Sigh. I think he should have gone to a mid-table Spanish team and done for them what Riquelme has done for Villareal... they are similar players after all, though I think Alex is better.
Someone just posted this on youtube: Best Alex Compilation Ever. It runs about 10 minutes. Must watch.
I was just thinking... how could Alex make it into the starting lineup given Parreira's desire to play Kaka? Here's one alternative: 4-2-1-3 ----------------GK----------------- ----------CB-----------CB---------- -RB----------------------------LB-- ----------------------DM------------ ----------DM------------------------ ------------------------------------ ---------------Alex------------------ -Kaka------------------------------- ------------------------Ronaldinho- -----------Ronaldo----------------- This simulatenously puts Alex at the position in which he excells, Ronaldinho where he is so devastating for Barca, and maintains Kaka on the team. Again... it's something that isn't going to happen, but it would be nice to see. This quartet, IMO, is better than the quartet of Adriano, Ronaldo, Kaka and Ronaldinho. Robinho would be the sub for Ronaldinho and/or Kaka. Adriano for Ronaldo, and Juninho P. for Alex. You could change to a 4-4-2 if you needed to as well. This is a team that I feel would destroy even the most well-organized defense. It has a bit of everything... speed, toque de bola, mid range strikes, tabelas, crosses, set pieces. It could be spectacular.
Alex will be lucky if Parreira even calls him up...playing him would be a miracle. Every cup someone worthy is left out..in 78 Falcao was unbelievably left out (he had already been National champ in 75 and 76)...Alex will probably be IT this time.
To leave Falcão or Alex out is a crime against good football. The fact that such things happen doesn't mean they have to... maybe we can floot Parreira's office with mail, lol. Also, I've said it many times -- the current team deserves a chance to start and see how it performs, particularly in the group stage. Alex should be at least on the bench though... the team I describe above is achivable with a single substitution... and there are other ways he could be used as well.
He can play a bit deeper, but his talents are best shown by playing close to the forwards... he's a central attacking midfielder.
i dunno, i think he just doesn't know anything about them, 1st he rejects Ricardinho, Alex, and benches Roger instead of Zahovic, then he gets Paulo Almeida... the only good brasilien signing he made was Luisão
Update: I've contacted the guy that made the video and he is down with this as well. He told me that he is circulating the compilation on orkut in addition to youtube, so it should get seen by a lot of people. What we need now is to start ratcheting up the pressure: if you know people that follow the selecao, send them the link, talk up Alex, and explain what we are trying to do. We will need to, at some stage, also contact media outlets, journalists, and blogs that deal with football as well as any other forums we may participate in. I intend to start a website with a petition, as well as hosting a higher quality version of the video and other materials once it is possible to do so. Any further suggestions you have would be greatly appreciated as would any help you want to provide. At this stage, we require a lot of legwork to be done: posting commentaries on blogs, sending e-mails, etc. Start doing whatever you can... the more people involved the better. The idea is to kick off a chain reaction that will snowball into insurmountable pressure on CAP/CBF.
A link to the other thread where Alex was prominently discussed. Also... if you watch the video, leave comments on the youtube website and rate it highly (I probably don't even need to tell you this part... it will come naturally). =)
I just registered alexnacopa.com ... I still have to set up a DNS server but something should be up as early as tomorrow or friday. =)
Hehe. I think it's the height of injustice for someone to play their heart out for almost 4 years and do everything humanly possible to go the cup and then be left out for the wrong reasons. Convocacoes shouldn't be based on hard work alone -- they should denote the best players -- and Alex is clearly among the best. I would never forgive myself if I didn't at least try to help him. Plus... I want to see Brasil win, and I think our chances are greater with Alex than without.
Nothing is lost by simply trying... and imagine the satisfaction of getting Alex on the team, particularly if he proves to be decisive? Surely the merest possibility of that is worth the effort.
i like your lineup though i'd make it more of a spear with Kaka up as high as Ronaldinho. i have to say i think Juninho is better suited to the role behind these two players than the more aggressively attack-minded Alex.
Juninho is a great midfielder, but he doesn't have the vision, geniality, unpredictability or passing ability of Alex... he also doesn't score nearly as much. He is arguably a better direct free kick taker, but not by much, and Alex owns him on indirect free kicks, corners and long shots while the ball is moving. Juninho would be Alex's natural sub in such a lineup, whereas you could put Robinho on for Ronaldinho, Adriano or Fred for Ronaldo, and Robinho or Cicinho (as a RM rather than a RW) for Kaka. Accuse me of exaggeration, I've certainly been guilty of it before, but to me having the best player in the world side by side with the best passer in the world is a mortal combination for the opposition... Alex is one of the few players with suffificient vision to understand what the master's intentions before he acts and vice versa. I maintain that on their current form, Brasil's chances with them both on the field are immensely superior. I can see them pulling a 1970. Barcelona is proving constantly that 4-3-3 is not outdated for today's game with the right players, and we have the right players. I say run with it.
Alex interview: http://globoesporte.globo.com/ESP/Noticia/0,,AA1182469-4840,00.html oddly they didnt ask him about thw WC.