Raúl González has little chance of playing for Spain again under Luis Aragonés after he was part of a clique of veterans that openly criticised the coach during the World Cup Finals last year, according to a report.
The Real Madrid captain has not played for the national team for a year and as calls for his return grow louder, AS believe that they have uncovered the reasons behind his omission.
Alongside players such as Santiago Cañizares and Michel Salgado, complaints were made about training methods and team choices and it was the creation of that divide which led to Raúl being left out.
AS state that the problems started, curiously, after Spain had beaten Ukraine 4-0 in the World Cup Finals and Raúl and Cañizares were caught on television remonstrating with members of the coaching staff.
Cañizares even explained himself to AS after the tournament and stated that he objected to the goalkeepers using tennis balls in training.
In the win against Tunisia, Spain's second group game, Raúl scored, but was then substituted and while pouring wine at his table that evening at a team dinner stated loudly: "I think I am only at the World Cup to be a waiter".
The third game saw Aragonés claim he was using his second choice players against Saudi Arabia and upset Raúl further by naming him in that starting side.
Aragonés was unimpressed with the group that were openly critical of him and was quoted as stating: "The veterans are trying to take me on in an arm-wrestling match."
After losing to France in the elimination phase, two or three of most vociferous critics went from room to room back at the hotel asking: "Let's see what the coach has to say now he has lost this game and we are out of the World Cup playing with these playmakers."
The playmakers jibe came after Aragonés named Xavi, Xabi Alonso and Cesc Fàbregas in the midfield at the expense of a defensive midfielder to win the tackles.
All this led to rumours that the coach had said in private that he had pinpoited two players who had given him enough reasons to expel them from the squad.
That was denied, but what is now true if that since the defeat against Northern Ireland brought matters to a head neither player have ben chosen again.
(Courtesy: goal.com)
Showing posts with label Raul. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Raul. Show all posts
27.9.07
Real Madrid overcome battling Betis to regain top spot
Real Madrid maintained their unbeaten record and returned to the top of La Liga after a 2-0 win over Real Betis but they made hard work of despatching the side from Seville on Thursday.
The reigning Spanish champions' captain Raul Gonzalez finally broke the deadlock from the penalty spot after 66 minutes following a foul on him by Betis midfielder David Rivas.
Brazilian international Julio Baptista then got Real's second five minutes from time but the scoreline flattered the reigning Spanish champions with lowly Betis hitting the woodwork no less than three times during the game.
Real started well and had by far the best of the first half hour, and a clear majority of the possession, but gradually Betis worked their way back into the game.
Edu and Mark Gonzalez both had good opportunities to score just before David Rivas sent a header against the post six minutes before the break.
The close shaves meant Madrid left the field at the break with whistles from the Real faithful ringing in their ears and the jeers from their ever-critical fans continued well into the second period until Raul opened the scoring.
Madrid rode their luck once again late in the game when Betis threw everything at them in search of an equaliser.
Firstly Rafael Sobis's free kick skimmed off the cross bar after 75 minutes and Mark Gonzalez then hit the post just a minute later.
The hosts' nerves finally calmed when second half substitute Baptista, who had only been on the field five minutes, hammered home his first goal of the season from the edge of the area.
The victory means that Real Madrid have 13 points from their five matches and a one point lead over Villarreal and Valencia, who are second and third respectively and split by goal difference after both teams won on Wednesday.
By contrast, at the other end of the table, Betis are third from bottom and still looking for their first win this season with only two points to their name.
Villarreal had an impressive 2-0 win at Racing Santander with goals from Turkish international Nihat Kahveci and their American-born Italian striker Guiseppe Rossi.
Valencia laboured to a 2-1 win over struggling Getafe but notched up their fourth successive win with first half goals from Spanish internationals David Silva and David Villa before Braulio Nobrega got one back for Getafe late in the game.
Unbeaten Barcelona are one point further back in fourth after inflicting a 4-1 thrashing on Real Zaragoza later on Wednesday.
All the goals in Barca's Nou Camp stadium came in the first half, with their Argentine international winger Lionel Messi finding the net after just five minutes although Zaragoza's Alberto Zapater equalised four minutes later.
