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Johannesburg - Vastly experienced, cosmopolitan and streetwise in international soccer matters, Brazil's Carlos Alberto Parreira silenced his most vitriolic critics - at any rate those who dared attend his media briefing in Johannesburg on Friday - when he made a second-time-around entree as Bafana Bafana coach.
In the process, Parreira demonstrated why the many uninformed, ill-conceived and reckless aspersions made against him were woefully off the mark, with a jam-packed audience of potential protagonists veritably eating out of the palm of his hand when it was all over.
The coach who led Brazil to the 1994 World Cup title explained Benni McCarthy's controversial return to the squad for games against Japan and Jamaica in the next 10 days as a means of placing the enigmatic, out-of-touch and reportedly overweight striker on trial.
"Bafana have a need for a striker with McCarthy's experience and proven goal-scoring penchant," said Parreira, "but we are not naive as to the reasons why he has been overlooked for recent matches.
"He will be treated in the same light as any other player, needing to obey the same rules regarding discipline and showing he can muster the form and dedication that could make him a World Cup asset next year."
Parreira, who initially abandoned his R1.8-million-a-month contract to prepare Bafana for the 2010 World Cup in mid-stream because of his wife's illness - "an excruciatingly difficult decision I had to make, just as any of you would have reacted under similar circumstances" - said it was not the money that had lured him back, but the honour and accompanying challenge of coaching the host nation at the World Cup.
"I've had offers recently to coach two other national teams," said Parreira, "and numerous other offers as well, but it needed something special to lure me away from my Rio base - and that is why I am here.
"What is more, my wife has made a complete recovery over the past two years," he added, "and will shortly be joining me in South Africa until the World Cup is over."
He was not blinded to the problem of Bafana regaining poise and confidence after eight defeats in their past nine games, but was confident he could mould a squad with enough technical ability to qualify for the second-round stage of the World Cup - "and once this is achieved anything is possible in knock-out competition. A quarter-final berth certainly, and who knows, even going further."
He demonstrated his character by not plunging a fashionable knife into the back of Joel Santana, who had replaced him during the past 18 months, describing his predecessor as "a good coach with a proven success record in Brazilian soccer.
"But in this business," he added, "there is a thin line between success and failure for any coach, no matter who he is. And while everyone has his own personal traits, I share the same world-admired Brazilian soccer philosophy as Santana."
One thing for sure, however, is that Parreira's eloquent mastery of English is miles better than that of Santana, who battled to get his message over to the bitter end and did not improve matters much by employing a Portuguese interpreter.
Indeed, Parreira's English acumen is a good deal more polished than that of the majority of his South African critics and when asked in what way South African Footballl Association (Safa) officials could assist him most, he replied "by staying away from me as far as possible."
He also did not mince his words when he said there was "no need" for Safa to appoint a third assistant Bafana coach in addition to Pitso Mosimane and Brazilian Jairo Leal as had been announced - "but if they want to blood someone else on the international stage for the future, well and good," he added, "I'll go along with the idea."
What all this indicates, however, is that Parreira intends to be his own man and succeed or fall by his own decisions.
He said he welcomed suggestions and contact with all and sundry who had something to offer and would evaluate what they said. But it was obvious he had no need for a technical director, as had been mooted in certain obscure areas, and the panel of three Bafana assessors named by Safa, namely Clive Barker, Gavin Hunt and Jomo Sono, were largely superfluous to his needs as well.
Santana believes a month of intensive preparation in Brazil early next year, in which as many as 10 training games will be played against top-class opposition, could perform wonders for the Bafana players.
But there are some potentially insoluble obstacles threatening this brainwave. A good half or more of the frontline Bafana players are operating overseas and there is no indication their clubs will release them for a month's bonanza in Brazil.
All in all, doubts still remained as to whether Parreira could cure an ailing Bafana in the short period before the World Cup. But he demonstrated on Friday he was probably better-equipped than anyone to attempt the intricate operation.
In the process, Parreira demonstrated why the many uninformed, ill-conceived and reckless aspersions made against him were woefully off the mark, with a jam-packed audience of potential protagonists veritably eating out of the palm of his hand when it was all over.
The coach who led Brazil to the 1994 World Cup title explained Benni McCarthy's controversial return to the squad for games against Japan and Jamaica in the next 10 days as a means of placing the enigmatic, out-of-touch and reportedly overweight striker on trial.
"Bafana have a need for a striker with McCarthy's experience and proven goal-scoring penchant," said Parreira, "but we are not naive as to the reasons why he has been overlooked for recent matches.
"He will be treated in the same light as any other player, needing to obey the same rules regarding discipline and showing he can muster the form and dedication that could make him a World Cup asset next year."
Parreira, who initially abandoned his R1.8-million-a-month contract to prepare Bafana for the 2010 World Cup in mid-stream because of his wife's illness - "an excruciatingly difficult decision I had to make, just as any of you would have reacted under similar circumstances" - said it was not the money that had lured him back, but the honour and accompanying challenge of coaching the host nation at the World Cup.
"I've had offers recently to coach two other national teams," said Parreira, "and numerous other offers as well, but it needed something special to lure me away from my Rio base - and that is why I am here.
"What is more, my wife has made a complete recovery over the past two years," he added, "and will shortly be joining me in South Africa until the World Cup is over."
He was not blinded to the problem of Bafana regaining poise and confidence after eight defeats in their past nine games, but was confident he could mould a squad with enough technical ability to qualify for the second-round stage of the World Cup - "and once this is achieved anything is possible in knock-out competition. A quarter-final berth certainly, and who knows, even going further."
He demonstrated his character by not plunging a fashionable knife into the back of Joel Santana, who had replaced him during the past 18 months, describing his predecessor as "a good coach with a proven success record in Brazilian soccer.
"But in this business," he added, "there is a thin line between success and failure for any coach, no matter who he is. And while everyone has his own personal traits, I share the same world-admired Brazilian soccer philosophy as Santana."
One thing for sure, however, is that Parreira's eloquent mastery of English is miles better than that of Santana, who battled to get his message over to the bitter end and did not improve matters much by employing a Portuguese interpreter.
Indeed, Parreira's English acumen is a good deal more polished than that of the majority of his South African critics and when asked in what way South African Footballl Association (Safa) officials could assist him most, he replied "by staying away from me as far as possible."
He also did not mince his words when he said there was "no need" for Safa to appoint a third assistant Bafana coach in addition to Pitso Mosimane and Brazilian Jairo Leal as had been announced - "but if they want to blood someone else on the international stage for the future, well and good," he added, "I'll go along with the idea."
What all this indicates, however, is that Parreira intends to be his own man and succeed or fall by his own decisions.
He said he welcomed suggestions and contact with all and sundry who had something to offer and would evaluate what they said. But it was obvious he had no need for a technical director, as had been mooted in certain obscure areas, and the panel of three Bafana assessors named by Safa, namely Clive Barker, Gavin Hunt and Jomo Sono, were largely superfluous to his needs as well.
Santana believes a month of intensive preparation in Brazil early next year, in which as many as 10 training games will be played against top-class opposition, could perform wonders for the Bafana players.
But there are some potentially insoluble obstacles threatening this brainwave. A good half or more of the frontline Bafana players are operating overseas and there is no indication their clubs will release them for a month's bonanza in Brazil.
All in all, doubts still remained as to whether Parreira could cure an ailing Bafana in the short period before the World Cup. But he demonstrated on Friday he was probably better-equipped than anyone to attempt the intricate operation.
