Cup in 1950 when Uruguay and Brazil held a
  • Embargoed: 21st February 2014 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Uruguay
  • Country: Uruguay
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAA82A41Z29R95AUR2UW1XEFS90
  • Story Text: Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez hopes to lead his team to another World Cup victory in Brazil, repeating the so-called "Maracanazo" of 1950, when his team upset the host country the last time Brazil held a World Cup.
    But Tabarez told Reuters on Wednesday (February 5) his players have their work cut out for them as they start the group stage with some formidable opponents.
    The two-time world champions will kick off Group D against Costa Rica on June 14 before moving on to fellow former champions England and Italy.
    "The fact that we have good teams with a lot of historical background, especially when it comes to four-time world champions Italy, who have a long soccer tradition, the same goes for England, whose players play in a very demanding and formative league. All of this means we need to be careful and prepare and also, from what we've seen in this group, even recently, step up our motivation," Tabarez said at the Uruguay Celeste (Light Blue) training complex outside Montevideo.
    The coach said time is short as they look to prepare for what is sure to prove a difficult group stage.
    Despite limited time to come together as a team, the majority of Tabarez's squad has experience, having been a part of the team that reached the final four in South Africa four years ago and that also won the Copa America in Argentina in 2011.
    "But we also have prior experience which not all the other teams have had. We're going to try to make the most of it and turn ourselves into the difficult team to face that we've always been," he said.
    "Then we are going to work hard to limit the opposing team, which you always have to do when the team has merit. And then try as a team to get the best from the individual potential of some players and also do some things to better take advantage of this and better define things," Tabarez added.
    Uruguay will have three warmup friendlies against European opponents with their matches against Italy and England in mind.
    They visit Austria in Klagenfurt on March 5 before hosting Northern Ireland on May 30 and Slovenia on June 4, both at the Centenario in Montevideo where they won their first World Cup in 1930.
    One of the standout players Uruguay will be looking to lean on is forward Luis Suarez.
    Coupled with Edinson Cavani, he will give the South Americans an enviable strike force.
    "And it depends on Suarez, just like it depends on all players who are very good and work for the team," Tabarez said of his star player.
    At 27 and 26 respectively, Liverpool's Suarez and Paris St Germain's Cavani, are at just the right age according to Tabarez.
    "In the case of Luis (Suarez) there is clearly an evolution which has a lot to do with age and we also have to consider how the level of demand on a player is the same when he is 21 as when he is 27, and it shouldn't be like that," Tabarez said, adding it takes time for a player to come into his own.
    "You have to give time for evolving and strengthening. And this, I'd say, only comes with work. It doesn't happen by asking players two months before or a week before each game and changing it all the time," he added.
    Uruguay fans are hoping Tabarez can lead Suarez and the rest of his side to a repeat victory over Brazil at home, the same way they upset Brazil back in 1950.
    But he said the days of the "Maracanazo" are of a bygone era.
    "The Maracana was another time. The fact that the World Cup is being played in Brazil doesn't make it any different in terms of the realities of Brazilian and Uruguayan soccer in such a different time from the other World Cup in 1950 when Uruguay and Brazil held a different place in the world than they have now. In the soccer world, Uruguay was not below Brazil and now we are seeing Brazil as the team which has won the most World Cups and now it plays at home for the second time and it is a big opportunity (for Brazil) and they have made it their objective to win at home and with the characteristics they have as a country, this is possible," he said.
    "But it isn't going to be easy. It isn't, as we say here, 'blowing and making a bottle [a piece of cake].' It takes a lot of work and is going to be very hard," Tabarez said.
    This year's final, which will also be played in Rio de Janeiro's iconic Maracana stadium, will be played on July 13.
    Brazil will kick off the World Cup on June 12 in Sao Paulo against Croatia.
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