GERMANY: SOCCER / FOOTBALL - Argentina train for final time ahead of World Cup clash with Ivory Coast and press conference by technical coach Jose Peckerman

Record ID: 447764

  • Title: GERMANY: SOCCER / FOOTBALL - Argentina train for final time ahead of World Cup clash with Ivory Coast and press conference by technical coach Jose Peckerman
  • Date: 10th June 2006
  • Summary: (XX) HERZOGENAURAC, GERMANY (JUNE 9, 2006) (REUTERS-ACCESS ALL) WIDE: FANS STANDING AT FENCE AT THE TRAINING AREA NEAR THE HEADQUARTERS IN HERZOGENAURACH PAN: MIDFIELDER JUAN ROMAN RIQUELME COMING TO FENCE AND SIGNS AUTOGRAPHS CLOSE UP: FANS PAN: FANS SEMI CLOSE UP / PULL IN: LIONEL ANDRES MESSI SIGNING AUTOGRAPHS MID VIEW / PULL IN: HERNAN JORGE CRESPO SIGNING AUTOGRAPHS MID VIEW / FAN TAKING OFF T-SHIRT TO SHOW MARADONA TATOO CLOSE UP: OF TATOO MID VIEW: FANS WITH ARGENTINIAN FLAG CHEERING "ARGENTINA WILL BE CHAMPION THIS TIME" VARIOUS: SHOTS OF TRAINING IN GROUND NEAR TEAM HEADQUARTERS (4 SHOTS)
  • Embargoed: 25th June 2006 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA9UDJA8QSSA2N8MP22NBN08L2E
  • Story Text: Argetinas coach Jose Pekerman met the press on Friday (June 9, 2006) soon after he named his team on for the World Cup opener against Ivory Coast. Pekerman is under no illusions about the threat posed by debutants Ivory Coast, coached by Frenchman Henri Michel, in Saturday's (June 10)group C encounter in Hamburg. "I want to highlight the most important point, the team to me means all the 23 players, I'm not making any difference between any players, and I know if somebody is not playing on Saturday, he will be playing in the next game." Pekerman told the gatherd press. Pekerman picked the side he has been working with all week at Argentina's base near Nuremberg, linking Javier Saviola with Hernan Crespo in attack. He named a defence that has the experienced Roberto Ayala and Gabriel Heinze in the centre to deal with the threat posed by the Ivorians' captain Didier Drogba, who until recently was sharing the centre forward duties with Crespo at Chelsea. Pekerman said he regarded his squad of 23 as a unit and not a first team and reserves. Players overlooked for the opening match might come to the fore during the tournament. "The first game is very important, and all is starting to work from now on. So I can't precdict what is happening next, I know I have the whole team in good shape, that gives me the opportunity that this initial team knows what they want, they know how to manage this first game, and are very self assured." He is almost certain to call on gifted teenager Lionel Messi at some point in the match and may link him with fellow substitutes Pablo Aimar and Carlos Tevez if Argentina struggle. Argentina face two more tough opponents in Serbia & Montenegro, in Gelsenkirchen on June 16, and twice finalists Netherlands, in Frankfurt on June 21, in their group. "Knowing that this world Cup is starting now, we can't behave as if we were champions already after the first game, that is my main message." Pekerman said he had chosen his players essentially to get the most out of a traditional Argentine style of playing without at the same time dismissing the strengths of his opponents. Pekerman said he was pleased with Argentina's preparations for a tournament in which he hoped the team would "
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