First of all, happy new year to all of you!
After a weekend full or Argentine goals all over the place (very well covered by John in a previous post), the news regarding our football national teams have Coco BASILE and Juan Roman RIQUELME under the spotlight.
A few days ago, Juan Roman RIQUELME confessed his goals for 2008 are "to win another Copa Libertadores with Boca and to play in the Olympics. I have played in every major tournament a footballer can play. I'm only missing the Olympics and I dream of playing there. I don't know if I'm going to be called up to play there because I don't even know who the manager of that team is going to be, but I'll prepare myself to be there".
Well...the answer to that question Roman was asking himself is already known. Julio GRONDONA, the AFA president, have announced today that Sergio BATISTA will be the boss of the Argentina Olympic team in Beijing 2008.
Alfio BASILE won't go to China because there will be activity for Argentina in the World Cup Qualifiers (at the same time the Olympic tournament is being played). Sergio BATISTA, newly appointed U20 manager, will be the one in charge and will have to decide which are going to be the 3 senior players that will join the group of U23 players the other side of the Great Wall.
There is no doubt that the former Diego MARADONA's team-mate in Mexico 86 will have a handful of talented players to go on a mission to defend the gold medal won by Carlos TEVEZ and company four years ago in Athens, when the manager was Marcelo BIELSA.
In other news, this week we'll have confirmation on whether Argentina will play a friendly match against Guatemala in February in Los Angeles.
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6 comments:
There's no need for Riquelme to play versus Brazil, so he might aswell go to the Olympics. Brazil has already mastered our gameplan and I'm not sure what else he can bring to the table(versus Brazil). As far as the Ecuador game, we can win that without him. So let the guy go to the Olympics and retain the Gold.
Great to have you back & Happy New Year to you!!!
I'm not going to take away ROMAN enthusiast to play in Beijing.
First thing first, I believe we should maintain the core our last years WYC winning team.
Then add on some quality with the likes of MESSI, GAGO, and HIGUAIN etc.
Then we'll think which over-age player we might want to take.
Certainly with news like this, ROMAN should be a part of it.
Not to disrespect other national teams in South America but having in mind that the first 4 teams in our WC Qualy tournament will get a ticket to South Africa 2010, then I don't think there is a lot to lose if we miss RIQUELME and other stars for those two games.
Besides, Brazil will be aiming to win the only major title they are missing and I can see KAKA, RONALDINHO and RONALDO all going to Beijing to support the younger guns.
It'll be levelled in that sense as both, Argentina and Brazil, will be missing a few key players.
Breaking News!!!
Argentina's friendly match against Scotland in Hampden Park has been called off.
Speaking of which....
Could someone tell how is good old Mauro ZARATE doing in Qatar?
Just curious that's all.
Well I am back after sometime away from here. First thing is first, Brasil does seem to have Argentina number in the last few meetings, but it is a cycle they always beat each other a few games in a row, and I have said it a million times 8 out of 10 times if those 2 faced off again with the same teams from Copa America ARG would win, so lets move on with that. All of a sudden everybody wants to play in the olympic and say go for it, back in the 40's/50's the gold medal was bigger then the WC it self case in point the great Hungarian team of the 50's. As for Riquelme going, I say go and Argentina will return the favor to Brasil when they come down to Argentina. It always is the same ending, 3-1 for both sides. I would love to see Messi in the olympics, also Di Maria and a couple others, maybe Crespo his sending off(I know they can only bring a couple players over 23 or so) because I know Crespo getting in the 2010 team will be very hard, 35 years of age OUCH! but again with the players now a days, they can play forever and plus his game is not speed. Oh ARG to play Guatemala in Los Angeles, that shall be good, even though it will likely be Argentina C team at best but I will still go if they do decide to play. Not too shocked Argentina will not play Scotland, it was a long shot from the start and I think the AFA wanted a bit too much money. Also a rumor has it Argentina might play Angola( YIKEEEES!) this year. WC Qualif is something we all want to see, we know they will qualif but how they perform is the key, but again ARG seems to have 1 amazing game in the group stages and fall asleep, 94 Greece, 98 Jamica, 02(NEXXXT) 06 Serbia&Mont. I have this feeling that 2010 is the year they will finally get back on top, it is the cycle of football, those 20+year gap,iTALY 82-2006, Brasil,70-94,ARG,86-2010???, Just have to wait and see what the hands of time has to tell us. As for Zarate, I think he has about 3 goals in 5 games, but he needs to leave that team and go to Italy or someplace.
Jack!
Great tribute to Cambiasso:
http://www.goal.com/en-india/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=548109
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