Agree we could have hired Velez, Zambrano, Vizuete, Celico even Bauza for less. I just really dont understand their reasoning or process for selecting the coaches. They always go for the most overpriced inexperienced coaches then they act shocked when it doesnt go well. From what I read it not official. FEF is still negotiating terms with Alfaro for salary and his contract and they sent Amlada a counter offer.
I’m going to be positive and going to give him a chance. Last eliminatorias we couldn’t even beat Bolivia. Our first 5 games are tough AF. Argentina, Uruguay, Bolivia, Colombia and Venezuela.
He is coach that concedes very little goals and has very little looses to his name so maybe this could be a good thing for WCQ. Using home to advantage and getting as much points away as possible. He mixes up his line ups so hopefully we can see some interesting line ups. For now my line up would be. Padilla Ramirez, Leon, Arboleda, Estupinan Franco, Gruezo, Mendez Plata, Martinez, Mena
Yeah, I’ll give him a chance as well. Hopefully I am proven wrong and he can succeed. I was listening to the press conference and the FEF seems to have done their homework. I hope that their plans finally come to fruition now that there will be some stability. I agree the games coming up are really tough and quick too. He has to form a team ASAP without much preparation. That’s going to be insane. Hopefully he and Celico can mesh and work together (since Celico knows the players). I think they can.
Very interesting lineup. I like the middle and defense but I think we need a real forward. Padilla Ramirez, Leon, Arboleda, Estupinan Franco, Mendez, Alvarado Plata, Mena Campana Campana has been moving up in the depth charts and I think he is ready to be the forward for the team. I personally really like Alvarado in the middle. The games I watched him play he really stands out (especially the last game vs Liga). I would like to call up Palacios from LAFC but not to start yet. I think he can take over Ramirez eventually. I think Ramirez has been a disappointment by staying in Russia. I would also give a chance to Stiven Plaza. I know he failed big time in Spain because of injury, but I’d incorporate him into the team. Tin Ángulo deserves to be called up as well because he just makes a difference when he plays in Barcelona. Kike ex Barca player should also be called up to see what he has. There are some very interesting players out there right now.
Our second option is Michael Estrada but we have introduce him little by little into the senior team and I would even include Bryan Angulo I know with consistancy and confidence he will be a good striker at NT and club level Martinez and Mena have been the players with the highest scoring streak so Id really like to see what they can do playing up front like that. We could also wait to see what happens with Enner. But for now those are my options for Strikers. What I really want to see from Alfaro is work. I want to see him do scouting, doing friendlies and I want to see it happening quick cause we are going to have the toughest start of WCQ. Ramirez is still having a good club moment I mean Noboa didnt leave Russia either it hard for most teams in Spain, Portugal, France, Belgium to pull him out of there id rather him stay in Russia than be in MX. It just how it is with Ecua Players. So Im glad Russia picked him up from Hungary and that he doing well. That being said he is our second best LB and the fact that he can play RB very well makes him my number 1 option for our starting RB position. Pedro Pablo Perlaza would be second then Andres Lopez.
For RB I’d go with Preciado from IDV over Perlaza any day of the week. Perlaza makes so many stupid mistakes and fouls every game for LDU. I agree that I’d like to see Alfaro do all those things and work closely with Celico. As for Noboa, I honestly think he would have been one of the best Ecuadorian players ever if he would have gone to Spain/English league. I think staying in Russia hindered his growth. Ramirez was good but I think he has hit his ceiling now. In Russia, there is no more room for growth for him. Sucks and I agree that we have no other choice since Ecuadorian players aren’t taken seriously. It’s mostly because our exports have mostly been huge disappointments everywhere.
Angelo Preciado is a good option for now I want to go easy on youth and bring them in little by little since we have so little time and big games coming up. And as for Ramirez yea at club level he might have hit his ceiling but I hope he become a starter on the NT and I hope he improves on that level to say the least. TBH if Russia becomes the new MX for us that would be an improvement. Im honestly getting excited for all the potential transfers for Turkey. If Turkey becomes our new MX that really gonna be a step up from MX too. Mina, Enner, Gaibor, Alcivar, Felipe, Plaza. If they go and succeed there maybe we can finally see more Ecua players in Europe in countries like Netherlands, Belgium and Portugal. I feel like Julio, Leon, Sierra, J. Perlaza, Torres, Angulo, Estrada and Orejuela would have been a good fit in any of those euro leagues.
These are the things I wanted to see. Good first impression and good start. Scouting 60 Players for the NT and working close with Celico. https://www.elcomercio.com/deportes/seleccion-futbol-gustavo-alfaro-plan.html
Alfaro is giving me good impressions so far he putting in work he in Ecuador scouting and present in the local matches which is good I cant wait to see his first friendly/call up. What a little alarming is that so many of our players that were starters and gettings 90 min before covid are getting benched hard now or not even called up. Jonathan Perlaza Anderson Julio Fernando Leon Jordan Sierra Felix Torres Robert Arboleda Players like Antonio Valencia, Miller Bolanos, Juan Cazaes still dont have teams. These were all players I had in mind for immediate call ups. Hope that changes soon.
