67 National Team Competition Week
Fiorentina defeated Roma 3:2 at home. Since the start of the new season, they have won all five consecutive games. At the same time, their winning streak in Serie A has also reached nine games. It is getting closer and closer to Inter Milan's 17-game winning streak.
At the same time, in the standings, Fiorentina is also the best, with 5 wins and 5 wins and 15 points, ranking first. In second place is Inter Milan with 11 points, Roma 10, and Juventus. Tus is very good, as for AC Milan, with one win, two draws and two losses, they have basically withdrawn from the championship competition.
After the end of the fifth round, the world football will enter a new national team competition week, the European Cup qualifiers will clear up, and the next nearly a year will be used to prepare for each team that has qualified for the European Cup. It is used by the team warming up for the game.
After communicating with Antiiennis, the name of Degan was not included in the squad for the new Belgian national team, because Degan was suspended for three games when he punched Pepe during the match against Portugal. These three suspensions are all for the European Cup. Like the previous warm-up match, Degan naturally has no need to participate. It is better to leave the opportunity to those young people to get acquainted with the atmosphere of the national team.
Brussels, Belgium.
"God! You really decided!" Francois, the assistant coach of the Belgian national team, was full of disbelief.
Antiiennis raised his shoulders and said for a long time: "Yes! Old friend, I have made my decision!"
Francois frowned slightly: "As a friend, I must remind you that you are simply risking your future, and what do you think will happen once this list is made public?"
Of course Antiiennis has thought of it, but he still intends to do it. Digan is right. If Belgian football wants to develop and achieve good results in the European Cup, it must make changes, let young people enter the national team, and serve the country. The team needs to add fresh blood instead of always using those veterans to dominate the world.
"Don't worry, I'm fully prepared and I'm willing to take all responsibility if this list makes some people unhappy."
Antiiennis seemed very stubborn, but in fact he hesitated for a long time when deciding on the final list. After all, the players he excluded from the list were all famous players in Belgian football. ?The meritorious player who made great contributions to Belgian football in the 2006 World Cup.
Before finalizing the roster, Antiiennis also had a phone call with Degan, and in the end it was Degan's words that helped him strengthen his confidence.
"If the goal of Belgian football in next year's European Cup is only to achieve good results, relying on those players, as long as the group can appear, I can at least guarantee to reach the semi-finals, but the semi-finals are not our ultimate goal, we should see In the long term, young people have not been used. What about the 2010 World Cup in South Africa? Coach! I am just one of eleven people on the field. I am not omnipotent. I cannot play the role of the team's savior every game. One day my magic will gradually disappear, then who will Belgian football rely on? Belgian football cannot have only one Rodrigue Izersen Santos Wright! It should rely on many Thomas Vermaelen!"
"Francois! You don't have to persuade me anymore. This is my decision. It will not be changed. We must plan for the future of Belgian football! Use these young people now, and when the European Cup next year, we will return It's too late, if we hesitate any longer, once something like Vincent Kompany happens again, we will only be caught off guard, and that will be fatal!"
Francois was silent, he knew that Antiiens had a point, just like the life-and-death battle with the Portuguese team before, if Digan hadn't recommended Vermaelen at the critical moment, Kompany would be lacking in the defense Can Belgium, which has become the god of the sea, beat the mighty Portugal in an away game and snatch a place for promotion?
"Okay! You're right! But, have you figured out how to explain it to those old players? Maybe you'll get a bad reputation!"
Bad reputation?
It's nothing more than crossing the river and demolishing the bridge, unloading the mill and killing the donkey, killing the birds, hiding the good bow, killing the cunning rabbit, and cooking the lackey!
Of course, Antiiennis is not a fan of Chinese culture, he can't think of these very philosophical words, but once this list is announced, he can still guess what kind of responsibility he will receive.
"It doesn't matter, the facts will prove everything!"
Francois looked at Antiiennis' confident expression, and said with a smile, "That's how you trust Rhodes!"
Francois knew that the young people on this list were all recommended by Degan. In the Belgian football circle, no one except Degan would have such courage.
