Chapter 68: Looking Ahead
Chapter 68: Looking Ahead
"This matter was entirely proposed by me. Coach Antiiennis just accepted my opinion!"
The reporter who made a special trip from Belgium to Florence was stunned when he heard what Degan said. Although he had suspected it before, Degan would play a big role in this matter. After all, Degan is in Belgian football The influence in the circle is obvious to all, but he never thought that this matter was Degan's intention from the very beginning.
"After the game against Portugal, I thought about this problem. After the World Cup in Germany, some people in the Belgian national team have lost their desire to win. This is what I am most worried about, so I found An Coach Thienis, suggested to him that more players like Thomas Vermaelen should enter the national team. I am also sorry for those teammates who were not selected, but there is no way, just like Antti As Coach Ennis said, we must look forward. Belgian football has been standing still for many years. The former European Red Devils have long since lost their prestige. Nothing will change."
"You mean, it is possible that the players who are not selected this time will not appear in the European Cup next year?" This is what people are most concerned about now.
Degan thought for a while and said: "It's not certain. There is still a full year before the European Cup. No one can say what will happen. The only thing I can tell you is that the Belgian national team will always be loyal to those who have a great impact on victory." ** Players, open the door!"
"But is it unfair to do this? After all, those players played in the qualifiers, and they are the contributors to Belgium's promotion to the European Cup, but now they are excluded from the national team because of a problem of attitude. Maybe It would be unfair!"
Digan shook his head and said: "No! Of course what you said may have some truth, but support
It is all Belgian players who support Belgian football, not just one person or a certain team. Of course, people can say that those players who entered the national team training squad for the first time came to pick peaches, but in fact, they also Contributing to the football cause of the country of Belgium! It may be unfair, but still, we all have to look forward! "
After the press release of this interview was released, it immediately caused an uproar in European football. People never expected that a player would have such a great influence and could decide who can enter the national team! ?
Degan's name is once again associated with the ball bully!
Some people are still doubting Degan's motivation for doing so, and there is even a saying that because Degan clashed with Pepe in the last round of the European Cup qualifiers, he was suspended for three games by UEFA. There is no way to participate, so I came up with such a high-sounding reason to ruin the Belgian team.
"I'm not that despicable! You will see what the truth is at the European Cup next year!"
In any case, things can't be changed. Within three days after the Belgian Football Association announced the new national team training squad, the team completed the assembly.
Those players who were selected for the national team for the first time were naturally very excited, especially those young players. They never thought that they would be favored by the national team one day.
Journalists from various European countries also gathered in Brussels. They also wanted to see what is so good about these players carefully selected by Digan.
This is the first time that Belgian football has been paid attention to like this, except for the period after the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
Over the years, Belgian football has indeed declined. The former European Red Devils are no longer majestic, and have become second-rate in Europe. Thinking about how beautiful Belgian football was back then, in 1986, they even reached the semi-finals of the World Cup, although they were in the semi-finals was defeated by Maradona alone, but Schiff and Selemans also impressed the fans.
As a representative of Belgium's golden generation, Schiff was only 20 years old when he participated in the World Cup. From 1986 to 1998, he represented Belgium in four World Cups. However, after entering the 1990s, the European Red Devils were no longer It was the invincible team in the past. After the 1990 World Cup, Serlemance's departure further weakened the team's offensive strength. Today, Belgium has become a second-rate team in Europe.
The Belgian men's football team used to be known as the "European Red Devils", but since the retirement of superstars such as Schifer and Predholm, Belgian football has fallen into a slump, and after the retirement of striker Wilmots, they are even more absent Participated in the finals of the 2004 European Cup in Portugal.
But with the joining of Degan, the European Red Devils Belgium finally have the opportunity to show their style in front of the world. Germany's World Cup runner-up, although Degan has been stubbornly claiming that the runner-up is a failure, but for the Belgians, the runner-up undoubtedly represents A brilliant start to Belgian football.
The head coach Antiiennis is very lucky. He was already very happy to have Digan as a super striker. But looking at the players in front of him, he realized that he was too negligent in the past and missed so many excellent players. Now he no longer needs to be jealous of anyone, because he has too many young talents.
At the goalkeeper position, Antiiennis originally thought that Proto was already very good, but now he has a younger and better Bailey, this handsome big boy is definitely after Predholm, Belgium appeared The most promising player to become a world-class goalkeeper. He has played for three years in the Belgian league giants Genk as a starter at a young age. Of course, Genk will not be the end of Bailly. His future should be in the top five European leagues. Normally If he develops, he will become a world-class goalkeeper sooner or later.
The tall Bailey has a huge range of control and is closer to Petr Cech than his predecessor Predholm. There are few competitors among goalkeepers of the same age. What he needs is to prove himself in a big competition like the European Cup.
Antiiennis had faintly regarded Bailly as Belgium's No. 1 goalkeeper in his heart, and with the addition of Proto and Mignolet, the three insurances were enough to reassure him.
The defense line of the Belgian national team is a combination of old and new. As long as they are given a chance to show off, they will definitely become the envy of every country.
