ON A WEEK which features no less than 31 World Cup qualifiers in Africa, Europe and South America, what about the reigning world champions Brazil? While the rest of the pack are slogging it out from Buenos Aires to Bucharest and from Montevideo to Moscow, Brazil can take it relatively easy in a friendly tomorrow against Mexico on the neutral territory of Miami.
With little more than a year to the World Cup finals in France, it would appear that Brazilian preparations are as incoherent and confused as our worst expectations might have led us to believe.
Brazilian soccer has for long presented a divided self. On the one hand, its international side can sometimes represent the best of inspired, improvisational soccer.
On the other hand, domestic Brazilian soccer presents a scenario of chaos, and a crowded fixture list which includes regional leagues as well as a national one and of financially ambitious (often strapped) clubs at odds with a national federation (CBF) that is itself a hotbed of political infighting.
That chaotic domestic situation will not prevent Brazil from starting as one of the favourites next year. In truth the Brazilians can call on a host of talented players that have to be the envy of the rest of the world players such as strikers Romario (Flamengo) Ronaldo (Barcelona) and Jardel (Porto), midfielders Rivaldo (La Coruna), Leandro (Palmeiras), Leonardo (Paris St Germain), Giovanni (Barcelona), Juninho (Middlesborough) and Mauro Silva (La Coruna) and defendeis Aldair (AS Roma).
Roberto Carlos (Real Madrid), Andre Cruz (Napoli) and Cafu (Palmeiras).
The names look good on a squad list but, for the time being, it is rather difficult to know exactly what the sum of the parts amounts to. The point about Brazil is that for much of the last three years, since their US 94 World Cup win, they have messed about, either fielding a socalled "Olympic" side or playing meaningless friendlies against less than overwhelming opposition.
Brazil's last three home games of 1996 make the point their opponents were Lithuania, Cameroon and Bosnia. Curiously, too, sides such as Poland, Slovakia and Iceland have turned up for friendlies in Brazil in the last three years while major soccer powers such as France and Holland have never played in Brazil.
Brazilian commentators suggest that with the World Cup finals still some distance away, the CBF has been more interested in maximising the national side's earning potential than in honing its considerable skills. The world champions, accordingly, are "on offer" to the rest of the world for an estimated £300,000 match tee for an away fixture.
Brazil's home fixtures, too, can generate cash with the national side being "on offer" to Brazilian cities for a similar fee.
But with the finals looming, the shadow boxing is about to end. Brazil will have to produce a serious team for at least two serious tournaments this summer a four nation tournament in France, played in early June and also involving England and Italy, and the Coppa America in Bolivia, from June 11th to June 29th.
Brazil are, of course, now coached by the "legendary" Mario Zagallo, the man who coached the 1970 World Cup winning side. His mere presence on the coach's bench is enough for Brazilians tans to start dreaming again.
In the modern world of ever more athletic, evermore cynical soccer, however, Mexico City is 27 years and half a lifetime away. It remains to be seen just how and with whom the now grey haired Zagallo wishes to fashion the modern Brazil.
"The quality of players on offer is currently so high that it makes things difficult for me and I'm sorry for players I leave out," Zagallo said recently.
The recall of 1994 World Cup winning captain, 34 year old Carlos Dunga, for the Mexico match could prove interesting given that even against such as Lithuania and Bosnia recently, Brazil looked far from watertight in defence.
Probably more will be learnt from the short friendly tournament in France in June than from the Coppa America. Traditional Latin American tensions, plus the problems created by playing at 11,000 feet altitude in La Paz, may make the Coppa America unreliable as a farm guide for France 98.
Despite that, however, both tournaments will be closely scrutinised and no side playing in them will be more analysed than Brazil. All eyes are on the champions as they finally take oft their wraps.
