Brazil's coach in plagiarism row

By Steve Kingstone
BBC News, Sao Paulo

Brazil's national football coach, Carlos Alberto Parreira, has been accused of plagiarism following the publication of a new book about tactical aspects of the game.

Brazil's footballing fame is built upon sheer flamboyance

The coaching manual, entitled Tactical Evolution and Strategies of the Game, bears Mr Parreira's name.

But a Brazilian newspaper says it bears striking similarities to a book published in 1973 by the English Football Association (FA).

The earlier volume, Tactics and Teamwork, was written by the FA's former director of coaching Charles Hughes.

He controversially advocated so-called "route-one" football, which argued that most goals resulted from movements involving fewer than five passes.

Many of today's English coaches see Mr Hughes' formula as outdated.

Route-one football would also appear to be in stark contrast to Brazil's traditional game, built on intricate passing.

'I don't have a book'

Analysing the two books, the Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper concluded that some sections of the FA manual - covering fitness training and player formations - had been translated almost word-for-word into Portuguese.

Mr Parreira says the book was published without his permission

The name of Charles Hughes appears only in the bibliography of the Brazilian publication.

Mr Parreira, who coached Brazil to the World Cup in 1994, confirmed to the newspaper that he had translated the thoughts of foreign coaches as part of a series of university lectures.

Furthermore, he said he had passed the translated material on to the Brazilian School of Football (EBF).

But he said the EBF had taken the decision to publish a written version. "This is not my book," he told the newspaper. "I don't have a book."

The Brazilian coach also pointed out that the new manual is not on general sale - but is rather intended for would-be coaches.

With Brazil taking on Paraguay and arch-rivals Argentina during the next week, football fans will be looking out for the English, route-one influence.