A list with or without Pepe, that is the question. Portugal is today waiting for the announcement of the 26 chosen by Fernando Santos – revealing the lot at 5.30 pm – to see if there is any news and if the FC Porto central defender will be part of the national team called up for the World Cup , which starts 20 today in Qatar. Maniche took the place of the coach and, bearing in mind that Fernando Santos favors the players’ experience and dedication to the team, he believes that the Porto will be called “good”.
“At 39, Pepe is still the best Portuguese central defender. He’s a competitive animal. I know and I don’t even doubt his presence at 26. If it weren’t for him, no one would make such a secret about his recovery. He may not even be 100% for the first game, but be an option for the second or even for a final. He can be decisive”.
According to the DN, FC Porto’s center has trained on the field and with the ball, although conditioned, so recovering in time for the World Cup is possible.
“If he’s not injured Pepe should always go. I say again, he’s still the best central defender Portugal has and he had a great season until he got injured, showing that at 39 years old, he’s still a is an asset that FC Porto missed.” decisive matches to recover well and go to the fourth World Cup of their career,” said Maniche, who shared the Dragon dressing room with the “skinny boy” hired from Marítimo in 2004 who is one of the best central defenders of the world.
And since Danilo “counts as a central” and that “Rúben Dias is unquestionable”, the former player’s doubts fall between António Silva and José Fonte: “It remains to be seen whether António Silva’s 16 appearances at Benfica are enough to show the coach that he can be more useful than an experienced centre-back like Fonte. Then it is necessary to evaluate who can be more useful.”
Maniche acknowledges that there is a lack of central position and proof of this is that the coach adapted Danilo and Portugal “still sighs for Pepe”, the most capped defender ever with 128 appearances for the national team, behind only João Moutinho (146 ) and Cristiano Ronaldo (191). The alternatives have not yet convinced Fernando Santos. Of the 11 central defenders in the list of 55 pre-selected, six did not play for the national team and only three were called up. David Carmo (23 years, 13 games this season for FC Porto and 0 caps), Fábio Cardoso (28 years, 11 games for FC Porto and 0 caps), Gonçalo Inácio (21 years old, 18 games for Sporting and 0 caps) ) , Tiago Djaló (22 years old, 13 games for Lille and 0 caps), Diogo Leite (23 years old, 17 games for Union Berlin and 0 caps), António Silva (19 years old, 16 games for Benfica and 0 caps) and Domingos Duarte (27 years), 13 games for Getafe and 3 caps).
According to Maniche, the pressure of public opinion can give the young Benfica player more opportunities, even if unconsciously, because “people have the idea that the national team is the player’s moment, but in a big league those who most give guarantees to the selector”. And “it’s no coincidence that they say Fernando Santos is a conservative coach, for better or for worse”.
Maniche .’s Four Doubts
Aside from the certainty of Pepe’s call-up, the former player, who will be one of the FIFA ambassadors in Qatar, has four doubts: Anthony Lopes or José Sá in goal, Mário Rui or Raphael Guerreiro in defense, Matheus Nunes or Renato Sanches in midfield and Gonçalo Ramos or André Silva in attack, because Portugal needs a man in the area to release Ronaldo more freely are, according to the former Portuguese international.
And since Maniche was a favorite midfielder and represented the national team 52 times, he understands how difficult it will be for him to pick just eight: “Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha, Palhinha, William, Otávio and João Mário go in. Then it’s between Matheus Nunes or Renato Sanches. Renato is not the strongest midfielder at the moment, but he has unique qualities that the coach has already said he appreciates and when in doubt he can choose to take him because he knows what he gave in Euro 2016 and what he can give now. “
A list without a Sporting player will not surprise the former international – “when even the Sporting coach says he prefers his players not to be called up” – who nominates Portugal as a candidate: “With the quality we have, passing the group stage is mandatory, then it’s the play-offs as Scolari always said and anything can happen.”
Source: DN
