johnnythefirst

Bullshit. He wants to include him in the squad (duh), he's not offering him a "starting spot".

Which paper would that be btw?

Seriously? Did not know that.

Could you guys maybe give him a couple of weeks off in say April btw? So he still has this form at the World Cup. Thanks!

One of the most important things Wilmots did was making the right players feel important. He actually listens and is even open to input from the players at a certain level. When Mboyo was selected, a player recovering from some really dark teenage years including a rape accusation, he asked the team whether they were ok with this decision before he actually made it.

He's been with the national team as early as 2008 (!!), which would make him 17 at the time. He made several appearances, mostly as a sub. 17 appearances without goals before 2011 it says on Wikipedia. Last year he made 3 goals in 9 appearances. Penalties mostly, but still.

I was talking about Rene Vandereycken, his predecessor, who was arguably even much much worse. I remember a friendly against Morocco. They had a team of technically capable midgets, and we had five or six players above the 6'2 mark. He managed to put a team on the pitch with no wingers whatsoever, every ball played low down the centre of the field. No crosses were even attempted. I was watching in a full bar and every person in the room had better tactical capabilities than the national manager.

Well the whole team only really started playing well this last year and a half. A lot of Eden's caps were from 4 or so years a go where he was often a substitute, we had a team of individuals, no decent striker and a horrible, horrible coach who hasn't been able to get a job since. His stats will vastly improve in the years to come.

Yeah, typical case of a trainer who never really got to manage star players before and wasn't on the same level of quality than his team. How is a dude with 2 national caps and no real top experience outside of the Belgian league going to talk down to international football stars like Kompany, Witsel and Hazard? Wilmots didn't have the necessary experience as a coach either, but at least every player respected him as a guy who played 3 world cups, almost became the national top scorer and is an ex UEFA Cup winner (scoring the decisive penalty). The only other Belgian trainers who should be allowed to manage the national team would be Eric Gerets and maybe Preudhomme. I'm actually hoping Wilmots will stay on for years until Kompany retires and can take everything over.

We Belgians have the tendency to pull everyone down who's over average. We don't like people being better than other people, especially if they're not modest about it. (This is one of the things I hate most about the people in my country). Hazard was always seen as one of the biggest national talents ever, even when he was playing with the national under 17 squad. Still, Flemish media pictured him as somewhat of a spoiled manchild over the years. Which is completely false according to me. He's a married 23 year old father of two ffs. There was the hamburger incident (which was mostly because of frustrations due to an incapable national manager) and he hasn't really been that decisive for the national team up until some months ago. I wonder how long they'll keep downplaying him, it seems to be stopping these days. Then again, some of our more Flemish nationalistic assholes will keep disliking every celeb that openly states his love for Belgium. Even Kompany was criticised for this, and you can't be more of a model professional (or person) than Vincent Kompany, who is the true backbone of our national team. Among kids, both are vastly popular of course.

Of those seven, hulk is the most overrated player. He's not dominating at all and he's playing in a shitty league. Nor is he really a certitude in the Brazil squad (correct me if I'm wrong).

Nope.

I don't think Eto'o can be motivated to stay as a third striker as Ba is doing now. Nor can Lukaku. Now giving Eto'o a contract as an individual coach for the other strikers, that might work. ;-)

Apparently he had a problem with his back. He might miss the next game as well.

I think diego's contract ended this summer... Not much to do about it...

21. 9 to go. Should be possible.

His current level amazes even me. Hats off José, seriously... When is the Golden Boot awarded in England? Does he have a serious chance as of now?

That tackle around the 30s mark could have destroyed him given some bad luck....

Concerning Neymar: I read yesterday that his transfer was secretly more expensive than Bale's. His father (also his manager) got €10 million a couple of years ago to seal the deal, and 30 million more after the transfer. If true, that's insane.

They say the injury will keep him of the pitch for three weeks max. Lucky boy...

Well, we have a saying in Belgium: don't check a given horse's teeth ;-)

What if Atletico gets him for free as an extra gift for Costa? Wouldn't that be great? He started his career there, so...

Btw, I'm beginning to have the feeling he will be sold this summer. Chelsea will sign a world class striker and Everton I think has the cash to make it permanent...

At Lukaku's age, Drogba was barely playing pro football. But they're different types alright. Only their strength is comparable.

KDB being played in Germany and Hazard turning into a much more efficient player than he used to be, should work wonders for the national team (and Lukaku) though.