For PSG, Thiago Silva is always the one to calm down players. In the quarter final against Chelsea (where Ibra was unfairly sent off), we could have gone down to 9 or 8 players since our players were so furious about the decision. But TS was there to calm things down. Costa was provoking Luiz all game and Silva made sure Luiz didn't fly off the handle. To be honest, if your coach cared more about the team than his own ego, he'd restore Silva's captaincy (if he decides to take it away from Neymar).
Dorival tried that when he was coaching Neymar at Santos and the following day Dorival was fired. Neymar is much more powerful than any coach. But this situation all I can say is FUK FUK FUK!!!!!!! Always happens with this God dam Columbia team - first in the WC Columbia gets rid of Neymar and now in Copa America. My suggestion- always bench Neymar against Columbia!
I doubt Neymar has more power than Dunga. If he wasn't delivering condistently for Brazil, Dunga probably gives him the Ronaldinho treatment. Dunga has a huge part in this. I read a Tim vickery article about the Argentina game and how we were bullying the ref. Ellias who isn't a hothead is putting hands on the ref. Dunga should of told the players, he doesn't want to see crap like that again. What kind of disclipinarian lets our boys get so out of control. He really hasn't learned his lesson from the first tenure with not putting a leash on Felipe Melo. Now, we get bit in the ass again.
No, it's been specifically stated that the ban is only for the Copa America and if Brazil doesn't reach the final, the ban will carry over to the next Copa America but NOT to the WCQ.
It was supposed to be 2 matches but he got additional 2 for insulting the ref in the tunnel. You can't blame anybody but Neymar in that situation.
I think that according to the reports in the Brazilian press, the breakdown of the punishment is one game for having collected 2 yellows, 2 games for having collected a straight red, and 1 game for having insulted the ref in the tunnel. Only this fourth game is subject to appeal, since the other three games stem from the tournament rules and are automatically applied. Looking at the breakdown of the punishment, I'm now less sure that this was done as a conspiracy against Brazil, fueled by hatred. I am now more willing to acknowledge that Neymar himself dug the hole he is in. Still, there *are* some attenuating circumstances: The second yellow was unfair. The ball hit Neymar's hand involuntarily. He was provoked the whole time including by one of the officials which is really uncalled for. He was chased around the field with violent fouls not being called, and he was shoved violently and gratuitously by Bacca at the end. So, in view of these attenuating circumstances, if this had happened to any player other than Neymar, probably a fair judgment by the Disciplinary Committee would have kept it at two games, considering that the second yellow was irregular, and considering that since Neymar himself was insulted by one of the officials which is blatant unprofessional conduct, and aggravated the whole match with calls not made when he was violently fouled, which might have cancelled the punishment for the insult. I mean, he was insulted by an official, then insulted an official. Let's call it even. So, a very impartial and unbiased committee, judging any other player from any other nation, might have kept it at 2 games. But since it's Neymar and it's Brazil, probably they chose not to be lenient and chose to apply the rules to the letter and give him 4 games, which is sort of deserved anyway because the rules do anticipate such punishment. Has my position changed? Not by much. I said I'm less sure that it's done out of hatred. I gave the committee a bit of the benefit of the doubt. I still think, though, that *probably* they'd have acted differently towards a different player from a different nation. One thing *is* certain, though: Neymar screwed up and was *mostly* responsible for what happened (and Dunga too, for not reining him in). Biased committee or not, had he upheld the responsibilities of being the captain of the steeped-in-history, glorious Brazilian National Team, none of this would have happened.
This article from the Brazilian press is very correct in its very negative assessment of Neymar. It acknowledges his football talent but deplores everything else, and I think it is right on target: http://www.mg.superesportes.com.br/..._interna,312972/craque-ou-garoto-mimado.shtml
Now let us stop putting all the blame on Neymar here. Do you people have any idea the type of pressure this kid is under, and at an age of 23? Every time he gets on the field, he is casado by the defenders - hacked every moment, harassed every moment, bullied every moment, triple marked - OF EVERY MATCH. This kid carries the responsibility of the Selecao single handedly on his back. Hundreds of millions of people around the world look to Neymar to be the savior, and in most cases he is. On top of that, he finds out one day before the match, that he, his father, his team are all going to be prosecuted for income tax evasion, fraud, etc.. Do you really believe all of this is not going to affect him? Neymar is only human and frankly, I don't know how he does it. Should Neymar have lost his temper? Of course not, but until you go through what this kid goes through, you really have no idea. The 4 game ban was excessive and not deserving- let us hope the appeal process will reduce the punishment. Let us hope that the Selecao can react without Neymar and do their job, but seeing Chile demolish Bolivia 5X0 yesterday, and Columbia on top of their game, Argentina and Paraguay all doing well with outstanding players, I do not see much of a chance for us. PRA FRENTE BRASIL !!!!!!!!!!!
