Nigeria, Iran will fear us, says Argentina coach

Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella is confident his final squad for the World Cup will intimidate opponents as he reveals a combination of Lionel Messi and a strong defence will do the job.

Argentina are favourites in Group F which has Nigeria, Iran and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

“Our rivals will fear us. Argentina has an amazing front line,” he says on the national team’s official website.

“It’s very hard to be World champions. We don’t have to believe that we are the best. In fact, we know we’re not the best, but we are a candidate. We can’t go into the tournament thinking we’ve won it.

“I don’t know if I’ll take seven or eight defenders. Depends on whether I include another midfielder. The best thing is to try and cover all the areas. Almost certainly those who are here now will be making it.”

Midfielder Angel Di Maria has also described the group as ‘good’, tipping his side to lift the trophy and hopes to retire after the tournament.

“The goal is to try and go as far as possible and if we win it, I’ll probably retire. It would be the best thing that could happen to me,” the Real Madrid player said.

“We can win it because we have a good group, because we have players with World Cup experience and because we know very well what a World Cup represents.”

It is still unclear if the coach will include Carlos Tevez in his final squad. The Juventus striker is enmeshed in controversy in the national team since after the 2010 World Cup.

Comments

The War between Iconic Emeka Ike and Segun Arinze

The war between iconic actors Segun Arinze and Emeka Ike seems to have no end in sight. In a recent interview, Arinze had said Ike should stop embarrassing the Actors Guild of Nigeria by parading himself as its president. According to Segun: ‘Emeka should grow up. As far as I am concerned, Ibinabo Fiberesima is the bonafide president. Even in the recent judgement that came out recently telling us to return to the status quo, what does it mean? We were told to go back to the way we were. There was no time Emeka Ike was pronounced the president of AGN. Let him bring out the copy of the judgement and show us if he is man enough. He should wake up and stop embarrassing the guild.” Well, these words did not go down well with Ike who believes Segun Arinze “is an illiterate who should have been in jail.” He told Saturday Beats: “I heard Segun Arinze was interviewed and he said so many things about me and nobody asked me for my own side. I don’t think it was a balanced report. Se...

Jonathan, Abiara ask Nigerians to pray for 2015 polls

President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday felicitated with Nigerian Muslims as they commemorate the birth of Prophet MuMuhammad. In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, the President urged Muslims to use the opportunity offered by the Eid-el-Maulud to offer special prayers for successful and peaceful elections in the country next month. Also, the General Evangelist, Christ Apostolic Church Worldwide, Prophet Samuel Abiara, has appealed to politicians to embrace peace and avoid any act that could lead to violence ahead of the 2015 general elections. The clergy, who spoke in Lagos during the crossover service, decried insecurity and economic decline as a result of falling oil prices. He said, “We are deeply concerned over the continuous killing of the innocent people of Nigeria. The land is becoming...

400-YEAR Old Church Emerge From Receding Water

No biggie, but a Colonial-era church has emerged from receding waters in Mexico. Leonel Mendoza fishes every day in a reservoir surrounded by forest and mountains in the southern Mexico state of Chiapas. But in recent days, he has been ferrying curious passengers out to see the remains of a colonial-era church that has emerged from the receding waters. Pretty impressive, right? A drought this year means the level of the Grijalva River, which flows into the Nezahualcoyotl reservoir, has dropped by 25 meters (82 feet). It is the second time a drop in the reservoir has revealed the church since it was flooded when the dam was completed in 1966. In 2002, the water was so low visitors could walk inside the church. ‘The people celebrated. They came to eat, to hang out, to do business. I sold them fried fish. They did processions around the church,’ Mendoza recalled. The church near Quechula was built by a group of monks headed by Friar Bartolome de l...

Abuja Bloggers

Search This Blog