The Brazilian football team could base itself in Ipswich and play pre-tournament games at Portman Road ahead of their 2012 Olympic campaign, according to chief executive Simon Clegg. Brazil’s gymnastics squad are already basing themselves in town and Clegg says their footballing counterparts, which would be an U23 side, could join them in Suffolk ahead of the London Games.

Clegg told TWTD: “I’m delighted that we’ve now got the Brazilian gymnastics team here in Ipswich.

“There is the possibility of other aspects of the Brazilian team coming here as well and it would be great if we could attract the Brazilian football team. It’s on the table and it could happen, although we’re a long way off signing the detail.

“But we also have to be very clear that nothing will compromise our preparations for that season, that is the over-riding factor. If we can work around that to deliver some further benefit in terms of supporting [England’s bid for the World Cup in] 2018/2022 which has got some peripheral benefit to the club, then that’s something we should explore.”

In last year’s Olympics in Beijing, Brazil finished third in the men’s tournament, which was won by Argentina, and lost in the final of the women’s competition to the United States.

Portman Road previously hosted a pre-Olympics friendly in 1959 between Great Britain and the Caribbean FA ahead of the 1960 Games in Rome.

Clegg says the club considered putting itself forward as a potential venue for the FA’s 2018 bid, for which midfielder Carlos Edwards is an ambassador, but it was decided it was too expensive given the club’s current position: “I looked very seriously about the possibility of us bidding for the World Cup but that required a 40,000-seater stadium net and when you drilled down it meant you actually needed a 44,000-seater stadium gross because of the number of seat kills through press and VIPs.

“It would have been entirely irresponsible for me to commit the club to that sort of expenditure at this moment in time.

“That doesn’t mean we don’t aspire to being involved in England 2018 or 2022 in the event of the bid being successful for pre-tournament games.”

Town’s facilities could be used by one of the countries playing games at Milton Keynes, the Blues having been one of the MK Dons’ backers in their successful campaign to be included in the 2018 bid.

In the summer, Clegg revealed that the club had put Portman Road forward for possible use at the 2015 Rugby World Cup but says there has been “little movement” on the proposal in the last six months.

Photo: Action Images

Greektractor added 09:42 - Dec 17 so thats why cleggy came to portman road!
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itfc1981 added 11:09 - Dec 17 40,000 not ruled out at some future date! wahoooooooooo
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Tractorog added 11:27 - Dec 17 Well thats at least one team in Yellow and Green that play decent football and will be welcomed at PR
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ItfcFtw added 13:13 - Dec 17 If yhuu read it again, it says under 23's. So dnt get too excited (:
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Big_Foot_Blue added 14:04 - Dec 17 It may be under 23's itfcftw however players like Pato, Anderson and Robinho will be under or around that age in 2012 and they are also aloud 3 players above the age limit to make it a better spectacle so they could bring 3 of Kaka, Ronaldinho, Fabiano, Cesar, Alex, Dani Alves and Julio Baptista.... anyhow dont get too excited eh :P
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FenboyBlue added 14:29 - Dec 17 The influx of Brazilians I'm sure will please many in the Town.
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Dale added 15:27 - Dec 17 Brazil play in tellow and blue tractorog.
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moomoosereni added 18:10 - Dec 17 Robinho and Anderson would have to be 3 of the other players allowed but either way, I'm still looking forward to seeing a brazilian side play at portman road, U23 or not!
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Ash_TJ added 18:15 - Dec 17 @ big foot blue :- Anderson & Robinho will both be over 23. Most of the players included won't even be discovered yet, still 3 years away yet remember.
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blueasfook added 20:04 - Dec 17 I can't wait to see Kaka at PR. Most weeks we just get kak. Ha ha! I'm here all week.
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Carry_On_Campo added 21:01 - Dec 17 Oh good, I haven't seen Brazil play at Portman Road since the UEFA Cup final in '81 !
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campowasgod added 23:23 - Dec 17 What about the Womens Brazilian Beach Volleyball pair - I remember them from the last Olympics. Few tonnes of sand (Alan Ferguson wont mind) we would easily get 40,000. Then we have a stadium for the World Cup
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jamie22 added 09:53 - Dec 18 It would've been great to have the World Cup, but an increase in ground would lose even more atmosphere! We can hardly get 20,000 atm! But as soon as we start climbing the table into the playoffs they will all come back!
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