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| Pre World Cup National Team News; News and discussion | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Jan 22 2010, 10:17 AM (1,043 Views) | |
| Merengue | Jan 22 2010, 10:17 AM Post #1 |
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I thought I would start a thread for pre World Cup European national team news and discussion. There already are separate threads in their respective forums for news about England's, Italy's and Spain's national teams so discussion about those teams should stay there but this will be a place for information about Europe's other national teams as they get ready for the 2010 World Cup. I will start off with Germany as this week I saw a wire service story on Germany coach Jurgen Low meeting with Thorsten Frings to tell him he will not be including him on Germany's team for South Africa. Two reactions, one is it is surprising but refreshing to hear of a national team coach personally meeting with a player to explain his situation rather than simply casting him aside. Secondly, Frings has been on the outs with Low for some time now so this move is hardly surprising. Frings was a damn good player and can still probably be useful to Germany but injuries have hampered him recently and he no longer is what he once was. |
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| Martin | Jan 22 2010, 11:40 PM Post #2 |
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Van Gaal is upset at Low (isn't his first name Joachim not Jurgen?) because he is calling a mini training camp next week to get his national team candidates together, test their fitness, do some training, etc. because there are so few opportunities to gather players together before coaches have to pick their World Cups quads. Van Gaal, a former national coach of Holland who should have some appreciation of what is ahead of Low, is upset at losing players for this training camp even though none will miss any league matches. A typical club v country conflict. If I am not mistaken Low has also told Kevin Kuranyi he won't be going to South Africa either. Gomez, Klose, Podolski and Kiessling seem to have the forward positions wrapped up with Cacau and Helmes challenging for a spot too. What is ironic is that at Bayern Munich Mario Gomez starts ahead of Miroslav Klose but with Germany it is Klose ahead of Gomez. I wonder how often that situation has arisen with a national team? |
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| Mr. Pither | Jan 27 2010, 11:16 PM Post #3 |
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Yes Germany's coach is Joachim Low. I think the most fascinating aspect of his mini training camp was the inclusion of both Toni Kroos and Thomas Muller, a pair of teenaged attacking midfielders. Both but especially Kroos can add something different to the national team and it will be interesting to see if either or both can make the World Cup squad. They are, however, the future of Germany's team. |
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P-I-T-H-E-R ...as in Brotherhood, but with PI instead of the BRO and no HOOD | |
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| Merengue | Jan 29 2010, 03:26 PM Post #4 |
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Thanks guys for the correction on Joachim Low's name (I can't get the umlaut in his last name typed). I can see one of Kroos or Muller making the World Cup team, but do you really think both can make it? Not when there already are Schweinsteiger, Ballack and Trachowski. |
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| ursus arctos | Feb 8 2010, 04:03 PM Post #5 |
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Speaking of Jogi, I was quite surprised to read in Raphael Honigstein's post at the Guardian this morning that things between him and the DFB appear to have reached the "irreconcilable differences" stage: Jogi Löw's tenure as Germany manager will end after the "last 16" round of matches at the World Cup. That's not a prediction, that's official. His contract expires on 30 June 2010 and is unlikely to be extended, either before or after. Asked whether he could envisage continuing beyond South Africa, a visibly irritated Löw was dismissive on Sunday. "We'll have to see if they will still want us and if we are willing to enter talks at all at that stage," the 50-year-old said. "It does look as if the German FA will have to look for a new manager come July," wrote Berliner Zeitung. In the space of a week, the reliably smooth operator and poster boy for male grooming products has become thoroughly sour-faced. Löw is extremely upset about the way the FA's botched attempt to renew his contract was handled. "I'm very angry about what went on and the fact that certain things were leaked to the public," Löw said. Germany's start of the World Cup year couldn't have been worse: the travails of John Terry are positively petty in comparison. Notwithstanding the fact that none of the principals (Low, Zwanziger, Bierhoff or Sammer) have any Bayern Munich connections, it seems that the "FC Hollywood" mindset has "infected" the national team. |
