A New Era

Really bad news about our playmakers retirement. Pray he comes back witha bang

Posted from  United States

Alfio, I could not have put better than you did. Great post!

Posted from  United States

Alfio, it’s sometime difficult to build a team composed of 30 very good players and choose the right winning eleven. Our last coaches were Bielsa and Pekerman. They made fatal mistakes. So what? Is all this the fans fault?! Why “shame on us”?! You should say shame on Grondona and AFA. What could we have done?

ARG fans are much more sad than you are. Read our posts before criticizing people. Lots of people love Roman here.

Except this, i agree with you. The problem exists in France or in Brazil. Silly coaches do stupid things and waste NT. This isn’t a new trend.

Posted from  Sweden

Maxilopez, as fans you could have put pressure on PEKERMAN to play Riquelme Messi and Aimar in Midfield. Ribery is a good example for France. He was not in the team until the fans keep calling his name whenever France played in Paris. So the french coach yielded to the pressure.

As a non-argentinean supporting Argentina to win the world cup 2010 in South Africa, I am hopeful that Basile and Diego Maradona will talk.

And if Riquelme does very well with Villareal, these two may change his mind for 2010. Anything can happen between now and 2010. Look at France, the franch coach forced Makelele to play for the national team.

For those who is sad about Riquelme quitting the national team, don’t give up yet. But first he MUST do very well for Villareal and the current argentinean team does poorly in a few games…

Posted from  United States

Great news, World Cup 2014 might be held in Argentina.

http://www.lanacion.com.ar/deportiva/nota.asp?nota_id=840710

Hope Argentina will do it and host WC 2014.

Messi will be 26/27 yrs old, when we will actually see him in his prime.
Tevez will be 30 yrs old.
Mascherano will be 29 yrs old…etc.

Plus the many talents that will appear between now and then.

With current squad and talents we have, I think we could win both WC 2010 and WC 2014 (especially if we host it).

Posted from  United States

Batigol,
I am glad you are so optimistic about Argentina winning world cup in 2010 and 2014.

Would you not agree if someone tell you that Argentina had the best squad in 2006? Yet we did not win.

So we need more than a good squad. We need an outstanding coach who could think on his feet when something unsual happens on the pitch. This is just one factor. Perhaps more importantly we need a coach who is willing to put the BEST team on the field irrespective of his insecurities about the players.

As Alfio stated so clearly in his post, it is so unfortunate that the argentines players are born in Argentina because they are not as appreciated as they deserve to be. Riquelme is just one example.

Posted from  United States

Thanks for the video batigol.

The WC2014 .We dont have the stadia to host it.It might be a joint WC with Uruguay.

Brazils president elect fell out with Blatter or somesuch .Also the condition of many of the proposed Brazilian stadia are apparently in a very poor condition.

Sandrahn could shed some more light on this. It would be fantastic to host it as it does give a better chance of winning it statistically.

Its codswallop to say the Argentinian players arent admired or praised in Argentina. Its in the nature of football fans to criticise however unfairly when their heroes dont live up to expectations however absurd those may be.

I’d put the blame more on a select band of journalists. Roman was proud to be an Albiceleste & to be Argentine. Those players styles could not have been formed anywhere else or their mentality.

Posted from  United States

Ken,

Some coaches handle pressure, others don’t. Domenech had pressure from the French press and fans, but also 98 WC winners: Zidane, Henry, Thuram… unlike Jacquet before 98, who refused Cantona and Ginola and was narrow minded. Pekerman didn’t seem to listen the critics except for Messi and maybe Tevez.

And yes, you’re absolutely right: we had the best team in 2006. Maybe better than in 2010! Who knows? That’s what frightens me, guys, we should have 3 or 4 stars on our shirts…

Even if, for me, the most important thing in football is passion and emotions. Argentina is our world champion. We love our team much more than other fans love their.

I also believe Riquelme could change his mind. 4 years are a long time and a new Playmaker with his class could also born and raise soon.

Aurelius, i’m very pessimistic about a WC in Argentina. Blatter and FIFA hate us. They could

Brazilian president is thinking about building 12 stadiums in his country. I don’t remember exactly one point, but i think that the Brazilian Federation chief was against Blatter at last FIFA elections. Though, i’m sure that a WC will soon be set in Brazil. Everybody want them to win: non-football people, companies, FIFA, …

Posted from  France

Crespo said that he loved Riquelme, but that if Roman had left la seleccion for his mother, he should be ashamed. He tells that too much people in Argentina, leave football whereas it’s so much important for people: Bielsa, Pekerman and now Riquelme…

Posted from  France

I love Crespo because of his hunger, which never seems to wane. It seems to be bottomless.

But Roman is a unique player, born out of a unique personality - more artistic than athletic. Whether we understand him or not, we all must recognize that this special personality is what makes him as a player. Soccer is filled with these type of wierdos, and that’s why I love the sport.

I want him to return to the NT, and I do think that he might. If his mother gets better, and if people really call out for him.

For people who don’t understand the mother thing - well, it’s just so South American. Remember - Riquelme’s mom had to deal with a son being kidnapped. I wouldn’t be surprised if Riquelme has been getting death threats (because those things happen all the time to celebrities). She gave birth to 10 children. She might be suffering from depression.

