Is Queiroz the Best Portugal Can Do?

With the departure of Luis Filipe Scolari, the Portugal job is probably the most attractive opening in the world. So why is Carlos Queiroz the only option bandied about? Queiroz is Sir Alex Ferguson's second in command, and has been in that seat off and on since the '02 season.

Prior to that, his glory came as a youth manager in Portugal, winning two world youth cups, a European youth cup and two second-place Euro youth finishes. He had a shot with the senior team in Portugal in the early '90s where he managed 31 games, winning 14--hardly setting the world on fire.

On the club level, he coach the MetroStars in MLS, Sporting Lisbon and Real Madrid before settling in at the right hand of the Man U. Man.

So now Portugal wants him back?

Not sure I get it. Where is his senior-level track record that makes him the perfect guy to lead this team into the 2010 World Cup? Seems to me his greatest value/contribution of late has been on the administrative level and securing talent from his former club Sporting. Ronaldo, Nani, and maybe soon Miguel Veloso--all wore Lisbon green and white--and Queiroz is in the center of that mix.

Is that it? Is that why he's the chosen one for the national team job? Hmm.

In recent days, he's gotten the backing of former Portugal manager Oliveira, and is generally considered a fan favorite at Old Trafford. Some guys, however, are born to be assistants, and when given the chance to lead the ship, don't exactly flourish. I get the sense Queiroz is one of those guys, his youth-level success notwithstanding. Let's not forget what a bust Queiroz's golden generation was in the 1994, '98 and 2002 World Cups--failing to qualify for the '94 and '98 tournaments and were bounced out of the '02 Cup in the group stage.

To me, Queiroz is Ferguson's natural successor at Old Trafford--granted, he may be starting to think the old man is never going to give it up, and who could blame him. I'd hate to see Queiroz come in too, in a caretaker role. The thinking may be that Portugal is solid enough to get through World Cup qualifying no matter who is on the bench, and that perhaps the federation could coax Jose Mourinho away from Inter Milan at the end of next season to take on the Portugal job.

Pipe dream? Probably. I'm just not buying the Queiroz love fest going on.

Starting Eleven Football Blog Roundup

Don't know how many of you have Sirius satellite radio or Fox Soccer Channel, but I love World Soccer Daily on Sirius and Fox Football Fone-In. Steven Cohen, one of the hosts, loves to call the summer transfer period the "Silly Season." Now that Euro 2008 is over, let the Silly Season begin. Our weekly trip around the football blogosphere looks at some of the transfers you're going to debate over the coming few weeks.

• It's official: Deco has signed with Chelsea, after a few years in Barcelona. The Portuguese midfielder had a solid Euro and figures to pretty comfortable playing for Luis Filipe Scolari, the former Portuguese manager and new Chelsea boss. CaughtOffside wants to know if Deco's signing opens the door for Frank Lampard's departure? Will Blues fans be holding the door open for Super Frank?
• Soccerlens, meanwhile, isn't so sure about the Deco signing, questioning where Deco fits in among the midfield-heavy boys of Stamford Bridge. Clearly with Makelele, Lampard, Essien and Ballack, Scolari's capture of Deco is just the first move.
• Fanboom says Deco will bring a style to Chelsea's play long craved by owner Roman Abramovich, one that not even new Inter coach Jose Mourinho could deliver at Chelsea.
• Finally, lots of comments on the OleOle Chelsea blog re: Deco's arrival.
• For argument's sake, I'll send you over to The Offside for an interesting commentary on why the Premiership needs more players such as Deco, as opposed to Ronaldo. He laments the lack of craft and style in English football, and Ronaldo, he says perpetuates that straight-ahead and shoot mentality, in contrast to playmaker Deco. Personally, you're comparing apples and oranges here, but you make up your own mind.
• CristianoRonaldoFan questions whether there will be enough money left at Real Madrid to bolster the rest of the team should Madrid indeed sign United's No. 7.
• The UK Soccer Shop Blog has a pile of transfer rumors you can feel free to wade through. Ronaldinho to Manchester City? Ribery to Chelsea? Inter and Barca fighting for Hleb? Where does Adebayor end up?
• Gunnerblog tries to read between the lines of some recent comments made by Adebayor, and Arsenal fans cannot be pleased with his interpretation. Gunners clearly want him to stay, and aren't thrilled with the prospective replacements.
• World Of Arsenal wants Samir Nasri to cross the T's and dot the I's on his new Gunner deal.
• ClimateLovers says Robbie Keane has told Spurs officials he wants out. Liverpool appears ready to pounce. We Are The Kop and Liverpool FC Weblog say essentially the same thing.
• Football Rumors has a note about German Bastien Schweinsteiger leaving Bayern, possibly for Juventus.
• MLS Rumors is always a fun read. He's got notes on Pat Noonan, Josh Woolf, Portland's bid for a franchise, and a possible three-way trade between Toronto, Los Angeles and Chicago.
• Catch up on your Benfica news at Talking to the Doll. The Lisbon giants have been busy, this week Carlos Martins is brought in, the club's fourth signing.
• Sporting, meanwhile, has also had a busy offseason, resigning Marco Caneira, Fabio Rochemback and are chasing Hugo Viana.