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Uruguay ignore ghosts of the past in World Cup bid

MONTEVIDEO - Brazil and Argentina have been South America’s World Cup standard bearers for the last 60 years, but prior to World War II, it was Uruguay who were the standouts.

The Uruguayans collected the 1930 World Cup and two Olympic titles in their golden era but since winning the first post World War II World Cup in 1950 they have rarely shone at the global showpiece with fourth at the 1970 finals their best performance since.

This time round expectations at home are not high and their coach Oscar Tabarez, who is in his second spell in charge having guided them to the second round in 1990, is keen to ignore their glorious past and focus instead on getting the best out of a talented squad.

“When Uruguay won World Cups it was a very different world then,” he told AFP.

“Football has developed a lot since those days as well and other factors have come into play, such as that of population and we in Uruguay have a snall one of just 3.4 million.”

Tabarez, who numbers Serie A clubs Cagliari and AC Milan among the 10 sides he has coached, admits that it was hard work qualifying for the finals, having only got there by beating CONCACAF side Costa Rica in a play-off after finishing fifth in the South American standings.

However, the 63-year-old is confident that Uruguay can give a good show of themselves and progress to the last 16 from Group A where they will face first up on June 11 in Cape Town France, hosts South Africa and finally unpredictable Mexico.

“As far as I am concerned we start from zero when we arrive in South Africa,” said Tabarez, who has been in charge since 2006.

“However, I believe that we can cause a surprise as not much is expected of us.

“Of course the biggest surprise even for us would be to reach the last four, which some people always expect because of our history.

“How much of a surprise we are capable of we will only know when the moment of truth arrives and we start playing the group matches.”

Tabarez will be relying on veteran striker Diego Forlan, scorer of 22 goals in his 55 appearances for the’Sky Blues’ and who is coming off a successful season with Atletico Madrid, climaxing with both their goals in the 2-1 victory over Fulham in the Europa League final.

His father Pablo - who played for Uruguay at the 1966 and 1974 World Cup finals - believes that his 31-year-old son will be a major reason for Uruguay succeeding at the finals.

“Diego possesses two vital abilities for a striker, a fierce shot and the ability to shoot with both feet,” his father told.

“His dribbling is also outstanding and he works selflessly for the team.”

Much will also be expected of the Ajax pair, 21-year-old Nicolas Lodeiro and Luis Suarez, who will provide a creative fulcrum for the side.

Whether Tabarez’ expectations of creating an upset materialises or not he has instilled in his players a strong sense of team spirit and unusual for a football coach calls on a quote by English author Aldous Huxley as his motivating call to the team.

“Experience is not what happens to you: its what you do with what happens to you.”