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| raconteur | Feb 9 2010, 10:20 AM Post #6 |
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Today's news is that Low and the DFB have kissed and made up, sort of. They agreed that any talks about negotiating a contract extension will take place after the World Cup. To me that basically means if Germany do well, they will discuss a contract extension, one in which Low will have a lot of bargaining power. If Germany do not do well in South Africa then they can part ways. Sounds like a reasonable approach to take. |
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| Merengue | Feb 9 2010, 12:47 PM Post #7 |
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I used to be amazed at the longevity of German national team managers, when I was old enough to know what I was watching, I recall the 1974 World Cup and reading that Germany was then only on it's second manager, Helmut Schon, with Sepp Herbergger being the only previous coach of the national team. Since then they have changed managers more frequently with Jupp Derwall, Franz Beckenbauer and Berti Vogts all holding the job for 2 World Cups each but since then Germany have gone through coaches more frequently. Maybe Low can break this recent streak of more rapid turnove rin national team coaches? As raconteur wrote, a successful World Cup would give him the bargaining power to continue if he so wishes. |
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| Yogi | Feb 9 2010, 01:52 PM Post #8 |
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First of all I like Joachim Low's nickname, even if it is spelled the German way with a "J"! :lol: The sport has changed now and national team coaches who remain in their post for two successive World Cups are now very much the exception rather than the rule. Marcello Lippi left but has since come back to Italy but I was trying to think of any others and I think Lippi and France's oft criticised coach Raymond Domenech will be the only two coaches in South Africa who also led their teams at Germany 2006. Ironic isn't it that Domenech would be the only coach who has maintained his position since 2006 who is still directing his team at the following World Cup. So times have changed and long coaching spells at the national team level like Herbergger, Schoen and Walter Winterbottom had no longer are the case today. If Low lasts through 2014 then he will be definitely the exception to the modern rule. |
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| ursus arctos | Feb 9 2010, 02:06 PM Post #9 |
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Interestingly enough, Morten Olsen (Denmark) and Otto Rehhagel (Greece) have both been in their jobs since around 2000, notwithstanding the fact that neither of teams qualified for the 2006 World Cup. That said, Olsen did lead Denmark to Japan/Korea in 2002. |
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| Manzanares | Feb 9 2010, 08:27 PM Post #10 |
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I do not know about Rehhagel's plans, he is already in his mid 60s I believe but I did read where Olsen will step down as Denmark's coach after the World Cup. Sweden's coach Lars Lagerback coached that team from 2000 until he stepped down after Sweden's elimination from the World Cup last November. For 4 of those years he was a joint coach with Tommy Soderberg but since 2004 Lagerback held the job on his own until he recently stepped down. Rehhagel of course had the benefit of coaching Greece in their one national team triumph at Euro 2004 which must have given him job security. But what of Olsen and Lagerback? I think we can put that down to Scandinavian practicality, the coaches did a good job with their respective national teams so why not keep them in their post? The sort of stability other national team coaches must envy! |
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| Merengue | Feb 25 2010, 10:31 AM Post #11 |