However, the 2006 European champions quickly got back into their stride and Messi took barely a minute before he sent a cross from Deco into the back of the net to give Barca the lead again.
Andres Iniesta and Rafa Marquez added more goals before the break before the Catalan club stepped off the gas in the second half.
"I didn't see anything negative about this team," said Barca coach Frank Rijkaard after the game, responding to public and media criticism about him and his team.
However, Rijkaard might possibly concede that summer signing Thierry Henry once again had a below-par game, a fact which even the excellence of his team mates couldn't hide.
The Frenchman squandering several chances, including two late in the game, which would have added to the Catalan club's tally.
(Courtesy: www.soccerway.com)
The reigning Spanish champions' captain Raul Gonzalez finally broke the deadlock from the penalty spot after 66 minutes following a foul on him by Betis midfielder David Rivas.
Brazilian international Julio Baptista then got Real's second five minutes from time but the scoreline flattered the reigning Spanish champions with lowly Betis hitting the woodwork no less than three times during the game.
Real started well and had by far the best of the first half hour, and a clear majority of the possession, but gradually Betis worked their way back into the game.
Edu and Mark Gonzalez both had good opportunities to score just before David Rivas sent a header against the post six minutes before the break.
The close shaves meant Madrid left the field at the break with whistles from the Real faithful ringing in their ears and the jeers from their ever-critical fans continued well into the second period until Raul opened the scoring.
Madrid rode their luck once again late in the game when Betis threw everything at them in search of an equaliser.
Firstly Rafael Sobis's free kick skimmed off the cross bar after 75 minutes and Mark Gonzalez then hit the post just a minute later.
The hosts' nerves finally calmed when second half substitute Baptista, who had only been on the field five minutes, hammered home his first goal of the season from the edge of the area.
The victory means that Real Madrid have 13 points from their five matches and a one point lead over Villarreal and Valencia, who are second and third respectively and split by goal difference after both teams won on Wednesday.
By contrast, at the other end of the table, Betis are third from bottom and still looking for their first win this season with only two points to their name.
Villarreal had an impressive 2-0 win at Racing Santander with goals from Turkish international Nihat Kahveci and their American-born Italian striker Guiseppe Rossi.
Valencia laboured to a 2-1 win over struggling Getafe but notched up their fourth successive win with first half goals from Spanish internationals David Silva and David Villa before Braulio Nobrega got one back for Getafe late in the game.
Unbeaten Barcelona are one point further back in fourth after inflicting a 4-1 thrashing on Real Zaragoza later on Wednesday.
All the goals in Barca's Nou Camp stadium came in the first half, with their Argentine international winger Lionel Messi finding the net after just five minutes although Zaragoza's Alberto Zapater equalised four minutes later.
However, the 2006 European champions quickly got back into their stride and Messi took barely a minute before he sent a cross from Deco into the back of the net to give Barca the lead again.
Andres Iniesta and Rafa Marquez added more goals before the break before the Catalan club stepped off the gas in the second half.
"I didn't see anything negative about this team," said Barca coach Frank Rijkaard after the game, responding to public and media criticism about him and his team.
However, Rijkaard might possibly concede that summer signing Thierry Henry once again had a below-par game, a fact which even the excellence of his team mates couldn't hide.
The Frenchman squandering several chances, including two late in the game, which would have added to the Catalan club's tally.
(Courtesy: www.soccerway.com)
26.9.07
Street Smart Sneijder Wants Madrid To Attack
Wesley Sneijder has revealed that growing up in a though area of Holland prepared him for professional football and also given his views on Real Madrid's recent displays.
The Dutch midfielder has made an instant impact at the Bernabéu after his summer arrival from Ajax and he has not suffered from any nerves in his surroundings.
That lack of fear comes from his childhood, where Sneijder was forced to fight in order to play on the one pitch in his local district.
"I started playing in my Utrecht district when I was three against kids who were six or seven years old," he explained. "I had to be psychologically strong and I believe that experience made me the player I am today: competitive and anxious to be successful.
