We’ll hamstring Eagles–Argentina’s coach

Posted by admin Headlines, Soccer, Sports Friday, May 20th, 2011

Argentina’s Coach, Sergio Batista, has declared that he would perfect a strategy that would frustrate the Super Eagles in the June 1 international friendly at the National Stadium,Abuja.
Batista,speaking at a news conference in Buenos Aires ahead of the grade A clash, said he would instruct his boys to try and keep possession of the ball throughout the game.

In his words:“Argentines are not going to play like Barcelona, but I want us to attack and attack in the best possible way. We will play a controlled-possession game with patience.” The 48-year-old tactician said Barcelona’s attacking pearl, Lionel Messi, remains his number one striker despite not being on the roll call of players he is lining up against the Eagles.

“My number nine is Lionel Messi, there are no discarded players, but if you ask about Tevez … we have Messi in that position,” he said. The coach, who would, in July, lead the Argies to the Copa America campaign on home soil, said that his major focus is on the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

“Yes, we are hosting the Copa America in July, but my long term sight is on the 2014 World Cup.”
Argentina would, after the Abuja friendly, play Poland in Warsaw on June 5 before facing Albania at the River Plate Stadium on June 20 by which time Batista said he would have decided on his squad for the Copa America.
Later in the year, Argentina meets Romania in Bucharest on Aug 10 and tour Asia in September with friendlies against Venezuela in Calcutta on Sept 2 and Nigeria in Bangladesh on Sept 6.

Analysts believe that the June 1 friendly would be the first litmus test for Nigeria’s youthful tactician, Samson Siasia, who since he took over the Eagles has been having a smooth ride safe for the Abeokuta flop with the home lads.

-Sunwp_posts