Seleção: Dunga Explains Ceni And Adriano Absences

Brazil Coach Dunga has explained why he chose not to call up either a recovering Adriano (Internazionale) or São Paulo’s on-song veteran keeper Rogério Ceni for the forthcoming World Cup qualifiers that mark the start of the seleção campaign for a place in South Africa 2010…

Despite praising the SPFC keeper on Brazilian cable channel SporTV, Dunga reminded both analysts and viewers that “Rogério is an idol in Brazil and did well when he was called up to serve the seleção in Russia, but he’s 34 and we need to think of a World Cup in 2010, not just now”, he stressed.

He also repeated his confidence in both Júlio César and Doni, despite certain sectors not being convinced by either goalie. “I myself am convinced that they’re worthy of the task. Doni was great in the Copa América and Júlio César has also shown his potential in the friendlies as well as at club level”, he explained.

With Adriano he maintained his hard line. “Adriano needs to help himself first because he’s no poor little thing. He needs to give a chance to himself before he can be given another chance at international level”, he underlined. “If a person doesn’t want to dig himself out of trouble first of all then there’s no point.”