A Gentleman's Agreement

The weekend prior to international fixtures is a nervous time for the national team coaches. They wait apprehensively to see if their players have come through unscathed and are given the green light by their respective clubs. Maybe the odd pulled muscle, cramp or such like is occasionally exagerated by the club sides? Who knows. If that is the case who can really blame them, after all it's not the FA's who pay these guys salaries and transfer fees. Now that revenue seems to be the major driving force behind the club game an injury to a 'crack' in an apparently meaningless friendly could have major consequences.

To avoid any future 'will he or wont he play' shenanigans or any potential injury Barcelona have devised unique new approach: Lionel Messi will only play friendly matches when Barcelona say he can. This proposal is not quite as surprising as it first appears. The pre-Olympics tug of war between the AFA and Barcelona meant that Messi could travel to Beijing. However Barca only agreed to release the player on the understanding that they could refuse call-ups for friendly games. A Catalan delegation are in Argentina this week to see if the AFA are as good as their word in an effort to try to make the agreement more formal.

Personally I wouldn't cross the street to watch an international friendly nowadays. Even the commentators struggle to keep-up with the constant substitutions in the 2nd half. Argentina's next international friendly is against Scotland in Glasgow on November 19th and I suspect many tickets will have been sold for this game in anticipation of Messi playing.

Hasta luego!

Let the Games Begin

Far be it from me to question the tactical know-how and knowledge of a World Cup winner, however I was a little surprised when Sergio Batista, the Olympic teams' coach admitted he'd been visiting an astrologer. Thoughts of Eileen Drury, Glen Hoddle and controversial quotes to the media crossed my mind. However if 'El Checo' and his boys bring home the gold who'll care? In an engaging interview with the sports daily Ole the chain smoking 45 year old revealed that he wouldn't stop puffing anytime soon (Marlboro's are his faves) and under no circumstances would he be shaving off his beard. The cigarettes seem to have aided his confident outlook and his belief in his own ability, win or lose he'll return to Argentina to ride out the storm.

Would he be prepared to leave out Messi, or Riquelme? The team comes first, if it has to be done it will be. In the case of Messi this may be taken out of his hands given the protestations of Barcelona and the situation seems to be having an unstabilising effect on the player. There's nothing quite like putting additional pressure on the lad though, he sees Messi as a leader in the same vein as Maradona was in '86. What's more when asked who is currently the best player in the world he responded: Messi, followed by Kaka, Robinho and then Riquelme. Did he forget Frank Lampard Junior??????!!!!!!!!!!

GOLD - always believe.

Hasta luego