-
Ex-QPR Director(and apparently, continuing QPR Investor)Dunga will be returning to London for this weekend's game between Brazil and Argentina. The game unfortunately will NOT be played at Loftus Road - The spiritual home of Stan Bowles and Rodney Marsh! Instead, the two teams will play at Arsenal's new Emirates Stadium
BBC By Tim Vickery - August 28, 2006
South American football reporter
The rivalry between Argentina and Brazil is a bit different from that between, say, England and Germany.
There is no history of warfare between the two nations. The middle classes of both countries tend to visit each other, but the age of mass tourism has not reached South America.
The majority of Brazilians have never even spoken to an Argentine and vice versa. It is basically a footballing rivalry, and none the worse for it.
Being at an Argentina-Brazil match means getting in touch with the finest that the sport has ever produced - and now they are bringing their rivalry and their stars to London.
Sunday's showdown at Arsenal's new stadium makes it very clear that both these teams have now become global brands.
Brazil's relationship with multinational sponsors is well known, and has made a huge difference in terms of the team's worldwide profile.
Back in 1994, the average English fan would have struggled to recall many of the World Cup winning side.
But by France '98 even some of the substitutes were household names.
Now Argentina have signed a deal with Russian-based company which will help set up the team's friendlies over the next five years.
An obvious consequence is that the bulk of the games will be staged in locations where those putting up the money receive the maximum return on their investment - hence the fact that South America's biggest derby is taking place in Ashburton Grove rather than Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro or Sao Paulo.
It is good news for the London public, but not so encouraging for the South American supporters.
They have reconciled themselves to losing their best players to the European club game.
Dunga
Dunga will be in charge of Brazil
They accept that their national teams will travel to take on top European sides. Now they have to swallow the fact that the team is taking on the local rivals on the other side of the Atlantic.
Sunday's game fits snugly into Fifa's international calendar but comes at a strange time from a South American point of view.
The continent's teams have no competitive matches until the Copa America next June.
This, then, is a moment of transition, when some of South America's teams have caretaker coaches while some have new coaches - Argentina's Alfio Basile doesn't officially take over until mid-September.
Even so, the event should fully justify the full house it is likely to draw to the Emirates Stadium.
As well as the exciting attacking talent Argentina displayed in the World Cup they also look set to give a debut to wonderfully talented 18-year-old Sergio Aguero, who has been in excellent pre-season form with his new club, Atletico Madrid.
Brazil, meanwhile, are trying to find their way after the World Cup disappointment.
Rather like Roy Keane taking over at Sunderland, the appointment of the inexperienced Dunga to coach the team is fascinating.
This is his second match in charge. On the evidence of the recent 1-1 draw with Norway there will be changes from the essentially counter-attacking approach of the Germany 2006 'Magic Quartet' side.
Instead, rather like the USA '94 team which he captained, Dunga appears to be placing more emphasis on patient possession.
Will his Brazil be able to do it against the best passing side on the planet?
There is plenty to intrigue and excite, then, as the global city plays host to the masters of the world game.
# Tim Vickery takes part in Up All Night's World Football phone-in every Saturday morning at 0230 BST on BBC Radio Five Live
BBC
Welcome to QPR REPORT - A completely unofficial and unaffiliated fan site focusing on G-d's Chosen Team, Queen's Park Rangers (QPR) FC. (Visit also QPR Report Messageboard and Follow on Twitter.) QPR Report accepts no sponsorship, advertising or financial contributions. In 2008, QPR Report was named as one of the top two blogs in the Football League
QPR Report Twitter Feed
Blog Archive
-
▼
2006
(945)
-
▼
August
(116)
- Paladini Generously Helps Out With Toddler's Treat...
- Ex-QPR Kevin McLeod Links Up With Jamie Cureton at...
- Deadline Day, 2005: Langley and Lomas Join QPR
- Nick Ward Included in Australia's Asian Cup Qualif...
- Simon Royce Injury Update - Ben Kosky/Kilburn Times
- Rowlands' New Contract...Paladini on Moving Player...
- Paladini's Perspective About QPR's Future - From O...
- As QPR & Port Vale "Interact": For QPR Chairman Pa...
- Ex-QPR Director, Dunga, Returns to London this Wee...
- Stefan Moore Joins Port Vale on Loan
- 25 Years Ago Today: QPR's Cup Final/"Plastic Pitch...
- Ronaldo Wins the 2006 Golden Foot Award
- Ex-QPR, Jamie Cureton Turns 31
- For QPR Holdings Chairman, Antonio Caliendo: It's ...
- Buying QPR: The Various Efforts Five Years Ago Dur...
- One Year Ago: "Disharmony at QPR"
- QPR Drop to 19th
- "League Cup" Draw - QPR at Port Vale
- August 26 Nostalgia: QPR Go Top - (1992 beat Cove...
