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Paraguay team guide

In the last 12 years Paraguay have been one of the most consistent performers when it comes to World Cup performance � they are after all the only country along with Brazil and Argentina to have qualified for the last three World Cups making it to the knock out stage and two occasions, losing to eventual finalists both times. However, their performance in the Copa America has been less inspiring and their best performance in recent years has been a fourth place in 1989 something that couldn’t even be improved on when they hosted the finals in 1999. Their last triumph in the competition dates from nearly 30 years ago when they won it in 1979.

Although Paraguay didn’t name their manager for the tournament until March this year they have been one of the first countries to finalise their squad for the competition. They drop a number of European based players including Carlos Paredes (Sporting Lisbon) and Jose Montiel (Udinese). However, a number of players who have shone recently in South American football have been included.

The Paraguayan FA is trying to revamp the team after loosing two experienced campaigners in the shape of centre back Carlos Gamarra and Jose Cardozo from the attack, the new manager Gerardo Martins will be looking to reinvigorate the squad. The aim for the Paraguayans is to qualify for the World Cup in 2010.

A number of the players ply their trade outside of Paraguay indeed only 5 are based with clubs in the country. Libertad quarter finalists in this season’s Copa Libertadores supply two - the same number supplied by perennial challengers Cerro Porteno. Both clubs won the Championship under the new Paraguayan manager Gerardo Martino. A number of players are under contract to Mexican clubs, and the Primera Liga from Argentina also provides several players.

In goal the experienced goalkeeper Aldo Bobadilla will be between the sticks. He is currently contracted to Boca Juniors and ably replaced, when given the opportunity, ‘Paco’ Abbondanzieri who left for Getafe in Spain at the start of the European season. Bobadilla was also included in the World Cup squad last season and although started behind Justo Villar, also included in this squad, in the pecking order was given a chance after an injury to Villar during Paraguay’s first match with England in Frankfurt.

Defensively the cover will be provided predominantly by Julio Cesar Caceres who has been tracked by several European clubs including Wigan and Newcastle in the Premiership and will replace the hole left by Gamarra. Caceres has been playing in Mexico where he has been captain of Tigres one of the top flight teams there. He was also a key part of the Copa Libertadores winning team of Olimpia in 2004, the last time a Paraguayan team won the illustrious continental competition. His defensive partner will probably be Claudio Morel Rodriquez a centre back who plays his football for Boca Juniors and has been a key part of the team that has made it to the final of the Copa Libertadores this season. The key area that the defense will have to watch is the lack of pace. There are some suggestions that Paraguay will play with a three man defence, so making sure they don’t leave themselves exposed on the flanks or allowing themselves to be moved about too much by the opposition will b vital. Caceres, captain of the team, will have to be at his best to marshal his two colleagues if this is the case.

In the midfield Paraguay will be relying on Edgar Barreto to anchor the midfield. The NEC Nijmegen midfielder has settled well into life in Holland and will be looking to a good Copa as he continues the progress he made whilst captaining the u-23 squad in the Olympics in Athens in 2006 that reached the final. He may well be joined by Julio dos Santos in the centre of midfield who is an exciting talent currently plying his trade for the German team Wolfsburg on loan from Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich. Whether dos Santos remains with Wolfsburg for next season is highly unlikely as his new manager will be Felix Magath his previous manager at Bayern who was quoted when asked about dos Santos’ progress stated “his development doesn’t please us�it makes no sense to keep a player at this club who does not create”. Dos Santos will be looking to play himself into the shop window and could be the key player in linking up midfield with attack.

Providing some flair from out wide will be dos Santos’ clubmate Jonathan Santana who has become a naturalized Paraguayan courtesy of his mother, despite being born in Buenos Aries. He attracted the attention of European clubs in the Argentine Premier league at both San Lorenzo and lately at River Plate. He hasn’t shown the sort of form he is capable of this season and has had some problems settling into the relatively small town of Wolfsburg, despite the presence of several of his countrymen at the club. On his day though Santana is lightening quick, can beat defenders comfortably and is capable of delivery a fine cross.

Up front Paraguay look potent and could cause teams problems with their attack. Oscar Cardozo and Salavador Cabanas have been on fine form for Newells Old Boys (Argentina) and Club America (Mexico) respectively. Cabanas is the top scorer of this season’s Copa Libertadores despite Club America being knocked out in the quarter finals. In total he has managed 19 goals in 40 appearances this season since arriving from Mexican rivals Jaguares. However, his scoring record this season has been eclipsed by Oscar Cardozo who has spent the last season and a half with Newells. He has notched 22 goals in 33 appearances for the Rosario based team which has propelled them from the brink of relegation to potentially qualifying for next seasons Copa Libertadores (something that is achieved via league position). If these two can find a partnership they could well set the tournament alight. If they fail to sparkle there is always Roque Santa Cruz who seems to have been about for ever but is in fact, only 25. Now in his 8th season at the German side he has never truly established himself. The arrival of the like of Luca Toni and potentially Miroslav Klose have done his chances no good at all and a move in the summer after the tournament could well be on the cards.

Keyman:
Julio dos Santos has to be considered the lynchpin of this team. Yet to have a side built round him the former Paraguayan player of the year in 2005 has to sparkle if the forwards are going to get any service. The new manager Martino surprised a lot of people playing a 3-4-1-2 formation in his first friendly match against Austria and dos Santos should get the room to create chances playing in the hole.

Posted by Walter Townsend on Saturday, 23rd June 2007

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