Football Daily | From A Ban On Long Hair To Fever Threat: Argentina Never Ease Into A World Cup

8 hours ago

BREAKING NEWS …

Not overmuch of a shock, but Wolves person conscionable appointed Middlesbrough’s Rob Edwards as their caller caput coach.

A MESSI BUSINESS

Despite captaining an Argentina broadside that looked much for illustration a Black Sabbath tribute set than an world shot squad tin of roaring to 1978 World Cup glory, Daniel Passarella – arsenic La Albiceleste‘s head successful nan late-1990s – banned his players from having agelong hairsbreadth successful nan buildup to nan 1998 World Cup (also banned: homosexuality and earrings). Despite his fantabulous shape for Fiorentina, Gabriel Batistuta was remarkably near retired for overmuch of Argentina’s qualifying campaign, only rejoining his teammates erstwhile he agreed to a mild trim. Fernando Redondo, caller from anchoring Real Madrid’s midfield successful their victorious Big Cup triumph, and Claudio Caniggia refused to trim their beautiful locks and were subsequently omitted from Passarella’s squad astatine France 98. “He had peculiar ideas astir subject and wanted maine to person my hairsbreadth cut,” Redondo later explained. “I didn’t spot what that had to do pinch playing shot truthful I said no.”

It’s heartening to cognize that, contempt nan Messification of Argentina and nan full Human Rights World Cup occurrence thing, La Albiceleste’s squad action successful nan run-in to adjacent year’s Geopolitics World Cup seems conscionable arsenic chaotic arsenic 27 years ago. The sole fixture presently scheduled earlier nan defence of Argentina’s title is this Friday’s friends against Angola, successful Angola. The hosts are overmuch improved, soaring into nan apical 100 Fifa rankings, but still look an overseas prime for Lionel Scaloni to trial and hone his squad, peculiarly arsenic Angola has a problem pinch yellowish fever, a viral infection dispersed by mosquitoes that typically causes flu-like symptoms but can, successful terrible cases, lead to jaundice, bleeding and organ failure. And owing to them not having nan required vaccine, 3 starring players – Julián Alvarez, Giuliano Simeone and Nahuel Molina – person pulled out. “The 3 Atlético Madrid footballers are near retired because they person not arrived successful clip pinch nan wellness procedures related to nan yellowish fever vaccine that they must person to participate Angola,” bristled a statement.

Sand sculptures of Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Angola’s Laurindo Aurelio, successful Luanda

Enzo Fernández, different captious cog for Scaloni, has besides withdrawn aft citing knack but location are astatine slightest immoderate caller faces to switch nan absentees. Centre-back Kevin Mac Allister has been enjoying a pre-Christmas tally of shape (shock) and joins his relative Alexis successful nan squad for nan first clip aft protecting Union Saint-Gilloise’s extremity pinch each nan tenacity of a young abandoned kid defending nan family location against 2 hapless criminals. Emi Buendía has been rewarded for precocious morphing into a young Pablo Aimar for Aston Villa and looks group to adhd to his solitary headdress from complete 3 years ago. But arguably nan astir astonishing summation is Lisandro Martínez, who hasn’t played a infinitesimal of first-team shot for Manchester United since February owing to knee-gah but joined Argentina’s squad successful Spain this week for training earlier nan squad alert retired connected Thursday.

Another interest is whether Lionel Messi will moreover beryllium astatine nan GWC. Speaking successful Barcelona earlier heading to Africa, nan nationalist team’s small totem blabbed: “It’s a typical World Cup. It’s typical to play pinch nan nationalist team, and to beryllium successful different important, charismatic competitions, particularly considering what a World Cup intends … but I don’t want to beryllium a burden, truthful to speak. I want to consciousness bully physically, to beryllium judge that I tin thief and lend to nan group, to nan squad.” Oh dear. If nan friends get-together sounds for illustration a logistical nightmare attended by a group of questionable characters each hoping to conscionable get done 90 minutes (and nan consequent day) without getting earnestly ill, conscionable hold until you perceive astir nan plans for Football Daily’s Christmas party, attendance to which is banned unless you are dressed for illustration a festive Sabbath tribute band.

LIVE ON BIG WEBSITE

Join Taha Hashim from 5.45pm GMT for minute-by-minute sum of Bayern Munich 1-1 Arsenal successful Women’s Bigger Cup, while Michael Butler will beryllium connected platform for Mary Earps’ return successful Manchester United 1-2 PSG astatine 8pm.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“There are still immoderate preconceptions because shot has agelong been a man’s world, but I deliberation things are changing. Women tin bring a different constituent of view, an added worth moreover successful this section … I want to beryllium that women tin lead successful shot conscionable arsenic they do successful immoderate different field” – arsenic nan first female president successful Ternana’s 100-year history, nan 23-year-old Claudia Rizzo has ambitions to alteration nan game. She gets her chat connected pinch Emanuele Giulianelli.

Re: Wythenshawe FC’s existent league power and talent mismatches (yesterday’s Football Daily, afloat email edition). For a time, our conspicuously mixed-ability Wednesday lunchtime five-a-side matches were graced by a mates of lads we had encountered chatting successful their training kit successful nan pitchside car park. Being sociable types, we asked if they wanted to subordinate us. While 1 was rather handy, his mate was rather a batch handier: it transpired he was a pro connected Reading’s books. That he had by acold nan champion centrifugal successful nan car parkland mightiness person fixed america a clue. Initially we simply marvelled astatine his gait and skill, but aft a fewer Wednesdays it became clear he conscionable couldn’t alteration down a cogwheel to accommodate us, and it soon became a joyless acquisition for most. But it’s difficult to show personification to time off because they’re excessively good. Fortunately nan adjacent EFL transportation model sent him disconnected to lukewarm a chair location successful nan Midlands” – Steve Allen.

The advent of nan world break intends shot snowfall (Monday’s Football Daily, afloat email edition) tin lead nan way. I watched Caversham (Dunedin-based) play Mt Wellington (Auckland convention leaders) successful nan 1970s astatine nan Caledonian ground, Dunedin. Caversham was afloat of retired imports from nan Scottish First Division and Mt Wellington afloat of Kiwis. The snowfall was astir astatine blizzard shape erstwhile nan crippled commenced and Caversham came retired successful short-sleeved shirts and nan ubiquitous short shorts of nan era. Final score: Scots 5-0 Kiwis. This was world shot astatine its best” – Alex Cameron.

Your suggestions of who goes wherever connected nan managerial merry-go-round (yesterday’s Football Daily) mentioned Bryan Robson, but missed nan astir evident destination. Namely Raith Rovers, wherever he could switch nan sacked Barry Robson without moreover needing a caller nameplate connected nan agency door” – Glyn Berrington.

Can I, on pinch 1,056 others, please constituent retired that to recreation from Portsmouth to Southampton would impact going crossed nan state connected nan M27, not down (yesterday’s Football Daily). If you must usage either up aliases down past it would surely beryllium up, because Southampton is higher than Portsmouth erstwhile I twist Google Maps connected my telephone truthful nan small arrow points northwards. A much technological attack utilizing Google due reveals Portsmouth to beryllium 50.8198 degrees latitude and Southampton 50.9105, which sounds higher but I don’t cognize really that useful truthful I’m not relying connected it” – John Newcombe (and nary others).

Send letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s prizeless missive o’ nan time victor is … Glyn Berrington. Terms and conditions for our competitions, erstwhile we tally them, tin beryllium viewed here.