Seba Playing a Friendly in Japan This Week

Red15

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I read in the paper today that Seba's going to be playing a friendly for Argentina in Japan this week. What is it...a 12/14 hour flight to Japan from London? International competitions are important. But I think it's really unfair when countries call up players to play in these largely meaningless friendlies when the players' clubs have important matches coming up. How is Seba supposed to put in a good performance on Saturday when he's been jet-setting all over the world mid-week? We're desperately short of midfielders. This is a 6 point match against Newcastle this weekend. At the end of the season, we could be fighting Newcastle for a Champions League spot.

The Japanese aren't even fielding a full strength team. Their coach has allowed some of their European based stars such as Nakata, to give the friendly a miss, because of their importance to their clubs. I don't see why Argentina couldn't have exempted some of their European based stars as well.
 
FIFA establishes a calendar with dates when countries can have friendlies and require their players to go.

This game is in one such date. Rather than point it out as a whimsical decision from Argentina/Veron, you should question why we allow the local calendar to ignore this pre-established dates (as it is obviously more likely to hurt us than smaller teams).

Look at it from Real's perspective: they lose Ronaldo, Bobby Carlos, Solari and Cambiasso. They don't complain.
 
Originally posted by Red15:
<strong>I don't see why Argentina couldn't have exempted some of their European based stars as well.</strong><hr></blockquote>

Simple:

1) Their stars play in Europe
2) They need to get hold of their stars every now and then if they are to have a competitive national team.
3) European league fixtures ignore FIFA friendly dates (which also affects them as players usually arrive last minute straight from a game with no time to train).

Do you:

a) Allow your players to stay in Europe giving priority to the clubs over the national team. Gently ask for FIFA dates to be taken into account in the future (as was done pointlessly for years)

or

b) Call them up and take them us fecking far away as you can so that the clubs realise they have to do something about league fixtures (the bigger the upset club the better, more power to change things).

Pretty obvious choice really.
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Originally posted by Red15:
<strong>How is Seba supposed to put in a good performance on Saturday.</strong><hr></blockquote>

Let's face it. it's a fecking lottery most saturdays.
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You fecking watch, he'll play an absolute blinder for us next match. <img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laugh Out Loud]" />
 
Originally posted by antohan:
<strong>FIFA establishes a calendar with dates when countries can have friendlies and require their players to go.

This game is in one such date. Rather than point it out as a whimsical decision from Argentina/Veron, you should question why we allow the local calendar to ignore this pre-established dates (as it is obviously more likely to hurt us than smaller teams).
</strong><hr></blockquote>

I know that Argentina's well within their rights to call up a player. Otherwise, Fergie wouldn't let Seba go.

But there seems to be a terrible lack of coordination between UEFA and FIFA here. Last month, United had almost a 2 week break for the European matches. I don't think Seba was even called away then (I'm not sure but I don't remember Argentina having a match then.) If the Japan match had been slotted in then, he would have had a lot more recovery time coming back for the Fulham match. But then from what you say, it sounds like maybe the scheduling of this match was deliberate to try to instigate change, which at least explains a few things.

To me the obvious solution is to have one uniformed calendar worldwide. If necessary, block out larger chunks of time even if it's for 2 weeks. That way if players are asked to fly half way round the world, their clubs won't be hurt so badly. You can keep the same number of days blocked out for internationls in a year, but just put them in larger blocks of time.

Realistically though, there's probably too much politics involved with UEFA and FIFA for anything like that to ever happen.
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Originally posted by Red15:
<strong>

I know that Argentina's well within their rights to call up a player. Otherwise, Fergie wouldn't let Seba go.

But there seems to be a terrible lack of coordination between UEFA and FIFA here. Last month, United had almost a 2 week break for the European matches. I don't think Seba was even called away then (I'm not sure but I don't remember Argentina having a match then.) If the Japan match had been slotted in then, he would have had a lot more recovery time coming back for the Fulham match. But then from what you say, it sounds like maybe the scheduling of this match was deliberate to try to instigate change, which at least explains a few things.

To me the obvious solution is to have one uniformed calendar worldwide. If necessary, block out larger chunks of time even if it's for 2 weeks. That way if players are asked to fly half way round the world, their clubs won't be hurt so badly. You can keep the same number of days blocked out for internationls in a year, but just put them in larger blocks of time.

Realistically though, there's probably too much politics involved with UEFA and FIFA for anything like that to ever happen.</strong><hr></blockquote>

Not to mention the problems that the other continental associations would kick up if they had to alter their calendars to suit UEFA...
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Originally posted by Red15:
<strong>
But then from what you say, it sounds like maybe the scheduling of this match was deliberate to try to instigate change, which at least explains a few things.
</strong><hr></blockquote>

In fact, it wasn't the Argies controlling that, the Japs invited them for this date. The dates last month weren't used as Argentina didn't play anyone.

But once the WC qualifiers start next year those "breaks" and other established dates will be used so I'm sure they are happy to make a point. Usually players perform in the league, jump on a plane, travel halfway across the world, arrive 2 days before the WC qualifier, have to rest one day and the day before the match they do some basic tactical training. Not ideal. Sometimes they even fly over and once they arrive the physio realises they are not fit to play at all!!! :eek:

It's a valid point when it comes to qualifiers. Having the African Nations Cup in Feb/March is ridiculous though.
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