World Cup: National Team threads #2
- Thread starter bleedblue1223
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GK : no problem with me. Lafont, maybe Diouf, could have been #3, but Samba has been huge and better than Areola so he deserves it.
CB : Fofana, Saliba, Upa, Konaté fine. Todibo deserves to be there, but rumors are that he was 5th, so he's close.
RB : Pavard, Kounde. What can I say? Pavard SUCKS and I thought we were done with him but apparently we aren't. Kounde is still not a RB.
LB : Theo and CAMAVINGA? Excuse me??? Cama is great at LB, but he's a midfielder ! And we have Ferland, Digne and others who are actually good LB.
MF : Cama should be there obviously. Thuram in is great. Rongier is a hard worker but has no business being there, nor Veretout. Absolutely ridiculous and you know it' only because they're OM players.
FOR : Diaby is back, OK. M. Thuram shouldn't be there IMO but I guess when Dembele comes back he is gone. Rest is fine, though you have to wonder why you bring 36 year old Giroud to prepare EC 25.
So Pavard, Veretout, Rongier OUT please. And bring up Ferland, Caqueret and a RB (Simakan?).
CB : Fofana, Saliba, Upa, Konaté fine. Todibo deserves to be there, but rumors are that he was 5th, so he's close.
RB : Pavard, Kounde. What can I say? Pavard SUCKS and I thought we were done with him but apparently we aren't. Kounde is still not a RB.
LB : Theo and CAMAVINGA? Excuse me??? Cama is great at LB, but he's a midfielder ! And we have Ferland, Digne and others who are actually good LB.
MF : Cama should be there obviously. Thuram in is great. Rongier is a hard worker but has no business being there, nor Veretout. Absolutely ridiculous and you know it' only because they're OM players.
FOR : Diaby is back, OK. M. Thuram shouldn't be there IMO but I guess when Dembele comes back he is gone. Rest is fine, though you have to wonder why you bring 36 year old Giroud to prepare EC 25.
So Pavard, Veretout, Rongier OUT please. And bring up Ferland, Caqueret and a RB (Simakan?).
Apex Predator
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cgf
FireBednarsSuccessor
Rangnick confirms that Paul Wanner is going to wait to make his decision on whether to transfer to the Austrian NT. Bayern are working on a loan for him to get consistent PT, with references to Alaba & Kroos' loans to TSG & Bayer, and the kid reportedly wants to wait until he's established himself at the senior club level before making any longlasting decisions about his NT future.
Part of me thinks he should do it. He's an incredible prospect, but he's not that much younger than Musiala, Wirtz, Adeyemi, & Moukoko...and it's a position we develop well even when the Havertz / Brandt's of the NT age out...in his own age group there's Ibrahimovic, Bischoff, Raebiger, Damar, Krattenmacher, Diehl, Ulrich, etc. that have senior NT potential. So it will be a crowded field for him to break through.
On the otherhand, he's talented enough to break through alongside Musiala, Wirtz, & Mouki, and be part of a world class attack.
Part of me thinks he should do it. He's an incredible prospect, but he's not that much younger than Musiala, Wirtz, Adeyemi, & Moukoko...and it's a position we develop well even when the Havertz / Brandt's of the NT age out...in his own age group there's Ibrahimovic, Bischoff, Raebiger, Damar, Krattenmacher, Diehl, Ulrich, etc. that have senior NT potential. So it will be a crowded field for him to break through.
On the otherhand, he's talented enough to break through alongside Musiala, Wirtz, & Mouki, and be part of a world class attack.
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robertmac43
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I don't think he has officially retired from the National team. Got to think he is still in the team as long as he is available.
Duchene2MacKinnon
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Would be disrespectful for them to drop him. He should be able to go out on his terms.
Spring in Fialta
A malign star kept him
That's absurd IMO. He shouldn't get to hold a spot hostage because of who he is. He's playing in Saudi Arabia. Anyone playing in that league shouldn't have a spot on a loaded Portugal team.
Wee Baby Seamus
Yo, Goober, where's the meat?
My estimation of Roberto Martinez would surge if he dropped him. But he won't.
