Fabricio Coloccini has been called up by Argentina for a friendly in Saudi Arabia and possible against Brazil in Buenos Aires one week later, and as we mentioned recently, that’s an awful lot of traveling for the 30 year-old – to play two friendly games. But it could be that Argentina will use their local players for the friendly game against Brazil – maybe.
Fabricio Coloccini – Newcastle masterful center back
Coloccini will have to do all that traveling squeezed between two Newcastle league games – both home games against West Ham United on Sunday 11th November, and then against Swansea City on the following Saturday.
Newcastle strikers Papiss Cisse and Demba Ba are part of the Senegal squad to travel to Niger for another friendly game on Wednesday, 14th November, and Cheick Tiote’s is with the Ivory Coast squad at Austria in another friendly game on the same day.
19 year-old Australian defender Curtis Good will be representing Australia at the Asian Football Confederation Under 19 Championships, which take place in the United Arab Emirates.
Australia will play Qatar this Sunday, and then play Syria next Tuesday, and then Saudi Arabia next Thursday, so those games come quick and fast.
Here are Newcastle November International Call-Ups – some of which is courtesy of Anthony Marshall on Newcastle’s web-site:
Fabricio Coloccini (Argentina)
Wednesday, 14th November, 2012 – Saudi Arabia (a) (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia), friendly
Tim Krul (Holland)
Wednesday, 14th November, 2012 vs Germany (Amsterdam ArenA, Amsterdam)
Papiss Cisse and Demba Ba (Senegal)
Wednesday, 14th November, 2012 – Niger (a) (Stade Général Seyni Kountché), friendly
Cheick Tiote (Ivory Coast)
Wednesday, 14th November, 2012 – Austria (a) (Linz), friendly
Curtis Good (Australia U19s)
Sunday, 4th November, 2012 – Qatar (a) (Fujairah, United Arab Emirates), AFC Under 19 Championships
Tuesday, 6th November, 2012 – Syria (a) (Fujairah, United Arab Emirates), AFC Under 19 Championships
Thursday, 8th November, 2012 – Saudi Arabia (Ras al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates), AFC Under 19 Championships
With all these competitive games players have to play these days, these friendlies seem to be an unwanted diversion – although that’s not true for the AFC Championships that Curtis Good is participating in.
Countries may need to cut back on these friendlies in the future, because players have to travel thousands of miles to play these games, and they don’t mean too much after all.
What do you think?
Comments welcome.
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10 comments so far
RonVanDam
Nov 1, 2012 at 9:56 AM
Comment #1If we are after a young defender GET: Germán Pezzella. This guy is 21 and does everything Colo does but slightly better. Very very good sweeper. Should get him now before his stock increases
Crawfordladd17
Nov 1, 2012 at 10:14 AM
Comment #2Why whats the point?
rainrix
Nov 1, 2012 at 10:16 AM
Comment #3Ah the old club vs country debate rears its head again. IMO clubs should be prioritised always. We do pay their wages. Actual qualifying are ok but meaningless friendlies annoy me, absolutely no point to them.
Transfer Sage
Nov 1, 2012 at 10:19 AM
Comment #4Country every time for me.
Clubs know that if they want to be near the top then they will have international players, it’s the same for all clubs in top leagues.
If you want your players to not go on international duty sign lesser ones and play in the championship.
jesperfuglsang
Nov 1, 2012 at 10:26 AM
Comment #5As Rainrix says club before country that is have it has always been and should always be.
The clubs pay their salary and they bare the risk.
By on the other hand no club should say a player cannot represent his country – the need to find a mutual ground.
Ine thing I would like though is that UEFA or Fifa change the rules for the Olympics so it is only for U23 and we need to have a look at the ACON.
Transfer Sage
Nov 1, 2012 at 10:28 AM
Comment #6Olympics is fair as it is, under 23 with 3 over.
Clubs pay the wages but representing your country is an honour. And clubs don’t have to sign international standard players, that’s optional.
The problem is too many countries give meaningless caps in friendlies and devalue the honour of playing for your country.
jesperfuglsang
Nov 1, 2012 at 10:30 AM
Comment #7*okay my phone just went completely crazy there…sorry about that 🙂
jesperfuglsang
Nov 1, 2012 at 10:33 AM
Comment #8TS…country is not an obligation but a choice. Clubs bare the risk.
…on the olympics, why do we need three players over the age of 23? We have enough tournaments for those and they play enough matches as it is.
Again clubs bare the risk!
Transfer Sage
Nov 1, 2012 at 11:27 AM
Comment #9Jesper
We have tournaments for under 23 too from school boy to under 17,18,19,21 so could argue they get big games too.
Also clubs do have the risk but as I say if you want to be at the top level you sign internationals. If you don’t want to risk then getting injured sign players who don’t represent their country and accept your status lower in the league.
International FA’s cover the cost of player wages if they are injured on international duty so there is some form of protection.
woolerbill
Nov 1, 2012 at 4:24 PM
Comment #10There is more and more friendlies. I think it’s time the clubs put their foot down, players are under contract to clubs, not countries