- Don Masson Turns SIXTY!
- QPR vs Ipswich - Additional Reports
- QPR Go Down at Home - QPR 1 Ipswich 3
- QPR's Updated Club Directory - Penrice & Breaker o...
- Northampton's Jerome Watt on QPR Game "I felt we w...
- QPR vs Ipswich
- Aug 25 Season Openers...1973-Southampton...1984-WB...
- Penrice and Breaker Set to Join Holloway at Plymouth
- QPR Appoint Mackrell Chief Operating Officer (A Ye...
- Remembering Barry Bridges: 38 Years Ago Today made...
- Ex-QPR's Leroy Rosenoir Turns 42
- QPR's Boardroom "Coup" - One Year Later
- Paul Jones & Garreth Ainsworth re Preston, Ipswich...
- Northampton 3 QPR 0 - A Year Ago, Today!
- Further Reports & Comments re QPR vs Northampton
- Reports & Comments on QPR 3 Northampton 2
- Northampton's Manager Looks at QPR Game
- For Kevin Gallen, a Decade since THE Injury at Por...
- Marcus Bignot Turns 32...Ex-Loanee, Lee Camp Turns 22
- Early Look at Northampton
- "Fire Alarm" Neil McNamara's April Jail Sentence
- Coming August 28 in Monaco: "The Golden Foot Award"
- QPR's Season Openers...Forty Years Ago...Thirty......
- Ex-QPR Birthdays Today....Ex-Manager, Stewart Hous...
- Preston 1 QPR 1 - Additional Reports & Comments
- QPR Draw 1-1 at Preston - Reports & Comments
- Preston Look at QPR....QPR Look at Preston
- Ex-QPR Winger Michael Meaker Turns 35
- On This Date
- Mark Devlin's Recovery
- QPR News Roundup
- The Puzzling (and Disappearing) Trophy Photo From ...
- Three Years Ago Today: Langley Sold...Knight Pursu...
- George Santos Turns 36
- Ready Allen King - Ex-QPR Birthdays Today
- QPR's Win Against Southend - Monday Reports
- How Ex-QPR's Did Yesterday
- One Year Ago: QPR's Heroes were Santos & Moore; Bi...
- Ex-QPR's Micky Walsh Turns 52
- Shittu Loving Watford Life
- Additional Match Reports of QPR 2 Southend 0
- Kiyan Prince - "Soccer fans remember stabbed boy"
- After Six Months, QPR Finally Win! - Reports & Com...
- QPR vs Southend - The Lineups
- Darren Blackstock
- Time for a Win! QPR Looking for their First Victor...
- QPR's "Annus Horribilis" - Marking a Year Since th...
- Swindon's Plane Crash
- Southend Look at QPR...QPR Look at Southend
- Ex-QPR Boss, Ian Holloway Speaking about Plymouth
- Nostalgia: August 10, 1968: Our First Division 'De...
- Nick Ward Profiled/Interviewed - BBC
- Blackstock Signs for QPR
- "Snippet" re QPR's Official Website: Material Removed
- Ex-QPR's Steve Palmer on Shittu, Waddock & QPR (Be...
- Further Reports & Comments
- Ex-QPR's Don Givens Turns 57
- QPR 2 Leeds 2 - Reports & Comments
- QPR Playing Leeds at Loftus Road - Teams
- Skysports Claims QPR Agree Fee for Southampton's B...
- Fulham's Rehman Signs for QPR on a Permanent Deal
- Mirror: QPR Set to Sign Fulham Defender, Zesh Rehm...
- Birthday: Ex-QPR (and West Ham) Goalkeeper, Phil P...
- QPR Chairman Paladini Interviewed on BBC London
- BBC Conference Preview: Kidderminster "Key Man:Dea...
- QPR Play Leeds Tomorrow
- Shittu's QPR Farewell
- Press Accounts re Ex-QPR's Bill Power & Mark Devli...
- Burnley vs QPR - Additional Reports
- WBA Comment on Shittu's Watford Choice
- Former QPR Chairman, Bill Power reportedly in Seri...
- An Eventful Week for QPR as Chairman Paladini Lamb...
- Burnley's Scorer Jonah Jones - Reminder How Dario ...
- QPR Defender Danny Shittu Joins Watford
- QPR Chairman Paladini: "Living in Fear...Bullet Pr...
- Burnley 2 QPR 0 -Further Match Reports & Comments
- Shittu Deciding Between Watford and WBA
- How Ex-QPRs Did Today -: Plymouth...Swindon...Swan...
- Burnley 2 QPR 0 - Match Reports
- Burnley vs QPR - The Lineups
- Ex-QPR Chairman Bill Power Says No QPR Return
-
▼
August
(116)