Friday, March 13, 2009

Squad list announced. VERON back. No DENIS

After a rather busy and hot week in Argentina and with RIQUELME withdrawing himself from the national team, Diego MARADONA has finally announced the list for the upcoming World Cup Qualifiers against Venezuela (in Buenos Aires, 28 March) and Bolivia (in La Paz, 1 April).


Goalkeepers:

Juan Pablo CARRIZO (Lazio – Italy)

Mariano ANDÚJAR (Estudiantes de La Plata – Argentina)

Federico VILAR (Atlante – Mexico)

Defenders:

Javier ZANETTI (Internazionale – Italy)

Emiliano PAPA (Vélez Sársfield – Argentina)

Gabriel HEINZE (Real Madrid – Spain)

Daniel DIAZ (Getafe – Spain)

Walter SAMUEL (Internazionale – Italy)

Juan FORLIN (Boca Juniors – Argentina)

Marcos ANGELERI (Estudiantes de La Plata – Argentina)

Martín DEMICHELIS (Bayern Munich – Germany)

Midfielders:

Javier MASCHERANO (Liverpool – England)

Fernando GAGO (Real Madrid – Spain)

Maximiliano RODRIGUEZ (Atlético Madrid – Spain)

Jonás GUTIERREZ (Newcastle United – England)

Sebastián BATTAGLIA (Boca Juniors – Argentina)

Luis GONZALEZ (Porto – Portugal)

Juan Sebastián VERON (Estudiantes de La Plata – Argentina)

Ángel DI MARIA (Benfica – Portugal)

Daniel MONTENEGRO (Independiente – Argentina)

Forwards:

Lionel MESSI (Barcelona – Spain)

Sergio AGÜERO (Atlético Madrid – Spain)

Carlos TEVEZ (Manchester United – England)

Lisandro LOPEZ (Porto – Portugal)

Diego MILITO (Genoa – Italy)

Ezequiel LAVEZZI (Napoli – Italy)


In addition, it is believed (pretty much confirmed) that Daniel MONTENEGRO will wear the number 10 shirt and not Lionel MESSI, who prefers his traditional number 18.

So...from the 27-player we've been talking about here on Mundo Albiceleste during the last few days we only have to delete Germán DENIS' name.

22 comments:

John said...

Glad that all this complicated matters is settled. The last thing the National Team needs is all these distraction from of the pitch.

I wonder why MESSI doesn't want the No.10 shirt since he is already wearing that for Barca. Overall still a strong list of players compare to anything that Bolivia and Venezuela can offer (not to disrespect them though).

I wish to see Lucho GONZALEZ taking up the playmaker role.

But we will just have to wait and see exactly what does Diego has in mind.

Forza_albicelestes said...

I would hv liked Pablo Zabaleta in the squad.Glad to have Walter"the wall" Samuel back in the squad.He is simply unbeatable.Him and Micho will be grt for our defense.Also Cambiasso and & Higuain shoud be given a call up

messidona19 said...

i gotta admitt that out weakness has always been the goalkeeper's position , carrizo , andujar and the other one are not world class quality and it dissapoints me to see that spain has about 6 world class goalkeepers , italy have 3 , brazil have 2 , and all the other big teams do except us. and our defence really needs garay and milito to get bak and i hope that emiliano insua gets a chance in the left bak position my ideal team would be like this
ustari/romero?
zanetti milito samuel garay
mascherano gago
messi(free position) maxi rod
aguero higuain

Roy said...

Isn't Demichelis suspended for the next match? Anyways, my formation would be something like this:

Carrizo
Zanetti, Samuel, Heinze/Papa
Mascherano, Gago
Maxi, Gonzalez
Messi, Lopez, Aguero

Either Heinze or Papa on the left. I'd prefer Gonzalez as the playmaker over Veron and Montenegro just because I think he would link-up very well with Lopez up front. Play Lopez as the pure #9 because right now he seems to be on fire. If not Lopez, than Milito. NO 3 midgets up front.

Anonymous said...

Okey Seba, I want to request some questions. Although I follow the team very much, I am no expert in judging players like you unless it is messi, batistuta, riquelme. Now our team is always more stronger to most team but after roman is gone, I am just wondering, who is gona play that all important midfield role? It might be my mistaken gut feeling but I always think that is very important to our team. What do you think? Secondly, I really think we are desperately lacking some free kick takers here, not for next matches but for the WORLD CUP. do you guys have someone in mind. No Disrespect but Veron is just too old guys and I bet most of us will be groaning about him in the next game he will play. Maybe my biased POV towards him:-<
I don't know but even with Messi, I feel something is missing for the team to be perfect or sth like tht. Hope Diego knows million times better then me.
Vamos Albiceleste

Anonymous said...

Sorry MARADONA, but the team is missing RIQUELME .. He is Argentina only No. 10 for the moment !!

Anonymous said...

Dear Seba,


Riquleme is one of the Polite and Humble person I have ever seen. I request Maradona and company please go and convince Roman to play for National team.
I have seen the one of the banner during the boca Junior match yesterday saying
'Riquelme the Boca idol, Maradona the idol of the national team and the traitor' and 'Roman: The national team won't be the same without your magic, I support you to the death.'

