Eriksson lends his support to a tearful Seaman

By Mark Bradley, PA Sport Chief Soccer Writer

Sven-Goran Eriksson insisted that David Seaman should not be made the scapegoat for England's World Cup exit in the same way that David Beckham unfairly took the blame four years ago.

Seaman was in tears at the final whistle in Shizuoka after misjudging the 30-yard free-kick from which Ronaldinho scored Brazil's 50th-minute winner in the quarter-final clash.

The 38-year-old Arsenal keeper, who was in reality simply caught out by a freak mishit cross, felt the need to make a public apology shortly afterwards only to break down in tears a second time.

With a lump in his throat, Seaman declared; "It's very hard to take. That's just life for a goalkeeper. I just want to say I'm sorry to all the fans, sorry to the people I've let down today.

"That's just the way it goes. I can only blame myself. It's a free-kick that's a long way out. I was expecting a cross and I'm sure that he meant to cross it.

"But he's mishit it and I've misread it and it's a goal, and it's got to go down as a goalkeeping error.

"My main thing is that I just want to say sorry to the fans, who have been absolutely fantastic. They've been just encouraging me, saying 'just forget it, you've kept us in this tournament'.

"It's just so hard, guys......."

With that, Seaman broke off in mid-sentence and traipsed disconsolately out of the stadium.

However, Eriksson was quick to join Beckham, who shouldered the blame for defeat against Argentina in 1998 due to his red card, and the rest of the squad in rallying around the experienced goalkeeper.

Asked how mistaken it would be for fans to treat Seaman just like Beckham four years earlier, Eriksson insisted: "That would be very wrong. Absolutely not.

"If you should kill mentally every player who makes a mistake, you wouldn't have many players in the squad for the next time.

"I mean, it was a lucky goal for Ronaldinho. Whatever he says, I'm sure he wanted to cross the ball.

"David did a very good tournament. He shouldn't be upset but I can understand that he is. I tried to talk to him myself.

"Unfortunately, it's normal to feel like that. It will stay for a while but then it has to go away. He shouldn't blame himself.

"Mistakes happen in football and you can't blame yourself or him for that. He saved us many times during the qualifying games and at this tournament."

Beckham added: "If anyone tries to make a scapegoat out of David then it will be an absolute disgrace because I think he has been the best goalkeeper in this tournament.

"The goal was not his fault. It was a fluke. It was a cross that ended up being a goal, so it will be a disgrace if he is made the scapegoat because he has had a world-class tournament."

England had taken the lead on 23 minutes when Michael Owen struck his second goal of the tournament but they were pegged back on the stroke of half-time by Rivaldo's equaliser.

Ronaldinho then struck with his fortuitous free-kick shortly after the break following a rash foul by Paul Scholes.

Defender Rio Ferdinand insisted: "It was a freak goal. I think he meant to cross it.

"I was in the drug testing area with him after the game and I asked him whether he meant it and he just started laughing. It wasn't the best way to go out but I don't think there is a good way."

Brazil were reduced to 10 men for the final 32 minutes as Ronaldinho was then harshly sent off for a studs-first tackle on Danny Mills.

The Leeds full-back revealed: "All I know is that when I cleared the ball, the fellow has caught me. You just have to let the referee deal with it."

England were nevertheless unable to break Brazil down thereafter and Eriksson finally tasted defeat for the first time in his 11th competitive game in charge of the side.

"I think it was a missed opportunity to reach the semi-finals as this was a good chance to beat Brazil," admitted the Swede, who wished his side had shown more patience and imagination against 10 men.

"But congratulations to Brazil as they are a very good football team. I hope they can reach the final and maybe they can now win it now.

"We made two small mistakes but that happens in football. I have no regrets."

England players believe that Seaman, who was also a member of the 1990 World Cup squad, has nothing to be ashamed of.

Gareth Southgate, the man who suffered the same sort of agony following his miss in the Euro '96 semi-final penalty shoot-out at Wembley, felt it would be harsh to try and put the two incidents on a similar level as he had made a mistake in having the spot-kick saved whereas Seaman had been undone by Lady Luck turning against him.

``I think it is different in this instance in that it isn't in any way his fault,'' said Southgate.

``It was a freakish thing and I don't want to go down down the route of `how will he cope' because he's not to blame for anything.

``Football is rubbish. It kicks you where it hurts most when you don't deserve it. He shouldn't in any way hold himself responsible. He did nothing wrong.''

Teddy Sheringham, the second oldest member of the squad after Seaman, said: "David could be upset but it is not his fault. Things like that happen. In my opinion he is still the world's best.

"As for myself and David, we don't know if this will be our last chance. You never know what happens and we will see."

Sol Campbell knows that England have surrendered a golden chance to reach their first final since their 1966 triumph.

He said: "This was going to be our hardest match. If we had won this match, we would have had an easy route to the final. Still, there will be plenty more chances to come."

Winger Trevor Sinclair said: ``David has been a mountain over the last decade for England. To see someone of his stature cry shows just how much it means to him and what England means to him.

