Riquelme quits International football

[On The Edge of Insanity]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/5349522.stm

Captain Riquelme quits Argentina 
 
Argentina captain Juan Roman Riquelme has announced his international retirement at the age of just 28.
Riquelme, who skippered the side at the World Cup, said he wanted more time to look after his ill mother and was upset by criticism of his performances.

"I can take criticism but family comes first before soccer," said Riquelme. "I have no right to make her suffer due to my part in the national team."

Riquelme won 37 caps and scored eight goals having made his debut in 1997.

He added: "Since the World Cup, my mother has been taken to hospital twice and my responsibility is to take care of her.

"It will hurt me deeply not to wear the Argentina shirt again but my mother's health comes first.

"My mother is my mother and I can't compare her with the Argentina shirt or anything else."

Riquelme will continue to play his club football for Spanish side Villarreal.

 

Unfortunate because he's one of the my favourite players and one of the worlds best, but you have to respect his reasoning. Makes it easier for the new coach to incorporate more of his own ideas as well, cause you always get the best out of Riquelme with the formation the old coach (and Villarreal for that matter) play, which might not necessarily have been the way he wanted to go.

I'm hoping that Aimar might get more of an international lookin now, especially if he puts a good run of form together for Zaragoza. I remember when these two were the rising stars of Argentian football when they played for Boca and River respectively, which is what made them a couple of my favourite players.

[Javier]

I think Basile is gonna work with Aguero, Messi, and Tevez the most now.  He's going to need to find a true Crespo like striker soon, knowing Argentina though this will come soon lol

[On The Edge of Insanity]

Yeah, they definitely need a larger striker as a focal point for all the smaller skillful players to work off of.