Van Buyten, who plays for Bayern Munich, the Bundesliga overlord, has strength and experience, and Kompany, who has been tested in the World Cup, is currently the core of Fiorentina's defense. Although he is young, his strength is very outstanding. Ajax's central defender combination Vermaelen and Vertonghen are young, but they already have the potential of a world-class central defender. In addition, the veteran Heikens and Genoa's Van den Borre also have good strength. The left backs Lombartz, Poconioli, and the young right back Deruel who played for Lokeren are also talents of the moment.
Except for Van Buyten and Heukens, most of the other defenders in the entire defense line are in their early twenties, but have experienced the baptism of major competitions and are in the golden age of both ability and experience. The common characteristics of these defenders are He is tall and strong, with outstanding physical ability.
After Schifer retired, the Belgian team's midfielder had no good organizers for a long time. After the 2002 World Cup, the only midfielders who could do it after the 2002 World Cup were Simmons, who had played for a long time in the Bundesliga, and former captain Gour.
Now Antiiennis doesn't need to worry about this problem anymore. After personnel adjustments, although Belgium's midfield configuration is not luxurious, as long as they are given a chance, they will definitely shock the world.
Simmons, Goul, and Bufer are still in the team, providing their experience. The captain of the Belgian league giants Standard Liege, Witsel, has excellent offensive and defensive capabilities, and the midfielder Perpetual Motion Ferry, who also plays for Standard Liege Ni, the Asian teenager Na England who played for Piacenza in Serie B, Dembele, the main midfielder of the Eredivisie Alkmaar team, Defour of the Standard Liege team, Martens of the Alkmaar team, Gen. David Hubert of the Keke team has both offensive and defensive midfielders, as well as breakthrough wingers with super organizational skills. If such a midfielder plays perfectly, he can pose a threat to any team.
Forward line The Belgian team has the world's number one striker Digan, as well as Miralas, Brat, De Couler, and De Couler, who were selected for the national team for the first time. Among the four forwards, Brat and De Couler are all A strong and tall center forward, Miralas is a second forward who has certain technical ability and is relatively balanced overall, and Dereid is a small forward of the small and fast type. They can arrange different striker combinations according to different opponents, and each combination will have good lethality.
On the whole, although the current Belgian national team has good technical ability, their biggest advantage is their body. In terms of height and physical strength alone, few teams can compete with them. If Antiiennis wants, they can even line up a starting lineup with all heights above 190.
If you must find a weakness, it is their experience, especially in the absence of Degan, the international competition experience of the midfielders is relatively lacking, and the speed and flexibility can barely be counted as their weaknesses. Most of their players with their height are not as slow as they think. If such a team has a perfect combination and plays overall football, it will be difficult for any team to easily win against them.
When he first accepted the Belgian national team, the biggest headache for Antiiennis was how to stimulate the residual value of those old players. Now he no longer has this trouble. With so many outstanding young talents, he feels that he should It is the one who is envied.
"Francois! Are you still worried now?" Antiiennis couldn't help asking proudly.
Francois did not expect that the big list circled by Degan would hide so many gems. He had to admit that he was too timid before.
"Okay! I admit, Rhodes is right! But, old friend! Do you really plan to use all newcomers for the match three days later?"
Antiiennis did not hesitate, nodded and said: "Of course! What these young people lack the most is experience. I want them to get familiar with the national team's game style as soon as possible. Don't worry! Francois, it's just a warm-up match. It doesn't matter, we have to look forward and take a long-term view, next year's European Cup will be the real test for us!"
Francois didn't speak, but he couldn't help feeling a little uneasy in his heart. He admitted that these players who entered the national team training squad for the first time are indeed very good, but football games need to look at their results.
Even if it's just a warm-up match!
If the record in the two warm-up matches before them is not good, one can imagine the pressure they will have to bear at that time.
Although at present, the public opinion from the outside world has been suppressed, but as long as there is a problem with the national team's game results, countless people will definitely jump out and bombard them, especially those who have been excluded from this training camp. players.
Whether Antiiennis can hold on is still unknown.
Of course, this is not what he is most worried about. What Francois is most worried about is whether these young people can bear the pressure once there are voices of opposition. But he is a sinner through the ages.
François's worries are also shared by Digan, who is far away in Italy. He admits that his actions are somewhat counterproductive, especially for those young people who are not yet twenty years old. If they are given enough time, Patiently waiting for them to grow, the European Red Devils will also recover in the future, but he can't wait, that's why he is so extreme and stuffs those young seedlings that are still growing quietly into the national team.
In the past two days, Degan has also been on the phone with Antiiennis all the time, asking about the team's training situation. Although the feedback from Antiiennis seems to be good, Degan is still worried.
Finally, the day before the first warm-up match in Belgium, Degan still flew from Italy to Brussels. For this reason, he did not hesitate to bear Irina's complaints and came to supervise the battle in person.
"Rod! You should have a good rest at home during this rare holiday!" Antiiennis looked confident.
Degan is not as optimistic as he is. This personnel adjustment is equivalent to a major surgery on Belgian football, but any major surgery like this must have a painful process.
All Digan can do now is to pray for a good result in tomorrow's game, otherwise, some people may start to make trouble again.