``We don't blame him for anything. He's been brilliant in this tournament and I've been privileged to play alongside him. I think he should carry on (with England) because he's still the best.''

Striker Michael Owen, who scored his 10th goal in 16 games under Eriksson, said: ``David has probably been one of the best players in the tournament for us.

``It was unfortunate especially as it's probably going to be his last World Cup. He has been superb for England.''

West Ham goalkeeper David James, who sat on the bench for the whole of the World Cup, paid tribute to the resolute way Brazil played after they were reduced to 10 men.

"We are all disappointed. We have been knocked out the tournament, which is hard. We had a chance of progressing but Brazil defended well.

"Everyone underestimated Brazil's defensive capabilities. The fact they let in a couple of goals against Costa Rica put the underestimation there but when they did lose the man they coped very well.

"If we had lost 5-4 today in the best World Cup match ever played it would have been no consolation.

"But when we all go home and we have a look at it the positives will outweigh the negatives and with European qualification coming up I think we have done ourselves some good here," he told Radio Five Live.

Sheringham also feels that the samba sensations were allowed too much leeway by Mexican referee Felipe Ramos in using all their wiles and cunning to overcome Eriksson's side.

The Tottenham striker said: ``They are clever. Perhaps we are a bit naive at times. They are falling over and holding onto the ball and things like that.

``In the very first minute Roberto Carlos held onto the ball when we got a free-kick so we could not take it quickly.

``They got away with it once and they carried on getting away with it. The referee did not pull them up once.

``If any of our guys had done it, we would have probably got booked. They (Brazil) do it in such a clever manner. The ref is still smiling and they're still smiling.

``That's all part of the gamesmanship of playing in this tournament. You've got to have that sort of thing in your make-up to know what to do.

``I think in England you get very honest footballers and that is also what you get when you play for your country.

``If you look at the Latin temperament then it is all about not cheating, but gamesmanship.

``It frustrates you and gets you on a knife-edge.''

Coach Luiz Felipe Scolari believes the fighting spirit of his Brazil side is unsurpassed after they came from behind.

Scolari said: "With all respect to the players that have played for Brazil in its history, never have I seen a bunch of players defend the national colours with such pride.

"I think the spirit of these boys would be what I would praise most.

"To stay alive and not die was the only thought we had. That was the subject of my team talk with my players, that we could not die."

Scolari disagreed with the dismissal of Ronaldinho, who also set up the first goal, for his foul on Mills.

"I definitely believe it was not right," he said.

"Ronaldinho was kicked by the English player just before that.

"But sometimes we have been practising with 10 players and the media, especially the Brazilians, did not understand what we were doing.

"This is the moment I tell my players they did their job when it was demanded."

Scolari, nicknamed 'Big Phil', has come under heavy criticism in the Brazilian press for preferring a more aggressive style of play than their fans are used to.

But he said: "I have the feeling of a job well done. I hope people now believe in what we are trying to do.

"Being where we are now gives me a personal feeling of satisfaction."

Defender Roque Junior admitted they did not get flustered by either going behind or going down to 10 men.

"Although England scored first, we weren't upset by that and we played our football because we knew our chance would come," he said.

"Since we had to play with only 10 men, each player had to lift himself. It was that effort which brought us the victory.

"We have been criticised for having a weak defence, so we have thought about it and discussed positions and we made some adjustments."

Former Middlesbrough star Juninho joined the chorus of players jumping to the defence of Ronaldinho.

"He is not the sort of player who goes out to intentionally hurt somebody," said the midfielder.

"The referee didn't know what sort of person he was, so he sent him off. It was a mistake."

Brazilian star Rivaldo admitted England were their toughest opponents of the current World Cup so far.

He said: "This was the hardest match for us, but we knew how to deal with it.

"When we scored we would keep the advantage. We deserved the victory because we played better than England."

The 30-year-old also praised his team-mates' spirit after being reduce to ten men.

He added: "The strength we showed when we lost Ronaldinho and the determination of every player to win, were the key today.

"The sacrifice we made in the second half was incredible. We were missing one man and we had to do double the effort.

"But everything came out perfectly."

Rivaldo's strike partner Ronaldo echoed his team-mate's sentiments.

The Inter Milan star, well marshalled by the impressive Rio Ferdinand, praised Brazil's mental strength.

He said: "I'm very happy because we showed we're a very strong team. It was a fair result.

"We were best during the whole match, even with one man less. We won because we disarmed their midfield."

The 25-year-old also hailed the England backline, who damaged his golden boot chances with a solid display.

"The English defence played really well. It was very hard for me to find Rivaldo and Ronaldinho.

"I tried to move back to find the ball, but I'm not really concerned about who scores. I want to win the championship."

Ronaldo ended by reassuring fans his second half substitution was not due to injury.

He added: "I was feeling muscular fatigue. It's nothing to worry about.

"Now I will have time to recover. I'm not afraid, and I won't be missing for the semi-finals."