It’s a very unfortunate that we lost one of the most gifted, valuable ,magical player . Without Juan Riquelme the National Team is not completed.
But I did not give up. I believe Riquelme will be back in national team. Both diego as a coach and Roman as a player could create wonders for national teams.

I am following your blog past 2 years and I am dying for each Argentinean football action. Every day I visited your blog and upgraded my knowledge about Argentinean football.
But past couple of days I am very disappointed because in this Riquelme and diego sega nobody has taken Riqulme’s side. Please understand that Roman is not egoistic. He is very honest and Pious and very down to Earth person. We must understand that somewhere he is Hurtled. But now we couldnot do anything .
Its in diego’s hand to convince Roman to play. Hope Diego will show his Hand Of God magic once again … Lets hope for the best .

Anonymous said...

I am totally with you, Diego have to solve this issue, it is his job after all. Roman did it before, and when he returend it showed that he isn't the ego type of players, so why not Diego go for it, and ask him back.
I know it might sounds bad, for Diego to ask him back, but c'mon we all know how important Roman is for us. He shouldn't just do it for Argentina and us, but he should also do it for Roman who gave Argentina alot but never took anything !!
It is about time to change and it is about time for those players to win something after all. After COPA AMERICA I cried badly for those who left us without a glory, Bati, Crespo, Ayala, and Zanitti, Veron would follow .. Riquelme could be different, and he could win the WC2010 with us this time !!

John said...

Namaste Lopez,

First all thank you very much for the compliment about our blog here. We really appreciate that is words like this can only inspire us to do more.

Let me be honest here, I am with Diego on this. I am not simply supporting him on this blindly. Diego wants his players to make to make the same sacrifice and walk the extra mile just like his comrade from 1986.

All he wanted from Roman is to be able to dribble past one man and work together with his team-mates up front. When Diego mentioned these words, it felt like a big relief to me that he wants his playmaker to work harder for the National Team.

I’m not saying that Roman is not talented or gifted but at times I feel he can do more for the National Team instead he chooses not too.

Roman’s reply was is that he doesn’t have the same code and ethics as Diego has. Now in another word, is it right for me to say that Roman does not wish to dribble past another player or work with his team-mates up front?

Diego did not ask him Roman to leave the National Team, it was all simply down to Roman’s decision just because he doesn’t want to dribble past players and help his forwards.

I also wish to say “Shame on you to all the Boca fans that came up with that banner”. Certainly they have forgotten just how much Diego has sacrifice to play for them back in his playing days.

Anonymous said...

John, the Boca fans do have a right to speak their mind. As a Boca supporter I do not mind, Riquelme has led Boca to many titles in the last years or so. He is a hero and a cult figure for many many people. Do not get me wrong, I admire Diego and love how he played football but he has burned many bridges in his day. If Argentina does not win the WC, a lot of the blame will be put on Maradona and he may have a falling out with the public. My father always told me to look up to Batistuta instead of Maradona just because of his antics off the pitch. Do I want Argentina to win the WC? More then anything in the world. But Maradona did not just cut ties with any player, he cut ties with a Boca legend. It has been to long for Argentina not winning a WC. I just hope he holds himself with some grace and does make a fool of the team and the Argentine people. I had a bad feeling when he was appointed the manager of the squad.

Jack!

Anonymous said...

Hey john thanks for your reply. I would like to tell you I am not against Diego, whatever he is doing is best for Argentina. No doubt the efforts he has taken to raise the players moral ..Its absolutely splendid work . But on the other side I felt bad about Riquelme. I am not yet convince or believe that Riquelme had left the national team. Anyways It’s a part of Game what can I say..
Hope the present national team will not disappoint us. Thanks and God bless ..

John said...

Thanks for the response guys!

Jack! Yes I do agree that Boca fans have the right to speak their mind. So is everybody else. But it is also important that we must be constructive with our statement.

I can understand that effectuation that Boca fans have for Roman. It reminds me how SA Spurs would rather support Argentina than their Redeem Team simply because Manu is there and there is no Tim DUNCAN on the US team. That’s fine with me.

But I also want everyone to understand that I’m not starting a anti-Roman campaign around here.

However I also wished that he would follow Diego’s example when it comes to leading the National team. The kind sacrifice that he has made for both Boca and Argentina.

If not Diego than what about Jose Luis BROWN? Remember him, the guy played with a dislocated shoulder at the 1986 WC final and was refused to be substitute.

About Diego would be blame if we don’t win the WC? Well I guess that comes with the job whether we like it or not the majority of the public will always put the knife on the coaches head. But that is negative thinking.

But I faith that this team can move on without Roman’s self centered behaviour. After all football is a team sport and the National team is not about certain individual.

