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Caption: Roque Santa Cruz with Blackburn Rovers teammate and Bafana Bafana striker Benni McCarthy.

The ‘Rock’ warns on Paraguay’s strength

Posted: 2008-03-12 09:37

Paraguay is as strong as Brazil or Argentina, however, because the Guaranies do not get as much recognition as their bigger South American counterparts, they are out to prove a point.

This is the opinion of Roque Santa Cruz, Benni McCarthy’s strike partner at Blackburn Rovers, who is likely to be in the South American squad that takes on Bafana Bafana on March 26.

Paraguay currently tops the South American qualifying group for World Cup 2010, ahead of Argentina, Brazil and Columbia with 10 points from four games and the
Bafana Bafana coach Carlos Alberto Parreira agrees and forecasts a tougher match against Paraguay in a fortnight’s time.

“They are of the most solid teams in South America and have participated regularly at recent World Cups. The fact that they are ahead of Brazil and Argentina in the FIFA 2010 World Cup qualifiers underlines a lot of their capabilities,” he says.

Santa Cruz is confident that his country will make a better showing in the global showpiece this time around.

“Over the past few years, we’ve become a lot stronger. Like at Blackburn, Paraguay is not content with just doing well at home - we want to do well away from home too - and I think other countries are now realizing this. So, yes, I hope that we do stay above Brazil and Argentina and everyone else - and I think we can.”

Santa Cruz says in the past the Paraguayan and English styles of play were quite similar, but both are changing.

“Now, I think that the Paraguayan players are becoming a bit more South American in their style and that’s developing. Paraguay is becoming technically stronger, probably because their players are moving abroad to develop their skills.”

The 26-year-old ‘Rock’ accepts that his homeland has always done well in qualifying for the World Cup, but seems to struggle once the tournament proper begins.

“I don’t think we’ve done well in managing the pressure of playing in tournament environments; but the more you play in events like the World Cup or the Copa America, the more your confidence grows. You know what to expect - and you know what you have to do.

“In the future, you will see Paraguay change. You’ll see us becoming a better team.

“If you want to become a great team you have to have good players to give the coach options.”

Paraguay’s Argentinian coach Gerardo Martino is attack-minded. He often uses three out-and-out strikers up front.
And it is not as if he lacks options in this department.

Apart from Santa Cruz, he already has Salvador Cabanas Ortega who plays for Club America in Mexico, Nelson Valdez who turns out for Bundesliga Borussia Dortmund as well as Oscar Cardozo, who is with Benfica.

After being part of a squad that won five Bundesliga titles, the UEFA Champions League and the Intercontinental Cup in 2001, Santa Cruz has also found time to record a top 40 song and get named as the best looking player at the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany.

Fourteen goals in 31 starts for Blackburn this season has led coach Mark Hughes to declare: “He is quicker, bigger, stronger and better looking than I was!”

“It’s fantastic to learn from such a great striker, but what has impressed me is how mentally strong Hughes is. He talks to you, knowing exactly what it is like to be a striker, and the situations that you face both in training and in matches. For me, that’s brilliant.”

Copyright 2007 KICKOFF.com  |  2008-03-12 09:37

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