English translation by Jojan
(with assistance of Paul Hughes)
Almost entirely consisting of Europeans, the list holds no surprises.
Without any names that had not yet been speculated on and with Gabriel Batistuta's return in the national team after his absence from the two matches in Spain last November, Marcelo Bielsa presented a list of 19 players for the friendly clash with England on the 23rd of this month. The match is to take place at Wembley stadium, which soon will be modernized as part of the English attempt to obtain organization of the World Cup 2006.
The sole surprise is that of Claudio Husain being included, the only selected player from a native club. Actually, him being selected was not as unforeseen for Bielsa as it might have been for the public. Bielsa included Velez' midfielder in his squad seven out of eight times (he was only left out of the squad for the showdown in Holland).
The selection will get together in London on Monday the 21st. The match against England will be the last one before Argentina enters the qualifying rounds for the World Cup, starting the 29th of next month at the Monumental Stadium against Chile.
Reviewing the list, the following things catch the eye:
- There are no new names; everyone has already been called up for Bielsa's squad before.
- Despite Lazio's repeated requests not to call all four of their Argentine players, the coach used his right to claim Simeone, Sensini, Veron and Almeyda. An event to reoccur facing the qualifying rounds.
- The most remarkable name left out is that of Fernando Redondo, who last played in the series of matches against Brazil. Other absentees are Marcelo Gallardo, who got injured in the match Monaco-Lyon at the end of last week, and Andres Guglielminpietro, who lost his place in Milan's starting line-up and who was left out of Bielsa's last two squads.
- Besides Husain, Bielsa did not call up any players of the main Argentine teams, who will start off in the Copa Libertadores in that particular week. Sorin's transfer to Cruzeiro made it possible for Bielsa to count in one of his favorite players.
- The Under20-squad: Coach Hugo Tacalli called 16 youngsters for the Under20-squad to play a friendly match againt England's Under21-squad in Fullham on the 22nd. This age category will be preparing for the World Cup 2001 to be held in Argentina.
Vuelve Batistuta para enfrentar a Inglaterra
Sin sorpresas en la lista, integrada por casi todos los europeos.
Sin apellidos que no figuraran dentro de las especulaciones, y con la vuelta de Gabriel Batistuta al seleccionado tras su ausencia en los dos partidos en España de noviembre último, Marcelo Bielsa dio una lista de 19 futbolistas para enfrentar en un amistoso a Inglaterra, el 23 del actual, en Wembley, estadio que en poco tiempo más será remodelado como parte de las obras de los ingleses para adjudicarse la organización del Mundial 2006.
La única sorpresa es la inclusión de Claudio Husain, el único de los designados que actúa en nuestro país. En realidad, la citación es más inesperada para el público que para Bielsa, que llamó al volante de Vélez en siete de las ocho convocatorias (sólo no estuvo en el plantel que se midió en Holanda). La delegación se reunirá en Londres el lunes 21. Ante Inglaterra será el último encuentro de la Argentina previo a su debut en las eliminatorias para el Mundial, el 29 del mes próximo, frente a Chile, en el Monumental.
Un repaso de la lista deja las siguientes consideraciones:
Esta es la nómina: arqueros, Caballero (Boca) y Orion (San Lorenzo); defensores, Burdisso (Boca), Grabinski (Newell's), Arca (Argentinos), Guidi (Gimnasia) y Pautasso (Banfield); volantes, D'Alesandro (River), Verón (San Lorenzo), Santana (San Lorenzo), Zubeldía (Lanús), Rivero (Chacarita), Rodríguez (Newell's); delanteros, Obolo (Vélez), Rosales (Newell's) y Herrera (Boca).