Normally a player would recognize their time has come, make an agreement with the manager to get one last run-out, and retire on their own terms. That will never be the case with Ronaldo.
Normally a player would recognize their time has come, make an agreement with the manager to get one last run-out, and retire on their own terms. That will never be the case with Ronaldo.
Duchene2MacKinnon
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I mean within reason and they have time until the next tournament comes up...Personally I wouldnt feel right about it.
Spring in Fialta
A malign star kept him
Considering how much talent there is on that team, I'd say someone playing in Saudi Arabia has already gone past within reason expecting/deserving a spot. If Ronaldo was a rational guy, it'd be easier but he's not. He'll stick around forever. You have to cut the cord at some point.
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cgf
FireBednarsSuccessor
True, 8-9 years is a long time and a lot will change in that time. Never had this option with football, and neither badminton nor downhill skiing paid enough for me to get serious about going pro when I hit that age were other kids on my level where starting to move and shape their lives around those sports.
But I think that if it was me, I would stick with the german youth teams...if I played any international football while focusing on establishing myself at the senior club level. He was just playing for our u17 NT last season, so taking Samardzic's spot with the U21s would be a natural next step for his development...even if his intention was to eventually join RR's project down south.
But it's hard for me to put myself in other people's shoes on this because I have always felt distinctly more german than russian or american. I'm an atypical german too, but I don't feel nearly as other as I do amongst americans or russians.
They need to have a talk and CR7 may need to be convinced to "go out on his own terms". Because if you just leave the choice up to him, he'll never leave. He'll be 50yo and still nominating himself.
Duchene2MacKinnon
In the hands of Genius
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You pick him as the 5th or 6th forward until he gets the message that he's wasting his time just watching them play. Its not like this would hurt the team
Possibly but it cant just abruptly end unceremoniously.
Spring in Fialta
A malign star kept him
I mean, are we really going to trust Ronaldo not to be a disruptive asshole if things aren't going his way?
Power Man
Grrrr
Ferland came back to training (following an injury) a week ago, so maybe DD feels he's not fully ready
(and yes, I had to read twice when I saw Rongier on the list)
Duchene2MacKinnon
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Maybe maybe not. If we go by the WC then probably not but he should be given a run out on largely meaningless games then gradually phase him out.
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robertmac43
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We are talking about the best player in their history. I agree with Duchene on this one, let him continue to with the NT, especially if he is willing to take on a smaller role.
Wee Baby Seamus
Yo, Goober, where's the meat?
cgf
FireBednarsSuccessor
robertmac43
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Likely true, despite that he should get the chance.
Oussem Aouar thought he'd clean his reputattion by saying "he regretted playing for France" and that he always wanted to play for Algeria.
Problem is that most algerians are HARDLY fooled by the stupidity of that man who negociated his algerian change.
Shameless.
Spring in Fialta
A malign star kept him
In Aouar's case, I don't disgaree that this sounds opportunistic. But I find it funny that you don't have qualms with a bunch of players playing for France not because they care for the country but because it brings more recognition. It goes both ways. Aouar may have ended up playing for Algeria because he didn't crack France. Benzema played for France despite openly saying he didn't feel French and that it was purely sporting decision. That never seemed to bother you, though. Wonder why.
After that, let players play with who they want for the reasons that they want (whether material or emotional) and stop being pissy about it. You just come off as an asshole.
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Erh, because those guys were born in France, grew up in France and learnt their football in France? Why wouldn't they play for France? 
Now if you want to talk about guys like Trezeguet or Higuain, then yes, we can have this discussion. Trez finished his teenage years in France but learnt a lot in Argentina. Higuain had zero link with France except being born here and it would have been weird to see him play for France (he was called up by Domenech). Would have been like Laporte, only even worse.
Olise playing for France is weird to me. Musiala is a bit like Trezeguet.
Now if you want to talk about guys like Trezeguet or Higuain, then yes, we can have this discussion. Trez finished his teenage years in France but learnt a lot in Argentina. Higuain had zero link with France except being born here and it would have been weird to see him play for France (he was called up by Domenech). Would have been like Laporte, only even worse.
Olise playing for France is weird to me. Musiala is a bit like Trezeguet.
