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CBF to halt Brazilian competitions during World Cup 2006 [Wed Aug 31st, 2005]
CBF President Ricardo Teixeira has announced that all footballing competitions in Brazil will be on ice for the month that will see Germany host the 2006 World Cup.
Although the flamboyant – and controversial – President announced the measure as a ‘triumph’, the move has caused murmurs of discontent in many clubs.
Teixeira sees the move as integral to a planned revolution in Brazilian competitions that aims to dovetail Brazil’s league (the Brasileirão) to the European calendar in order to avoid the problems created by players being hauled off to Europe mid-season.
“Next year we’re going to cut the league down to 20 clubs [the current format allows 22 clubs to participate], and by 2007 we hope to unify our footballing calendar with the European model. I feel that this measure is the only way we can enjoy a full league without the exodus of our best players to Europe halfway through the competition.â€
For many clubs the planned pause from the 9th of June to the 9th of July 2006 is seen as a spanner in the works rather than a blessing in disguise. â€This is absurd†complained Flamengo president Márcio Braga, “The CBF is getting far too big for its boots – they’ve taken the profit from advertising, and with the agents these days we’re left with precious little to squeeze a profit. To stop the Brasileirão is unacceptable.â€
His crosstown counterpart at Vasco, the ever sulphurous Eurico Miranda, also railed at the move. “The calendar that they’re proposing has nothing to offer the clubs – it just helps the CBF in their planning of the various youth and senior levels. Other alternatives need to be studied in depth before making such a fundamental change.â€
Aaron Marcus
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