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Uruguay’s Opening Gambit



The wires are reporting Oscar “El Maestro” Tabarez has already named his Uruguay team for the opening match against France on Friday.  This is a classic opening gambit designed to take advantage of current French insecurities.

The French don’t know what they are doing in South Africa.  “El Maestro” has just signaled the Uruguayans do. “The system we have chosen can adapt to the different things we could face against France,” said “El Maestro”.

Mauricio Victorino who plays for Universidad de Chile and midfielder Egidio Arevalo Rios (pictured above) who enforces the midfield for Penarol in Montevideo, are solid squad players, but not stars.  So what is behind El Maestro’s opening gambit? What is he really saying by including Vicotorino and Rios?  What is he really up to?

The reflex among some Uruguayan commentators and bloggers is to express disbelief and sigh.  But El Maestro is thinking deep here, which is what he has to do if Uruguay are going to go deep into the tournament and win the World Cup.

Uruguay do not need stars to beat France is also the message here.