"Ondiep, the district I grew up in, became famous a few months ago because one person was murdered and people protested with riots. People believe it is an important place now, but it is actually a tough area to grow up in.
Sneijder has formed an instant understanding the the Real strikers
"A kid there must be strong in order to be respected. When I was child there was only one football pitch and too many children that wanted to play on it. It wasn't enough to be good at football. I didn't manage to play because I was good, but because I fought with other kids to do so.
"You end up being tough if you manage to play football on the streets."
After being left out of the draw against Valladolid at the weekend, Sneijder had time to reflect on Real Madrid's best system and he has no qualms about stating his beliefs.
"I think we should play like we did against Villarreal; being patient and using our speed to score goals when we see a chance to do so," continued.
"We should be organised in defence and attack through our three forwards. That's what we did then and we managed to score three goals consecutively. The system isn't as important as playing together, fighting hard and using our speed in attack.
"We cannot play the counter-attack by waiting in defence. We should be organised, fight to recover ball posession and then attack as fast as we can. We should be able to make quick passes, penetrate our rivals' defence and shoot.
"Against Valladolid and Werder Bremen our game was too wide; the defence was too far back and the midfielders too close to the goal."
Finally, Sneijder talked about Ruud Van Nistelrooy's revelation that every new player must adhere to code of conduct laid down by club captain, Raúl.
"I don't know if they can be called rules per se, but what you can't do when you are new to the team is behave as if you were a great player that doesn't care about anyone else," he explained.
"You can't challenge what the more experienced players say. It wouldn't be wise to do so. It is better to do as they say.
"Raúl is a great guy, with great personality. He manages to do a lot out of nothing. The shot of his Valladolid's coach saved the other day was a good example of this. We hadn't had a chance in an hour and he suddenly came close to scoring a goal.
"He always knows where he has to go and where the ball will end up. Very few players have that gift. He is the best at reading a team's play."
(Courtesy: goal.com)
The Dutch midfielder has made an instant impact at the Bernabéu after his summer arrival from Ajax and he has not suffered from any nerves in his surroundings.
That lack of fear comes from his childhood, where Sneijder was forced to fight in order to play on the one pitch in his local district.
"I started playing in my Utrecht district when I was three against kids who were six or seven years old," he explained. "I had to be psychologically strong and I believe that experience made me the player I am today: competitive and anxious to be successful.
"Ondiep, the district I grew up in, became famous a few months ago because one person was murdered and people protested with riots. People believe it is an important place now, but it is actually a tough area to grow up in.
Sneijder has formed an instant understanding the the Real strikers"You end up being tough if you manage to play football on the streets."
After being left out of the draw against Valladolid at the weekend, Sneijder had time to reflect on Real Madrid's best system and he has no qualms about stating his beliefs.
"I think we should play like we did against Villarreal; being patient and using our speed to score goals when we see a chance to do so," continued.
"We should be organised in defence and attack through our three forwards. That's what we did then and we managed to score three goals consecutively. The system isn't as important as playing together, fighting hard and using our speed in attack.
"We cannot play the counter-attack by waiting in defence. We should be organised, fight to recover ball posession and then attack as fast as we can. We should be able to make quick passes, penetrate our rivals' defence and shoot.
"Against Valladolid and Werder Bremen our game was too wide; the defence was too far back and the midfielders too close to the goal."
Finally, Sneijder talked about Ruud Van Nistelrooy's revelation that every new player must adhere to code of conduct laid down by club captain, Raúl.
"I don't know if they can be called rules per se, but what you can't do when you are new to the team is behave as if you were a great player that doesn't care about anyone else," he explained.
"You can't challenge what the more experienced players say. It wouldn't be wise to do so. It is better to do as they say.
"Raúl is a great guy, with great personality. He manages to do a lot out of nothing. The shot of his Valladolid's coach saved the other day was a good example of this. We hadn't had a chance in an hour and he suddenly came close to scoring a goal.
"He always knows where he has to go and where the ball will end up. Very few players have that gift. He is the best at reading a team's play."
(Courtesy: goal.com)
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