The CB situation concerns me the most. Arboleda, Leon, and Torres are riding the bench with their respective teams. Porozo is still rotting away at Santos. Arreaga is probably the worst CB I've ever seen and don't want him anywhere near the NT. Mina tested positive for covid and just returned to training so I doubt he gets called up. Who will start the games? Guerra? Aimar? There's been talk that Alfaro will call up several nationalized players. Is Schunke eligible? I haven't seen him play but there's been some talk about him. We're set at LB. It's probably the position where we have the most depth - Estupiñan, Ramirez, Palacios, Chala. I haven't watched Preciado play but I've heard good things about kid. There's also Andres Lopez. In regards to Ramirez playing at RB, i don't know about that. He's played LB at club level. I think I remember Rueda playing him at RB in a friendly game but I can be mistaken. Probably not a good idea to play a player out of position in a crucial game though. Gruezo, Franco, Intriago, Cifuentes, and Mendez will anchor the midfield. With the exception of Gruezo who's season hasn't started yet they've been getting consistent minutes. I'd like to see Plata and Alvarado. Mena will also be called up. Enner, Brayan Angulo, and Estrada will be called up. Maybe the kid from Aucas who's name I can't remember. No ones on a goal scoring tear but unfortunately there's not much to choose from. Campana is switching teams and hasn't played a game in months. Caicedo is still retired from the NT.
Ramirez played alot of games in his early days at IDV as RB and yes Rueda did use him as a RB on the NT once or twice. He has a very solid right foot if you ask me. Shunk needs four more years in Ecuador to be eligible lol. He a good CB and def could have been useful for WCQ. The Nationalized players that Alfaro has in mind are Galindez, Marques and Diaz. Facundo Martinez and Matias Oyola are too old and not getting 90 min anymore to be considered. Arboleda, Leon and Torres will probably still get called up probably even Arreaga but I think Moises Corozo, and Guerra are in the best form for now. Other options would be Aimar, Segovia and if it gets that bad maybe Luis Canga from Delfin. Other options to look for in the future are Leo Realpe, Sixto Mina, Marlon Mejia, Richard Mina Gustavo Vallecia. But these guys need to get alot more playing time and consistency.
I remember Ramirez breaking in as a LB. He actually beat Pineida for the starting spot. In theory wouldn't Schunke need one more year to qualify under FIFA rules? It used to be 5 years to be eligible to change national teams but maybe they changed it. Diaz is 34. The man has quality but he's a short term answer at best. Same with Marques who's 32. I'm looking forward to Ligas game this week. It will be a good chance to see some of their players that fugure to be in the mix for a call up - Guerra, PP Perlaza, Caicedo.
I remember seeing a good handful of matches with him at RB in IDV. Looking up his stats in transfermarkt he actually played a few games recently at RB too in Russia. We would have to look up the FIFA rules in detail. But I guess if the media hasnt hyped Schunke up as an eligible option then he probably is not eligible yet. Alfaro is said to be scouting 60 players so I guess in those 60 Marques and Diaz fit in. The media always mentions them and you know there are fans screaming for them to be called up. Same goes to the players I mentioned such as Luis Canga, Realpe, Sixto Mina, Marlon Mejia, Richard Mina Gustavo Vallecia. All players I would scout if I were doing a list of 60. I cant wait to see Liga match in Libertadores Ive been waiting for it for so long.
We'll see if Alfaro calls up Diaz. The media will have a field day if he doesn't. They'll probably call for his resignation if he doesn't call up Diaz or Marques. Three Ecuadorian teams play today in Libertadores - Independiente, Barcelona, and Delfin. It will be a good chance to watch some players who figure to be in the running for a NT call up. The list will be coming out next week I think.
Moises Caicedo is going to end up being a monster for us in the future. The kid can pass, shoot, defend, and move off the ball so well both offensively and defensively. Such a complete DM.
It was such a good game the level of soccer that Faravelli, Torres, Moises, Preciado, Sanchez, even beder is showing is impressive. Ramiez has been trying to perfect his offensive game since the start of the season and look at what a match he comes out with right now big game. perfect match by his players and a huge clean sheet. What a great coach.
Those are good signs he doing everything i wanted a coach to do for us at this time. And yea everything cruyff didnt do. It give me high hopes for him and our team.
One thing I never really thought about or looked at in a coach is how they handle the media. Since Alfaro coached Boca and the Argentinean media is brutal I think he will know how to handle the media very well. Unlike Quinteros. We all know how stupidly he was when it came to the media one of the main reasons he got so much hate and ended up being unsuccessful with us.
Quinteros lost the media. Part of that had to do with regional rivalry. Part of it had to do with his failure to adapt and be accountable. I'm sure Alfaro had to put up with a lot when he has coach of Boca.