This morning’s World Cup 2010 news round up has a special purpose, one which will hopefully become clear as the post continues...
Showing posts with label Barcelona. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Barcelona. Show all posts
23/09/2009
I can’t do it all, says Messi
The blame for Argentina’s poor World Cup qualifying performances lies with the team.
That’s according to Lionel Messi, the Barcelona forward whose own form for his country is now under intense scrutiny.
Messi is clearly reluctant to take the blame for a dismal run of form which has left Argentina on the verge of missing the World Cup for the first time since 1970.
“I'm not going to win a game by myself,” Messi told Spain's Radio 2. “It's the responsibility of everyone on the team,” the diminutive striker said in an AP report for USA Today.
Messi also had words of praise for beleaguered coach Diego Maradona.
“My personal and professional relationship with Maradona is tremendous,” he said. “Not just with me, but with everybody. Working with Maradona, it's impressive to see how he treats his players.”
Now Argentina waits to see if Messi and Maradona can end qualifying with wins against Peru and Uruguay. Anything less than victory in both games could see them facing an ignominious play off against the fourth placed team in the North, Central America and Caribbean group.
That’s according to Lionel Messi, the Barcelona forward whose own form for his country is now under intense scrutiny.
Messi is clearly reluctant to take the blame for a dismal run of form which has left Argentina on the verge of missing the World Cup for the first time since 1970.
“I'm not going to win a game by myself,” Messi told Spain's Radio 2. “It's the responsibility of everyone on the team,” the diminutive striker said in an AP report for USA Today.
Messi also had words of praise for beleaguered coach Diego Maradona.
“My personal and professional relationship with Maradona is tremendous,” he said. “Not just with me, but with everybody. Working with Maradona, it's impressive to see how he treats his players.”
Now Argentina waits to see if Messi and Maradona can end qualifying with wins against Peru and Uruguay. Anything less than victory in both games could see them facing an ignominious play off against the fourth placed team in the North, Central America and Caribbean group.
17/09/2009
Veron admits play-offs may suit Argentina
Juan Sebastian Veron has said he would be happy to settle for fifth-place in the South American qualifiers.
The midfielder knows this would see Argentina face the fourth-placed team from the North, Central American and Caribbean group over two legs for a place in South Africa.
“It gives us another chance to qualify. To qualify directly we will have to win ourselves and we need other results to help us, but for the playoff we depend on ourselves,” Veron told Goal.com.
Veron, who will miss the qualifier against Peru next month after being sent off against Paraguay, also had a few comments about Lionel Messi and why Argentina are under-performing.
“If you see how he [Messi] moves at Barcelona, and how they move at Barcelona, it is very different to the national team. What he has at Barcelona is players in front of him who arrive from the sides and important players inside of the area, where he supports, switches off and then continues.”
The implication is that Argentina don’t play this way, and Messi suffers as a result.
“What I see is that there are players who aren't at the level which everyone expects for the national team. And maybe for their clubs they have this. Maybe they feel more comfortable in one place than the other.”
The midfielder knows this would see Argentina face the fourth-placed team from the North, Central American and Caribbean group over two legs for a place in South Africa.
“It gives us another chance to qualify. To qualify directly we will have to win ourselves and we need other results to help us, but for the playoff we depend on ourselves,” Veron told Goal.com.
Veron, who will miss the qualifier against Peru next month after being sent off against Paraguay, also had a few comments about Lionel Messi and why Argentina are under-performing.
“If you see how he [Messi] moves at Barcelona, and how they move at Barcelona, it is very different to the national team. What he has at Barcelona is players in front of him who arrive from the sides and important players inside of the area, where he supports, switches off and then continues.”
The implication is that Argentina don’t play this way, and Messi suffers as a result.
“What I see is that there are players who aren't at the level which everyone expects for the national team. And maybe for their clubs they have this. Maybe they feel more comfortable in one place than the other.”
16/09/2009
Xavi eyes World Cup contenders
Barcelona's Xavi has begun the job of highlighting the teams which might threaten Spain in South Africa next summer.
To nobody’s great surprise the 29-year-old has picked out Brazil, Italy and Germany. He also believes England and the Ivory Coast are potential dark horses.
“We have a superb generation of players, we have already qualified for South Africa and also have the experience of playing there,” Xavi told Reuters.
England, says Xavi, “appeared to have found a new swagger and a solid foundation for possible success”.
He also likes Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney, and said a defence including captain John Terry and Rio Ferdinand would be hard to penetrate.
“England were the big absence from Euro 2008 and I expect they are itching to show they can win the World Cup.”
To nobody’s great surprise the 29-year-old has picked out Brazil, Italy and Germany. He also believes England and the Ivory Coast are potential dark horses.
“We have a superb generation of players, we have already qualified for South Africa and also have the experience of playing there,” Xavi told Reuters.
England, says Xavi, “appeared to have found a new swagger and a solid foundation for possible success”.
He also likes Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney, and said a defence including captain John Terry and Rio Ferdinand would be hard to penetrate.
“England were the big absence from Euro 2008 and I expect they are itching to show they can win the World Cup.”
01/08/2009
Robson remembered
Back in the summer of 1990 I'd just graduated and embarked on several weeks of happy drinking and footy watching.
Over the course of that sunny June Bobby Robson's team took us all closer to World Cup glory than we could ever have imagined.
Of course he was a great club manager with Ipswich, Barcelona, PSV and Newcastle. But he was also the width of a post (Waddle's shot) and penalties away from our first World Cup final since you know when.
With more luck we could now be remembering him as the manager of England's second World Cup winning side. It wasn't to be, but Robson deserved praise for his achievements that year.
Later he cemented his place in the nation's heart by repeatedly battling illness. Robson carried on through a succession of posts until eventually falling foul of the managerial merry-go-round at his beloved Newcastle. How sad that it should happen there, of all places.
Thanks for everything, Bobby.
Over the course of that sunny June Bobby Robson's team took us all closer to World Cup glory than we could ever have imagined.
Of course he was a great club manager with Ipswich, Barcelona, PSV and Newcastle. But he was also the width of a post (Waddle's shot) and penalties away from our first World Cup final since you know when.
With more luck we could now be remembering him as the manager of England's second World Cup winning side. It wasn't to be, but Robson deserved praise for his achievements that year.
Later he cemented his place in the nation's heart by repeatedly battling illness. Robson carried on through a succession of posts until eventually falling foul of the managerial merry-go-round at his beloved Newcastle. How sad that it should happen there, of all places.
Thanks for everything, Bobby.
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