Felipão is thinking about the World Cup and warns: "The pressure will be immediate."
The coach of the Brazilian national team, who announced the list of 23 players who will go to the Confederations Cup, said that he already has an idea of the starting lineup. "We have to observe how they will present themselves, along with the physical department, but we already have a more or less idealized starting team."
Reuters - The coach of the Brazilian national team, Luiz Felipe Scolari, left the door open for players who were left out of the Confederations Cup squad on Tuesday, and issued a warning to those called up: "the accountability will be immediate."
The Brazilian national team will play two friendly matches before the June tournament, against England and France, on the 2nd and 9th of that month, and Felipão said that the players will have to perform well right from the match against the English.
"I expect the team to play good football starting with the game against England. I can't wait... We have to play well, regardless of how many days we have to train," said Felipão in a press conference in Rio de Janeiro.
"We're not going to wait to demand more from our players... to play with a little more peace of mind. They know they have my confidence... but the demands will be immediate," added the coach, who has led the national team in five games this year, with three draws, one loss, and one win.
The 23 players called up will report to the Brazilian national team on the 27th, and their first match in the Confederations Cup will be on June 15th against Japan. Brazil will also face Mexico and Italy in the first round.
Felipão said he already has an idea of the starting lineup. "We have to observe how they will present themselves, along with the physical department, but we already have a more or less idealized starting team."
Booed during their draw against Chile at the Mineirão stadium at the end of April, the Brazilian team hopes for the support of their home crowd, according to the coach who won the World Cup in 2002.
"We are the Brazilian national team, and regardless of the state in which we play, I think we have to encourage whoever is playing, so that we can achieve the fourth Brazilian title (of the Confederations Cup)," he declared.
Felipão said that Brazil could have "different players" at the 2014 World Cup and revealed that assistant coach Flávio Murtosa will be observing youth team players during friendly matches in Espírito Santo, under the command of coach Alexandre Gallo. "We are following an integrated approach," he said.
The Brazilian coach also stated that after the Confederations Cup, 7 or 8 players currently playing abroad will be considered.
"We're going to make on-site observations so we can get a better idea. We're thinking well ahead of the Confederations Cup," he concluded.
(By Tatiana Ramil, in São Paulo)