With Jefferson dropped and Diego Alves back after an injury layoff, the Selecao coach is still undecided on who will start March's World Cup qualifiers versus Uruguay and Paraguay
Brazil coach Dunga is reportedly still undecided on exactly who will take their place between the posts for the Selecao when they meet Uruguay and Paraguay in World Cup qualifiers later this month.
The position, one in which the coach has no shortage of options, has been one of the most discussed issues in the local media ahead of each of Dunga’s recent squad announcements.
Dunga's latest panel saw previous No.1 Jefferson dropped from a squad for which he was eligible for the first time since the coach's July 2014 appointment – the Botafogo custodian had previously missed only the November 2014 Brasil Global Tour double-header with Tukey and Austria, fixtures that were limited to foreign-based players.
The man who took his place on that occasion, Valencia’s Diego Alves, returned to replace Jefferson this time around after finally overcoming a serious knee injury. He was joined by Gremio's Marcelo Grohe and Dunga’s current No.1, Alisson of Internacional.
Twenty-three-year-old Alisson took over from Jefferson following defeat to Chile in the first round of qualifiers and has remained first-choice for the subsequent three internationals. Tall and athletic, Alisson emerged in 2015 following a strong showing for his club in the Copa Libertadores. He made his Selecao debut against Venezuela in October and has not looked back since.
Marcelo Grohe, 29, who returns to the squad after missing out last time around, was the first to replace Jefferson under Dunga, coming into the side for September’s Brasil Global Tour clashes with Costa Rica and USA. A dedicated professional who has long been heralded as one of the Brasileirao’s finest, Grohe blends impressive agility with a a talent for shot-stopping that has seen him develop something of a reputation as a penalty-saving specialist.
But even he cannot claim to be Brazil’s penalty-saving king. In January of this year, Valencia’s Diego Alves became the best penalty stopper in Spanish football history when he saved the 18th of his time in the country. Having initially made the jump to Europe when he joined Almeria from Atletico Mineiro in 2007, Alves has now been impressing in la Liga since 2007.
Moreover, his ability to distribute with his feet is a characteristic Dunga would like to introduce to the national team. And there has long been a feeling that the Brazil coach has been eagerly waiting on the fitness of 30-year-old, who returned to action in February after eight frustrating months on the sidelines.
Coupled with a perceived loss of faith in Jefferson, that may go some way to explaining why the Selecao come into March’s qualifiers, some 20 months after Dunga’s appointment, without nailed-on first-choice No.1.
Goalkeepering coach Taffarel is now preparing himself for a number of intense training sessions when the squad convene at the Granja Comary training complex on March 21. Only then will Dunga make a final decision on his keeper.
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- Goal