It’s all very melodramatic, but for some people it’s just impossible to watch a family member suffer. And for what? To be told by the press that you’re “indifferent” or slow or show no heart?

He’s such a wierdo. But you can’t the wierdo out of the genius. It’s born out of the same seed.

Posted from  United States

This is what Crespo said—

“I have a great respect for Riquelme as a person and as a professional. If one of the reasons for quitting the national team was his mother it is a shame.

“I am worried because recently many important people have decided to quit to the national team.

“First it was (Marcelo) Bielsa, then (Jose) Pekerman and now Riquelme.

“Something is going wrong in Argentinian football and if we are going to keep on losing talents I think that we have to sit down and stop this.”

________________”it’s a shame” not “he should be ashamed”. Maybe the translation into English is wrong….

Posted from  United States

I do understand and respect his decision, its just sad that the media has forced him into this before his time imo. I think family is so much more important than anything. Its easy to say he copped out and let down his country, but that’s bull…for us as fans we get excited for a couple of weeks every 4 yrs, and then eventually the excitement dies down and we go back to our jobs, families and lives, but for the players they must live in that unimaginable pressure and scrutiny 24/7, it cant be easy, and i sure would’nt want the guilt of something happening to my mom b/c of my job on my mind, so why should it be any diff for him. And like alot of you have said, who knows, if we need him and can’t find a replacement, he could come back…never say never, right?

As for the WC in Argentina in 2014, i’m so behind that!! I can see them doing a joint bid with a neighboring country, like u said alexa…i dont think they’d have the infrastructure to do it alone in this day and age, but then again if South Africa can do it, then why not. I somehow dont see fifa giving it to us though, we aren’t exactly their favorites, lol. I think Brazil will still get it.

alexa, thanks for the translation, i love crespo too and cant really see him critising riquelme for his decision…i mean did’nt he himself leave chelsea b/c it would be easier for his family in italy? the players are just human and they get homesick and have family worries like all of us.

Posted from  Canada

Good points Oilerfan. A world cup in South America would be tremendous, but I almost fear the idea of it being in Brazil or Arg. It would be like a spontanous explosion or something. If these players feel pressure and stress now, can you imagine what it would be like if they play the WC in their own countries’!? A nuetral territory like Chile or Ecuador would be more reasonable.

I always laugh at the idea of baseball or american football “world championships” (although they are doubtlessly amazing athletes). Becasue to compare the superbowl to the WC is just ridiculous. There is NO comparison to the pressure that these players have. It’s almost out of hand, or should be dealt with better, because players like Riquelme should never feel the need to bow out in their prime.

Posted from  United States

aguero scored the first offitial goal for athletico

Posted from  Canada

Pablo Aimar has not missed his chance for Argentina JP!! The guy is 26 and is finally getting regular games at Zaragoza and is in form too. Basile should use Aimar in the Copa America, integrate him in the team so we can launch aother assault on the WC 2010.

Aiamr will be 30 by that time and at the peak of his powers and unfortunately will be his last world cup. Basile should let him loose in the copa america.

And lets face it, who else is their to take over after Riquelme. Aguero is a forward, Bilos operates as a wingback /winger, Messi is a forward. Its Aimar time now!

Posted from  United Kingdom

messi is an attacking midfielder

he plays best as one

Posted from  Canada

fab, thank you for stating that about messi.

I dont understand why people say messi is a forward or why in the world argentina plays this kid as a forward.

He is an attacking mid. he is a play maker. that is where he is effective. there has not been a game that i didnt watch messi play, and he always produces, but with argentina he hasnt had his break out game yet, because thanks for this ridiculous formation that they play him in.

Posted from  United States

Ab. agree about Messi. He is always great with Barcelona, and, more than that, he seems very comfortable in the role given to him there. WIth Arg. he pushes a bit more, and as a result makes more mistakes.

He has great communication with Ronaldinho. WHo can be our Ronaldinho for Messi?

Posted from  United States

AIMAR

Posted from  United Kingdom

What about Aguero??? correct me if i’m wrong, but did’nt they play together for the national team in one of the fifa under-20 WC’s? if they’ve played to together before, they obviously can learn to build on that and get better playing together if given enough time. Aimar is a great option too though…all they really need is enough time to get comfortable playing with each other.

Posted from  Canada

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Posted from  Australia

Apparantly Fernando Forestieri has decided to play for the Italian under 17s, so it appears as though his future lies with the Azzurri.

Another Italo-Argentine for us, that makes it currently at Camoranesi with the senior team, Della Fiore with the under 21s and Forestieri with the under 17s.

Posted from  Australia

here is some info on him from wikipedia for those who read italian

http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fernando_Forestieri

Posted from  Australia

hi all, i have just come across this forum, my name is neill from london/kenya and life long argie fan.

regarding our poor defence i think heinz, rodrigues and samuel are still solid, as well as paulleta. i just long for the days of the tough argie defender to come back bring back the sensini’s chamots, and monzons. But we have a young team i think we should look and try for a taller forward could be maxi lopez, cavanagi, palacio. about requilme calling it a day what a shame, we sould have learned to trust his talent more. i knew when he was taken off we were going to lose against germany, i wish he changes his mind.

Posted from  United Kingdom

first huigan now foresteri whats going on!!!!!!, but i think we have enough players like foresteri, i wished huigan choose us as opposed to france.

Posted from  United Kingdom