Too bad about the new regime in Chile. This game won't nearly be as interesting, now. Or as high scoring. Of course, it probably takes the 4-0 beat down off the table, too.
both teams, I'm sure, will bring in very young teams. It's camp cupcake, so the opponent isn't really important here. I don't think it would even count as a FIFA A-Match for cap tying purposes.
Camp cupcake match. Weak squads. However, a good soccer country so I'm sure we'll see some talented young players from Chile. Good on the USSF. Good pick for that fixture. Edit: Might have some marketing power behind it too. Better than Sweden or Honduras I would think.
My thoughts exactly. Finally a January game that is against an opponent we normally don't play ( Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Honduras ). It will be young squads on both sides, but should be interesting nonetheless.
but, if we win, will the announcer still be able to say that it's a "SHOT HEARD ACROSS THE POND" like he did when we beat the swedish C team a few years ago? priceless stuff....
Actually, we are playing the miners. I don't think any "friendlies", A or B, count for cap tying, only "official competitions"
Very likely that for whoever coaches the Chilean team by then, he will use a mix of players made of young players, non experienced players coming from the chilean local tournaments, all powered up by some very experienced players who usually and regularly play in the Mexican league. Also you must take in account that this match will be crucial for the preparation of the Chilean team facing the next Copa America, that will be held later in that same year. I think it will be a very fun game to watch. I hope we beat you then (I am biased here), with a hat trick by our great Humberto Suazo, who "kicks it" for Monterrey in the Mexican league.
I have to admit, I am happier playing Chile than "Random Scandinavian country". Chile is far better Gold Cup preperation. Actually, I hope Humberto Suazo will be available as well. If Mexican-based players can be called up for this friendly, the US has serious options. The best of the MLS + Mexican-based Nats + Scandinavian based Nats would actually make for a strong team. However, Rickdog, considering this is not a FIFA date, I do not think Chile will be able to call up Suazo.
Ooops,. I wasn`t aware of that one. Given our recent Federation elections outcome, I don`t think our new officials will do any lobby with the mexican teams, in order to get the players to play in that game at all. I guess we`ll have to trust only in our own local tournament players for this friendly match. Anyhow, it will be a good game anyway. There is still lots of talent within both of our championships and lots of emerging future stars. The only thing that gives me something to worry about, is the style our new, not designated yet, coach, decides to apply for that match.
Actually he is still our coach, but he firmly said that if Harold Maine Nichols, wasn`t re-elected as president of our Federation, which didn`t happen, he wasn`t going to coach us anymore since he doesn`t trust in the new Officials elected. The new President will asume in January 15, next year, so technically by then we will have to have a new coach, which is likely that will asume command of our team before that date, once they sign him in, which till today hasn`t happened yet. Lots of speculation is happening nowdays here in Chile of who will be the coach. Many talk about Borghi, Pekerman (my personal favourite among the alternatives), Berizo, Parreira, Dunga, and even Aragonez have been considered, but the true is that today it is still a very big "question mark" of whom it will be.
Honestly, Bielsa is making a fool out of himself if he leaves the team where he really did put his own mark of excillence on them. Without him I'd put money that they wouldn't have made the World Cup and more importantly if this is the "Golden Age" of Chillean football with the amount of talent that happens to be their, why would a coach leave that? It is fair to say he's leaving but at what cost to his own legacy?
Mr. Bielsa above everything is an honest, hard working, serious man, who puts all his might, into accomplishing his personal goals. As he devotes himself to his job, he demands the same kind of comitment of whoever shall be his boss, in this case the Chilean Federation, where he encountered himself with another person, who as himself, worships the same principles that according to his personal morals and ethics, must rule his way of life, impersoned by Harry Maine Nichols, former President of the Chilean Federation. We can agree that his salary coaching our national team was high, but according to his work and achievements, he deserved every cent he earned here. In fact, despite of all of this, he never asked for better conditions than the ones he originally asked for, when he first signed for our team, and he was happy for all he was doing for the team and the change of image that our national team gained in the process, most of it due to the excellent work performed by him alongside to our federation, which at the moment they asumed it, was in total chaos and almost in bankrupcy. Mr. Bielsa, lots of times reached at his own pocket in order to get things done, cause he felt that his job many times extended itself beyond the Football field, and for all of it he was really happy within himself and with his family. In many things he felt as he was simply another Chilean, although he never really renounced to his Argentine nationality. Most of Chilean fans, me included, are sad as how things have evolved in the last weeks, that have led this whole issue to the position where we ourselves alone, put us all. Where ever he goes, he will have the company of the almost 15 million chilean football fan souls with him, so for his own legacy, he will never be really alone, and to be true, lots of us expect to join up with him in the road once again, in better days to come....... Mr. Marcelo Bielsa, is a serious guy, and believe me, he will do what he said before, he will quit. As we seem to know him, we know he is not the kind of guy that says something, he will actually not do. His depart, as mr. HMN`s, is a very sorrow, unfortunate loss for all of us here, but life for all of us, must go on, and a new coach will come. As Chileans, we expect nothing less than what mr. Bielsa left on us, so we must wait with a little patience the naming of our next coach, and give him the benefit of some reasonable time to start achieving results, as how whom he is replacing did, in order that we keep on advancing to a better future, and of course to our maximum goal, which is wining the WC. (I hope I`m still alive by then,)
I wish both the Chilean FA and the USSF can jointly lobby FEMEXFUT and Mexican clubs for the release of Mexican based players for this fixture. Neither country will have an opportunity to get a good look at Mexican-Based players before the Gold Cup/Copa America, and getting players released will be a positive for both federations.
There are two (Possibly 3*) FIFA dates between now and the Gold Cup sendoff in which we can look at Mexican based players. Since it's also crucial to play European based players as well as key MLS personnel in the long offseason, realistically only one of those dates can be allocated purely to the Mexican based players. Since the Chile fixture is not one of those dates, we can assume that the fixture will look at more MLS and Scandinavian talent. The Feb 9 would feature Euros that didn't feature much (Such as Holden), Key MLS personnel and Mexican based players, leaving the March dates as basically a full trial for the Gold Cup. I'll stress again- that only leaves one fixture for the Mexican based players (Besides Bornstein, obviously) to impress BB for the Gold Cup. *(March 25-9 are FIFA dates. The USA can squeeze two fixtures in that time.)