Uruguay – World Cup Preview

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To look at the qualifiers on paper you might doubt the prowess of Uruguay. They needed a play-off win against Costa Rica after finishing fifth in the CONACAF group, they slipped through by virtue of an away win and a draw at home.
La Celeste bagged high scoring wins against Bolivia (5-0) and Peru (6-0) but they also conceded 4 against Brazil and failed to score in that fixture. Things seem a little unpredictable.
Manager Oscar Tabarez, also known as El Maestro, has seen a good wedge of club football in his time so he’s experienced at coaching players into organised systems. He needs now to instil confidence and heart into his players.
After failing to qualify for the World Cup in 2006 and not making it past the first round in 2002 Uruguay seems to be developing its own self fulfilling prophecy, the rest of the world can see they have promise but success just seems to slip away from them.
The inconsistency in qualifying will do them no favours either, they do have skilled players but there is a general downcast feeling surrounding the camp due to the patchy groundwork in getting to South Africa.
In spite of all this Diego Forlan is as impressive as ever as a striker and he now has a partner in Luis Suarez. At 23 Suarez has 29 caps and 10 goals, yet he could still learn a trick or two from Forlan. Captaining the squad will be Diego Lugano of Fenerbahce, he’s an imposing central defender who can boss they air at either end of the field.
So there are positives then. Tabarez is in his second stint with Uruguay after taking them into the second round in 1990 and if he can replicate that achievement he shall do the country proud.