Antiiennis smiled and nodded: "Yes! Francois, I have great confidence in Rhodes. He is not a simple person, and we can't just treat him as a player. In terms of player vision, none of us can match him!"
Francois was taken aback, and imagined carefully, it was really like what Antiiennis said, since Degan came to the Belgian national team, the changes brought about are really great, first of all, the Flemish and Walloons The contradiction between them is gone. When they are on the field, they can always be united and fight together. Secondly, the players recommended by Digan have also proved their strength and brought fresh blood to Belgian football. In comparison, the large number of goals brought by Degan seems to have become secondary.
Soon, Antiiennis announced the members of the new Belgian national team at the press conference:
Goalkeepers: Proto (Anderlecht), Bailly (Genk), Mignolet (Dentret)
Left back: Lombarz (Zenit St. Petersburg), Poconioli (Alkmaar)
Right back: Van Buyten (Bayern Munich), Deruel (Lokeren)
Centre-backs: Vermaelen (Ajax), Vertonghen (Ajax), Heukens (West Bromwich Albion), Van den Borre (Genoa)
Defenders: Fellaini (Standard Liege), Naenglan (Piacenza), Gour (Anderlecht)
Forwards: Dembele (Alkmaar), Defour (Standard Liege), Witsek (Standard Liege), Martens (Alkmaar), Simmons (PSV Eindhoven), Bufer (Glasgow Rangers), Hubert (Genk)
Forwards: Mirallas (Lille), Bollette (Lens), De Couler (Lokeren), Dredd (Hammer)
As soon as this list was announced, it immediately caused an uproar in Belgium. Only a few of the old players who had won the runner-up for Belgian football in the 2006 World Cup in Germany were selected, and the rest were replaced by some unfamiliar names. This one even works for players in the Belgian second division.
Is Antienes crazy?
"Antienes seems to have seen the benefits from Thomas Vermaelen, and he actually used some young players whose names no one has even heard of. He is simply joking about the future of Belgian football!"
"I can't understand the selection criteria of coach Antiiennis at all. Most of the old players we are familiar with have been abandoned by him. Yes, but now you want those young people to pick peaches, I can only say that Antiiennis is too cruel to those veterans!"
The fans couldn't understand it, and the same goes for those old players. As the main central midfielder, the veteran Van der Heiger who participated in the World Cup in Germany expressed disappointment: "I am ready to go to Brussels to participate in the training camp, but Coach Antiiennis But he told me that he doesn't need me as an old guy, okay! I accept Coach Antiiennis' choice, but I still want to ask, why those kids can take our place!"
The Mponsa brothers also expressed dissatisfaction. You must know that before Degan, they were representatives of Belgian football. They thought they could participate in the European Cup before retiring. Who knows, it has become uncertain now.
Among the two brothers, Mponsa Jr. is currently playing for Manchester City in the Premier League. At the age of 29, it can be said that he is in his prime. He was also abandoned this time, which made him very dissatisfied.
"In the past few years, I have been the main striker of the Belgian national team, but this time I don't understand why, I have already booked a ticket to return home, but now it seems that I am a joke, I don't Knowing what Antiienis is up to, I just want fairness!"
In the face of unanimous questioning, Antiiennis appeared very calm. When interviewed by reporters, he said: "I can understand the disappointment of those old players, and I can also understand the fans' concern for the national team, but I want to say The most important thing is that Belgian football needs young people. Our goal is not only the European Cup next year, but also the World Cup in 2010, the European Cup in 2012, and the World Cup in 2014. Can those old players still persist until then? "
It is not unreasonable to hear what Antiiennis said, but it is still too cruel for most people to abandon those old players who have made outstanding contributions to Belgian football so easily.
As the most influential player in Belgian football at the moment, although Degan did not participate in this training camp, a Belgian domestic sports program sent someone to Florence to conduct an exclusive interview with Degan, hoping to hear what he said about this The only thing that is unexpected is that from the very beginning of the interview, Digan revealed a huge surprise.