I did mention attenuating circumstances, in this post, and in many other posts I've authored about this issue. I even mentioned that for being young, it's hard to expect of him a lot of emotional control. Still, he *is* to blame, as well. And you know, the fraud prosecution can't be used as an excuse but rather as an aggravating factor (as in the opposite of attenuating). If you don't want to be prosecuted for fraud, don't commit fraud, period; it's that simple. He and his father did engage in dubious dealings during his transfer. Sure, likely the father is more to blame, but so is Neymar. If he didn't want the fraud, he could have stepped in and said, "Dad, let's not do this. I'll earn a lot of money throughout my career; let's be content with whatever *legal* money we get from this transaction right now and let's not get too greedy and jeopardize my future by committing fraud." Too much to expect from such a young guy, especially going against his own father? Sure, but to pretend he is blameless is also not right. There are plenty of juvenile criminals out there, and when they are caught, we don't refrain from prosecuting them because they are juveniles. They might get reduced punishment because they are young, but it doesn't mean we say they are blameless just for the sake of their young age, when they break the law. If everybody around Neymar including the supporters stopped enabling his bad behaviors, maybe he'd mature and grow up faster and stop doing the wrong things.
I partially agree. But I have to say, Neymar is not really innocent in all of this. He has a history of blatant diving and play acting. He loves to provoke players with his dribbles. I am not against it, but you have to know that if you're going to act that way, you're going to be a target. This is nothing new. He has dealt with this since his Santos days and should already know what's coming. Like I said before, they made their bed now they have to lie on it. Nobody forced them to be shady. If he chased the ref down, 3-4 game suspension is probably fair. Let him sit, think things over and find a way to deal with these situations better. I don't really care if he lashes out in unimportant games. But to do so in the middle of a competition is absolutely inexcusable.
CBF put in their appeal to reduce to a 3 game suspension, which I believe will be successful, which means Neymar would be available for the final WHEN we get there.
No one here has put all the blame on Neymar. I'm not sure how you can even read that into some posts. As for the appeal, if the only thing being appealed is the fourth game because the rules are so strict on the other 3 (which I admit I was unaware of and caught me by surprise), I'll be surprised if the appeal is successful because he'd have to argue he didn't do whatever got him the fourth match. I don't think arguing attenuating circumstances will get him sympathy.
I am confident CBF will be successful in their appeal, which I do not see will be of any benefit as I do not see us getting to the final. And of course numerous posts have put the blame on Neymar - how can you not see that from the posts? But I understand the people's frustrations with Neymar's attitude. In any event, let us hope that Selecao reacts in a positive manner against Venezuela. A good performance with a good win will boost the confidence of the team which is desperately needed now. We need to be very careful with the Venezuela counter attacking style, especially with their main man up front - Colon.
Exactly. In all my posts I said he screwed up but I always said there are attenuating circumstances so the ref, and the Colombian players share blame, and Dunga also does for not reining him in. I agree. There are only two valid defenses in my opinion: one, to say that the fact that a linesman offended him should count. It's unprofessional, biased, and unacceptable so the Confederation might assume some of the blame (via their refs) and show some leniency. Two, to say that OK, 4 games sounds right and the yellow can't be appealed, but still if one looks at the image the yellow was unfair since the handball was utterly involuntary so a reasonable person might keep the yellow in the books but carry the leniency for that one game suspension (stemming from the yellow card) that is actually unfair, to the one that can be appealed, and added to the issue above of the official offending Neymar, get one game down from this 4-game suspension. This *would* be reasonable. Now, Ecuador wants a distraught Brazil given that their only chance of advancing is if Brazil loses by two goals to Venezuela, and the one official who will judge the appeal is from Ecuador, so... I frankly don't expect any sympathy. A Brazil knowing that Neymar will be back for the final will be highly motivated to do it for the kid (who would continue to train with them) and Venezuela might be toast therefore so would Ecuador be. A Brazil certain that Neymar is definitely out of the tournament (in which case he'd travel back to Barcelona) might be discouraged and sluggish, giving Venezuela a chance thus giving Ecuador a chance... and the official is from Ecuador. Not good.
From bastidores in Brasil and from what I have seen on the case, the chances of CBF winning the appeal are good, but it is difficult to tell how the judging panel will act. The suspension is too harsh for the circumstances. Hopefully, the decision will come down soon and CBF will be successful, and this will definitely boost the moral of the Selecao to get to the final.
so, is there a Plan B when THE star doesn't play ? I hope there is with Firmino being the playmaker rather than being a waste as a striker.
Some reports say that he grabbed the ref by the neck in the locker room area. If that's the case I think he is getting off easy. I don't know how things developed, but Dunga or somebody from the team should have made sure to take Neymar away.
BTW .. if we finish 3rd, most likely we play Argentina. 2nd and we face Bolivia. If we finish 1st, right now it's Uruguay as they are beating Paraguay. But it will be Paraguay if they can at least get a tie.
Apparently the ref himself said that the aggression was only verbal, and I don't see why the ref would lie if he had been grabbed by the neck, so it probably never happened; just rumors.
Holy shit, if the ref was grabbed by the neck, that is really bad, but if the ref himself didn't confirm it, then it is just rumors.