Ken Jones: Tarnished Brazilians struggle to do justice to glorious legacy of 1970

Twenty five years ago, almost to the day, a former volleyball international announced that it was his intention to reconstruct Brazilian football. Never mind the romance, the glory of 1970 and the rich tradition. All over, Claudio Coutinho reckoned. An army officer, Coutinho had been given the Brazil team, and his eyes were fixed on Europe.

It was not a big announcement. Coutinho was beside a training pitch in Rio speaking to me and my friend Hugh McIlvanney, then of the Observer. England were about to play Brazil at the Maracana and it had been our plan to lay them at a price generous enough to attract mug punters in the press contingent.

Coutinho's words caused us to think again. (Appropriately enough, the game finished 0-0). It became clear that he had fallen in love with European football. More precisely with Johan Cruyff and the Netherlands. Coutinho was smart and well informed but he made a mistake, because the Dutch were not European. They were not even typical Dutch. The team that so enchanted Coutinho in the 1970s had their time and died.

Throughout the 24 years that separated Brazil from the triumph of 1970 and their victory in the 1994 World Cup final, my mind sometimes went back to Coutinho, carrying the thought that Brazilian football might never fully recover from his influence. This seemed to be the case even when they won for a fourth time and reached the 1998 final.

Recently, seeking some guidance on the present state of the Brazil team and their possibilities in this World Cup, I contacted João Maximo, who has been casting a sharp eye on the game for more years than he finds comfortable to remember and is held in widespread respect by past heroes of the national team.

"To blame Coutinho for Brazil's failure to emulate the standards that made us unique in the game is hardly fair," he said. "Certainly, he made us more physical [not that the Brazilian leagues have ever been for the faint-hearted], sacrificing skill and flair. For this reason he went to the 1978 World Cup without two of our greatest players, Falcão and Junior. He didn't trust Zico and Reinaldo. But Coutinho was a different man in the last years of his life, especially when he was made coach of Flamengo. He embraced Zico and Junior and showed that he believed in Falcão, who, at that time, was on his way to Roma. But he died [in a scuba-diving accident] before he had time to show that the 'old' Coutinho was wrong."

Despite the presence of such notables as Rivaldo and Roberto Carlos, and the possible rejuvenation of Ronaldo, for Brazil this is a World Cup of comparatively low expectations. Qualification proved more difficult than ever before; their away form, blamed partly on the long journeys endured by European-based players, was abysmal. Little faith is placed in Brazil's coach, Luiz Felipe 'Big Phil' Scolari, whose blunt, win-at-all-costs philosophy offends Maximo and many of his compatriots.

"Why was Scolari chosen?" Maximo asks. "Maybe there is no Tele Santana (national coach in 1982 and 1986) in the new generation of Brazilian coaches, but I ask again, why Scolari? Some say that others were under consideration, but this is only a half-truth."

Maximo puts forward other reasons for the present state of affairs. "Brazilian clubs have grown poor and cannot stop the exodus of players to Europe," he says. "It is important to remember that Pele and Garrincha played all their careers in Brazil, at least when they were in top form. The local championships are badly organised, the schedules are in a mess, the teams take part in too many matches and don't have time to invest in junior players. The agents take away all promising talent and sell it to Europe for commissions."

Maximo makes an interesting comparison between Brazil and Argentina, who are among the favourites to win next month's tournament. "Argentina have many players abroad but despite the country's economic plight, their football federation seems to be better organised with a big investment in youth. Many of the leading Brazilian players in Europe give the impression that international matches are a chore, but the Argentinian players seem proud to play for their country."

Brazil should have no great difficulty in a group with China, Turkey and Costa Rica, but can they emulate the fluency last seen under Santana? Maximo says he is a pessimist and does not believe in miracles.