The Triumphant Return of "Rehhakles"

Otto Rehhagel is promising a soccer party tonight when his Greek side takes on 2002 World Cup winners Brazil in the newly refurbished Leipzig stadium.

"We're going to play freely and with spirit and hopefully we can do ourselves proud," he said ahead of tonight's premiere clash in the second group.

Against world beaters like Adriano, Kaka, Ronaldinho and the ascendent Robinho, a Greek side of hard-working, but unknown team players will have a difficult time of it. After stunning the world by improbably beating France, the Czech Republic and then Portugal to win the 2004 European Championships, Greece will have to prove it is better than the faltering World Cup qualifying campaign it has waged so far (the Greeks are in danger of missing out on the World Cup, currently third behind Ukraine and Turkey).

But chances are good that Rehhagel will be smiling at the end of the match, no matter what the outcome. The Confederations Cup tournament is a sort of victorious homecoming parade for the German coach who has been consistently passed over for the national team job in Germany.

The architect of the impossible

A tough defender during his playing career, Rehhagel became a staunch advocate of a conservative, defense-minded playing style as a coach -- to astounding success. The 66-year-old won the German championship three times, the last with a team that a year before had played in the second division.

But his straight talk and controlling hand were too much for some German soccer functionaries, and his tactical style considered too throwback at a time when Germany wanted to join the rest of the world in employing modern playing styles.

What didn't work for Germany, worked for Greece. The country's sports journalists have credited the national team's amazing turnaround (they had competed in two international tournaments in as many decades, and didn't win one game) to the man from Essen. His authoritarian style was exactly what a soccer federation ruled by nepotism, corruption and petty disputes needed.

Rehhagel took a team of unspectacular individual players and formed them into a singular, compact side that confounded superior sides like France and Portugal with their disciplined defense and dangerous counters.

"Rehhagel respects his players," said midfielder Vasilis Tsiartas, in an interview with Die Welt newspaper. "He knows how to deal with us."

Underestimated, but struggling

Now, he's hoping his team -- largely the same one he took to Portugal -- will be able to repeat its success.

"They're European champions for a reason," said Brazilian coach Carlos Alberto Parreira. "Underestimate them at your own peril."

More is at stake than just the cup, however. Observers say Greece needs to use the tournament to find its form quickly, before missing its last chances to return to Germany next year to play in the World Cup.

Following his team's championship win, Rehhagel was offered a guarantee to compete in 2006 -- as coach of the German side. "Rehhakles" as the German papers dubbed him, declined. The reason? He said he wanted to finish what he started.