Pua lost his job after their early exit (Allsport)
FRANCE DRAW WAS THE KEY - POYET
By PA Sport Staff
Tottenham midfielder Gus Poyet believes
Uruguay's World Cup demise boils down to their failure to beat 10-man France.
The former Uruguay international claimed his old team-mates missed their big
chance when they drew 0-0 with the holders, irrespective of the opening defeat
to Denmark and the 3-3 draw with Senegal which ultimately sent them home.
"I think the problem for Uruguay was not the game against Denmark or Senegal,
the problem was the game against France," Poyet told the Tottenham website,
www.spurs.co.uk.
Uruguay failed to break down France despite the reigning champions being
reduced to 10 men when striker Thierry Henry was sent off after 25 minutes.
"When you play in a World Cup for just under 70 minutes against a team with
one man short - that is a game to win and get three points.
"I thought 'now it is up to us' to get a result and go through, but we
didn't."
However, he paid tribute to the team's effort in drawing 3-3 with Senegal
after being 3-0 down in the final match.
"Against Senegal it was a very good reaction, but we still went out. At least
we went out leaving a very good image of ourselves - everybody talking about
Uruguay's second half and that is good."
Poyet feels the public reaction to Uruguay's departure will have been softened
slightly by the storming second half against Senegal.
"But now everybody will ask why we didn't play the other two games, and the
first half of that game, exactly the same. At the same pace and with the same
attitude."
Manager Victor Pua has already fallen on his sword and taken full
responsibility for Uruguay's elimination, but Poyet feels the media pressure he
was under in Uruguay was intolerable.
"It's normal, but there was so much going on. I was trying to check something
before in the Uruguayan press and there were too many rumours before the World
Cup. About the players that were going and the players that were out - too many
rumours.
"Every single member of the press in Uruguay thinks they are the manager and
it is too much."
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