Brazil coach irked by questions over practice

KOENIGSTEIN, June 11 (Reuters) Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira appeared exasperated today as he faced a barrage of questions over why his first team had lost to the reserves in a 40-minute practice match ahead of the World Cup.

Brazilian media place an unusually heavy emphasis on what happens in a practice sessions, which are often broadcast live on television.

Parreira, who has already named his team to face Croatia in the world champions' opening match on June 13, has held several games between them and the reserves.

''I've been coach for three-and-a-half years, we've played around 50 matches and I can't believe people are going to judge me by what happened in one 40-minute training session,'' said Parreira.

''We've had eight or nine of these games and when the first team wins, nobody asks anything. As soon as the reserves win, I get lots of questions.'' Striker Ronaldo, whose weight has been one of the main talking points of the training camp, agreed with his coach.

''We have two first teams here,'' he said. ''Our reserve team is good enough to play in a World Cup.'' Both agreed that the world champions were getting itchy feet as Brazil waited for their first game.

''These players are used to playing every three days, they've been here for three weeks,'' said Parreira.

Brazil began their training camp in Switzerland on May 22 and arrived in Germany on June 4. They played one friendly international during that period, beating New Zealand 4-0 in Geneva.

''I want it to start more than anyone so that we stop talking nonsense and start playing football,'' said Ronaldo.

''Of course, you get a few butterflies before the first game but when the game starts, everything changes and it's just happiness because what everyone wants is to be playing.'' REUTERS PDS KP1919