Last updated at 14:35, Tuesday, 15 June 2010

A SOUTH Cumbrian football mastermind is plotting the World Cup downfall of Brazil and the Ivory Coast for European giants Portugal.

MY FRIEND EUSEBIO: One-time Barrow Celtic junior Julian Ward (right) with Portugal legends Eusebio (left) and Antonio Simoes submitted

Julian Ward works as a scout for Portuguese coach Carlos Queiroz and will be telling the likes of Ronaldo, Nani and Ricardo Carvalho how to beat their big-name opponents.

Brought up in Greenodd and now living in Lisbon, Ward will be right at the heart of matters when Portugal open their campaign against the Ivory Coast in Port Elizabeth today (3pm kick-off).

“Ever since the draw for the finals took place, myself and our chief scout, José Alberto Costa, have been observing and analysing Brazil, the Ivory Coast and North Korea,” said the 29-year-old former Barrow Celtic player and St Bernard’s School pupil.

“With us drawing nations from Africa, South America and Asia, we have had the task of reviewing distinct styles of play, systems, individual technical qualities.

“Now we are at the finals, I stay and work with the team to provide in-game and post-game analysis of our own matches and feedback on the opposition. After the last seven months, the players and staff are well versed on the qualities of Ivory Coast.”

As well as being tasked with helping to plot the downfall of five-time champions Brazil, African top dogs, the Ivory Coast, and North Korea, Ward will also help collate reports on potential future opponents as the competition goes on.

Should both England and Portugal reach the semi-finals, there is the chance he will be spying on his home country, as this is the earliest stage the two sides could meet.

Until then, Ward’s two younger brothers, Dominic and Simon – who played alongside him for Barrow Celtic and Coniston – are jetting out to South Africa as fellow Portuguese fans later this week. They will be there to see Portugal play North Korea in Cape Town on Monday and their final group match against Brazil in Durban on June 25.

Ward said: “I am really excited they are going to make it out here. They will be the English branch of the Portuguese fan club for the tournament.

“They have adapted their names from Dominic and Simon to Domingues and Simão on their Portugal shirts as a token of Portuguese support, which I found quite amusing!”

As well as his imported Portugal fans, Ward is confident the team will be backed by strong support all-round, evidenced from the moment they arrived in Johannesburg.

“Once we were through passport control, we snaked our way past crowds of second and third-generation Portuguese fans who now live in South Africa,” he added.

“Bearing in mind Portugal only has a population of around 10 million, I am sure we will be one of the best supported European nations over here.”

Ward was appointed part of the Portuguese national set-up by Queiroz in 2008, a month before the start of the qualification campaign for South Africa. He has since scouted opponents and Portugal players themselves for the former Manchester United assistant boss.

“Having the opportunity to work for the Portuguese national team is as big a challenge as it is an honour,” said Ward, who played semi-professional football in Ireland before being given the job with Portugal.

“To learn and work alongside these guys each day is a privilege, and gives me the incentive to be the best I can be in my role.”

While he is currently rubbing shoulders with the best players and coaches in the world, Ward had a word for his former junior coaches, Dennis Boyd and the late Mally Jackson.

“I want to thank them for all their enthusiasm and encouragement, but most of all for making football fun for young lads. Even being with a national team at the World Cup, I still have great memories of junior cup finals at Holker Street.”

First published at 13:01, Tuesday, 15 June 2010
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk