Xabi Retires

[Frogfish]

Xabi Alonso ‏@XabiAlonso 42m
I announce my retirement from international football. It's been an enormous honour for 11 great years. Sincere thanks to everyone involved.

 

[themn]

For @Mystic...just in case.

 

[MomoWASright]

He is off to Bayern according to ballbag.

 

[gkmacca]

Can't players these days just...keep playing until they stop getting picked? Do their woefully inflated egos demand that they must formally retire from everything? What do they want - a clock?

 

[moron]

Can't players these days just...keep playing until they stop getting picked? Do their woefully inflated egos demand that they must formally retire from everything? What do they want - a clock?

I think it is kind of good that they actually do that, mainly because when one of these older players has a few good games the media of that country hounds the fucking manager to pick them for the national team - and of course they do get picked and may perform well so they then become a regular fixture at an age where their bodies can no longer take it so not only does their performance for their club drop but they also bring down the national team when some younger player would be the better short-term and long-term option. We see it too often especially in English football - I remember Shearer kept on getting picked when he could hardly score goals towards the end - they become pretty pathetic to be honest.

Good move Xabi.

 

[gkmacca]

Well if they kept getting picked then that was the manager's fault. They do have managers, don't they? Bobby Moore seemed to do quite well without having to issue a massively pompous 'I retire' proclamation. I don't notice many of the arrogant feckers today 'retiring' from the big clubs with their big salaries, even when they're blatantly taking the piss by continuing to accept an obscene wage. They just get moved on. Ideally a bit quicker than they'd like it. That's how it should be.

 

[moron]

Well if they kept getting picked then that was the manager's fault. They do have managers, don't they? Bobby Moore seemed to do quite well without having to issue a massively pompous 'I retire' proclamation. I don't notice many of the arrogant feckers today 'retiring' from the big clubs with their big salaries, even when they're blatantly taking the piss by continuing to accept an obscene wage. They just get moved on. Ideally a bit quicker than they'd like it. That's how it should be.

I don't think national coaches are fully in charge of the selection process - yes they are but on the back of their mind they are probably think:-

"shit - if i don't pick him and things go wrong they will all have it in for me...."

But you do raise a good question/point - as they are no longer good enough for the national team - then why do they think they are good enough to play for a big club ? you could argue the expectation from club fans is more regular and if the team is in the CL - is that not a higher level than 99% of national teams ?

 

[Mystic]

For @Mystic...just in case.

This thread title nearly has me needing this, thank fuck it's only international retirement.

 

[themn]

This thread title nearly has me needing this, thank fuck it's only international retirement.

What are your feelings re: his move to Bayern?

 

[Mystic]

What are your feelings re: his move to Bayern?

I'm thinking they've misspelt Liverpool.

Heh, good luck to him, I prefer Bayern to Real, but he'd be perfect for us, he's made to play the role Gerrard is playing.

 

[Judge Jules]

Indeed.

If this happens, you just know we're going to get either them or Barca in the CL. Or both FFS.

 

[tombrown]

I think I shall retire from international football. Sorry Hodge, I am no longer available for selection

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

I'm thinking they've misspelt Liverpool.

Heh, good luck to him, I prefer Bayern to Real, but he'd be perfect for us, he's made to play the role Gerrard is playing.

And when people start running past him like he's not there, will we get another new thread about him being past it and needing replacing? The signs were starting to show in the World Cup - perhaps that's why he had the good sense to retire from internationals before it got worse. 😉

 

[leftpeg]

I long ago decided I would never play international football. To be fair I was never picked up by Liverpool either.

 

[Mystic]

And when people start running past him like he's not there, will we get another new thread about him being past it and needing replacing? The signs were starting to show in the World Cup - perhaps that's why he had the good sense to retire from internationals before it got worse. 😉

He has the intelligence and positioning to play their though, I don't think he can really be blamed for the world cup monstrosity.

 

[Frogfish]

I long ago decided I would never play international football. To be fair I was never picked up by Liverpool either.

We noticed.

 

[leftpeg]

We noticed.

An unforgivable error on the part of our scouting network.