Brazilian Team Will Stay Isolated During the World Cup

02/20/2014 - 08h47

Luiz Felipe Scolari yesterday called out for support from Brazilian fans at the World Cup. In Florianópolis for a workshop for national team coaches, he said fans would be Brazil's 12th player, which, according to the coach, puts the team on a list of favorites.

Spectators' access to players during the World Cup at home, however, will be rather restricted.

The Brazilian team will stay concentrated at the Granja Comary in Teresópolis throughout its participation in the World Cup, a town 90 km (56 miles) from Rio. The training center at the site, which usually hosts CBF teams, is under renovation.

Among the members of the coaching staff, there was some question if after playing the quarter-finals, if they qualify of course, Brazil might return to the chosen base or travel directly between the cities where they'll play.

It was decided that the team would always return to Teresópolis. "We know that fans want to be close, but it's impossible. We'll take the opportunity [of some contact], within a context that allows players to focus on playing football," Felipão said yesterday.

Fans will not have access to the team in Granja Comary, and entry to the site will be limited to journalists.

FIFA only requires one training session be open to fans throughout the World Cup.

It is an opening for fans of Neymar and company. But, as Teresópolis has no bleacher structure, it is possible that this training would take place in Rio or even in one of the cities where the team will play.

Letting the players relax in an exclusive place was a decision taken by Felipão during the Confederations Cup in 2013.

The national team stayed at hotels that were open to the public, had no fixed training center, and there was an extensive harassment of players, with the presence of family and friends.

LOBBY

On Monday, Felipão will call up the three or four players who play in Brazil for the friendly against South Africa on March 5th.

But he didn't drill down any names and assured that "lobbying" will not influence him. Right now, some names of players have been bandied about, like Alan Kardec (Palmeiras), Adriano (Atlético-PR) and Kaká (Milan), who joined the staff after his new coach, Seedorf, was said to have talked to Felipão about the player. The coach denied that he spoke with Seedorf.

"Everyone does a little lobbying when they want a player invited to the national squad", he said.

Translated by STEVE HUGHES

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	William Volcov/Brazil Photo Press
	In Florianópolis for a workshop for national team coaches, Felipão said fans would be Brazil's 12th player