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A fascinating game coming up next week between Spain and France. This is the roster France have called up for that game, Goalkeepers: Cedric Carrasso (Girondins Bordeaux), Hugo Lloris (Olympique Lyon), Steve Mandanda (Olympique Marseille) Defenders: Aly Cissokho (Olympique Lyon), Patrice Evra (Manchester United), Julien Escude (Sevilla), Rod Fanni (Stade Rennes), Bacary Sagna (Arsenal), Jean-Alain Boumsong (Olympique Lyon), Michael Ciani (Girondins Bordeaux), Adil Rami (Lille) Midfielders: Lassana Diarra (Real Madrid), Yoann Gourcuff (Girondins Bordeaux), Moussa Sissoko (Toulouse), Jeremy Toulalan (Olympique Lyon), Benoit Cheyrou (Olympique Marseille) Forwards: Nicolas Anelka (Chelsea), Sidney Govou (Olympique Lyon), Thierry Henry (Barcelona), Florent Malouda (Chelsea), Loic Remy (Nice), Hatem Ben Arfa (Olympique Marseille), Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich), Louis Saha (Everton) New call ups for Saha, Ben Arfa, Cheyrou and Ciani. I am kind of surprised at ben Arfa but with Ribery's health a question mark, lately, maybe Domenech realizes he needs other wide players? Ciani has been excellent as of late and thoroughly deserves his selection, as has been Saha. |
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| raconteur | Feb 25 2010, 10:53 AM Post #12 |
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Injuries to Gallas and Benzema have opened up opportunities for some others. Bordeaux's excellent goalkeeper Carrasso and centerback Ciani have played well enough to warrant their selections here. |
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| Yogi | Feb 26 2010, 02:49 PM Post #13 |
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Germany's impressive looking team to play Argentina next week: Goalkeepers: Rene Adler (Bayer Leverkusen), Manuel Neuer (Schalke). Defenders: Jerome Boateng (Hamburger SV), Arne Friedrich (Hertha Berlin), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), Per Mertesacker (Werder Bremen), Marcel Schaefer (Wolfsburg), Serdar Tasci (Stuttgart). Midfielders: Michael Ballack (Chelsea), Christian Gentner (Wolfsburg), Thomas Hitzlsperger (Lazio), Aaron Hunt (Werder Bremen), Marcell Jansen (Hamburger SV), Sami Khedira (Stuttgart), Toni Kroos (Bayer Leverkusen), Marko Marin (Werder Bremen), Thomas Mueller (Bayern Munich), Mesut Oezil (Werder Bremen), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich), Christian Traesch (Stuttgart), Piotr Trochowski (Hamburger SV). Forwards: Cacau (Stuttgart), Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich), Stefan Kiessling (Bayer Leverkusen), Miroslav Klose (Bayern Munich), Lukas Podolski (Cologne). Teenagers Kroos and Muller make it as does Brazilian born Cacau, on a great hot streak now. The notbale absentees, both due to injuries: Schalke's defender Heiko Westermann and Bayer Leverkusen's midfielder Simon Rolfes. |
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| Merengue | Mar 3 2010, 07:24 PM Post #14 |
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That German team may have looked good on paper but they did not do much on the field, Argentina controlled the game against them. The only goal came when DiMaria went over the top of the german defense, Higuain outran Mertesacker, and 35 meters away from goal, Adler came out and Higuain just pushed the ball past him and scored. Big mistake in my eyes by Adler, who should have let Mertesacker deal with Higuain and stayed closer to his goal. Adler is still young and has a good future, he does well with Bayer Leverkusen but at the national team level, he currently is not anywhere near the level of past German greats in goal like Maier, Schumacher, Illgner or Kahn. He is not even at Jens Lehmann's 2006 level. As for France, who were beaten 2-0 by Spain, they need a lot of work. Spain controlled France's midfield and with Henry looking increasingly like a spent force, Domenech needs to consider what is best for the team, right now I would start Malouda over Henry, or play Gignac alone at forward with Ribery on the left and Anelka on the right. What I am certain of is righjt now Henry is not at the level to start, unless he is allowed to sue his hand again!
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| Martin | Mar 4 2010, 12:26 AM Post #15 |
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Germany looked poor against Argentina, Low's decision to play without a true defensive midfielder and use Schweinsteiger and Ballack as the two central midfielders backfired as Argentina took control of the center of the field. I agree with Merengue on Adler but right now he is the best Germany has. Give hm some time and he will be a good forward. Raymond Domenech has turned France into a joke. And France has several key players, Henry and Gourcuff most notably, not playing well now. And France's one time strength, defense, is now somehwat of a weakpoint. Holland controlled the midfield against the US but did not create that many goalscoring chances. Wjat do you expect when you rely on a hard working but limited player like Dirk Kuyt to play center forward? Holland remind me of England a bit, they each look strong, very strong in fact in many positions but each have major question marks in goal. |
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