As fans, let us put this unwanted episode about the NT behind us and give our unconditional support the team and hope for the best. Keep the positive aura alive.

messidona19 said...

kudos to john , great article. you are absolutely right , but i have to point out that maradona didn't do anything wrong for riquelme to just leave , and shame on boca fans for calling their greatest player a traitor for not doing anything really but just telling the media what he expects his playmaker to do on the field... i bet you that in 20 years time we will not be seeing riquelme go to the boca staduim and shout his lungs out for boca whereas a 68 year old maradona is!

Sebastian said...

Lopez, it is only now that I could read all the comments here. I wish I could have replied earlier, but here I am.

First of all, thanks for your comments about our blog. It's great to hear what you had to say. John and I are really happy to have readers like you here.

Secondly, I feel your pain and I share it. I'm sad to see that we won't have RIQUELME in the next World Cup. To think we will bring 23 players from this country to the World Cup and we won't see Roman as one of them, is nothing short of a catastrophe.

However, what's really important here and I think the majority of Boca fans are absolutely missing the point, is that it was RIQUELME who turned his back on the national team and not the other way around.

To read banners supporting RIQUELME was no surprise for me, but to see some insults or negativity towards MARADONA in some others, was incredibly wrong in my opinion.

Not to mention the chants by the Boca crowd, singing: "La selección se va a la puta que la parió" (which means: 'The national team can go to hell' -and believe me I'm not translating literally, the insult was stronger-).

RIQUELME fans saying: "Forgive them, they don't know what they're doing" or "Time will tell you you're right" really puzzle me.

Boca fans can praise RIQUELME all they want, after all...he could argue he is probably the best Boca player in history. To Boca, he is bigger than MARADONA. Diego only played one season there and RIQUELME won EVERYTHING with them.

What they should never forget (and fans from other clubs have understood this perfectly) is that it was RIQUELME who quit. It's as simple as that.

MARADONA should move on from here and do nothing to try and convince RIQUELME. If I was in Diego's position, I know I wouldn't.

Now if he thinks RIQUELME is crucial for his team, he should consider giving him a chance provided RIQUELME changes his mind.

Since that will never happen, I wish RIQUELME a life of happiness away from the national team and I hope he brings no more controversies to the table. We don't need that negativity.

Sebastian said...

Also...Messidona19, what a great comment that was. I completely agree with you.

Anonymous said...

John, to a certain point I agree with you. But Maradona is not holding himself up like a proper coach. This is what he to say in a interview not too long ago.

"Maradona warned Riquelme in an interview published in the daily Clarin on Friday not "to tarnish my name because I have more wit and cunning than he does," while also threatening to spill private details about Gorosito because "I know (him) well and I'm tough when it comes to getting the damage done."

I mean come on, talking about a man's private life. This is not 3rd grade. What he did the past was the past, remember Argentina did win a WC before Maradona took them to glory in 86. I guess I will have to put on my blinders and earplugs and just watch the national team and not listen or watch what Maradona has to say or do. I think it would of been much better if was never the coach. He is losing many many fans by the day. He needs to a better job and start acting like a man and a coach of the national team and not like a child.

Jack!

Sebastian said...

Hi Jack, as always, very interesting points from you.

I agree in that MARADONA should now think of his condition as a national team manager and measure his comments a lot more.

What I feel like saying here is that in both cases (RIQUELME and GOROSITO) it wasn't like he started an attack, he was more reacting to what the two said about him.

Yes, Diego was the first one who went public talking about RIQUELME, but it wasn't an attack. He was talking about football and the footballing aspects of what he wants from RIQUELME in his national team.

RIQUELME felt that was a terrible offense and so he quit and said MARADONA had no ethics, to what Diego responded and said what you pointed out in your comment.

GOROSITO 'attacked' the national team players on the supposed basis that they called MARADONA to tell him how happy they were that RIQUELME was gone (which MARADONA denied and swore on his grandson that it was a lie).

Again...Diego reacted and defended his players.

I guess it must be difficult for him to cut down on his interviews or heated quotes after living a full life talking about anything, anytime and anywhere.

Now he is the national team manager and he's going to have to learn that what he says affects other people (for the good or for the bad), so I'm guessing it will be an interesting learning process for him.

I take it as 'rookie' mistakes and I'm hoping it will change as he progresses and fully understands the nature of his new role.

Anonymous said...

I want to know why is it that Higuain is continuously neglected? Or has he declared not to play for Argentina?

Anonymous said...

I don't know why you are taking it aside to that. It isn't about Boca, it isn't about Maradona, and it isn't about Riquelme. Coz in the end, the whole thing is about Argentina.

It might be unbelievable for some of you that the guy who told me about this news was a River fan. And when he said it I thought he was joking, but when I saw the tear in his eyes I totally understood how big of a deal was it.

For the moment, Argentina needs Riquelem bcoz I believe he is the only number 10 we have. And other than that, the issue between Riquelme and Maradona have already cracked us all, and by time, I'll just hope this crack doesn't break us all. We need the WC2010, and we need it so bad !!

I always believed that family problems should be solve internaly, and that wasn't the case in here.. So am just hoping for the best !!

Riquelme should be back to the national team pool, but should he play this is up to Maradona. And both should consider Argentina there top proiorty and everything else should put aside.

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