For however good Bellingham has been so far ( and he is a very special talent), Rees James has been fecking dreadful...
Brazil v Argentina has turned into a ****show after a few minutes. The Premier League players, including Lo Celso and Romero, started for Argentina. Brazilian health officials walked onto the pitch and started rowing with people. Seems like the PL 3 were removed and the rest of the team walked off with them. I can't see FIFA and CONMEBOL taking this well. It's absolutely farcical. I also can't see them doing very much about it, as it's Brazil.
Rather than post a good half dozen tweets, I'll just post the summary which I cribbed off Reddit Emi Martinez, Cristian Romero, Emi Buendia and Lo Celso lied about having been in England within the last 2 weeks in order to enter Brazil Anvisa (an organization from Brazil’s Health Ministry) was alerted about this breach earlier today. Anvisa and federal police went to the Argentina team hotel to detain and deport the 4 players in question, but they had already gone to the stadium Brazil’s Federal Government negotiated with CBF and Conmebol to give an exemption to the Argentinian players, which was granted. Anvisa, meanwhile, rejected this motion and headed to the stadium. As is customary of São Paulo, traffic from the team hotel where Anvisa officials were was awful and they were stuck in traffic, delaying their arrival to the stadium. Upon arrival to the stadium, Anvisa officials and federal police met with CBF and Conmebol officials, who told them the match could proceed. Anvisa, meanwhile, said no chance and overruled them. By this point, the match had already started. Anvisa officials and federal police took to the sideline to chat to the Argentinian FA. After discussions with the Argentina sideline, Anvisa officials and federal police marched onto the field and halted the match. Argentina players walked off the pitch. Anvisa and the federal police are still trying to get to the 4 Argentinian players involved in the matter, while the entire Argentina team is in the dressing room. Argentina’s FA announce the match is officially suspended. Discussions currently going on behind the scenes at the stadium between Anvisa officials, CBF, Argentina FA, federal police, and Conmebol staff as to how to proceed. Official announcement released stating that play has been halted due to 4 of Argentina’s players lying and failing to follow health regulations and Covid protocols. Part of Argentina’s squad have locked themselves in the dressing room and are refusing to let federal police or Anvisa officials to enter. Brazil manager Tite is currently trying to entertain the limited crowd in attendance with some football skills. Safe to say he hasn’t impressed. Reports emerging that São Paulo’s traffic authority is organising a coach and an escort for Argentina’s squad to leave the stadium. The destination is not specified. Brazil’s technical staff currently in deep discussions about some bit of news they just received. The match has been officially suspended and will not resume today. Final decision as to outcome to be decided. Brazil will hold an open training session at the stadium now in order to not waste their trip and to entertain the fans who are there.
And in other news we can expect our next home game to be stopped by Haringay planning dept after finding Eric Dier did not have planning permission for his loft extension
TalkShite are still leading with the 'fact' that it's the four players fault for "lying" about where they had been in the past two weeks. They have also given further information as outlined in HBIC's post above (though not as comprehensive!) but the headline is that the players are responsible. There is clearly a lot of fault to be handed around, but I would probably put the players at the bottom of that list. If anything, at this stage it appears to be a difference of opinion between two different authorities in Brazil, but more will presumably come to light in time. The idea that the players were somehow trying to bypass authority by lying is beyond ludicrous since it's rather clear where they have been in the past two weeks.
Even by Tottenhams standards this is a cock up of epic proportions, the the administration at the club has a lot to answer for , how many games will we lose these two for only time will tell but I hope the club learn from this clusterfuck
The fact that Jair Bolsonaro, the CBF and Conmebol all agreed to give an exemption places the cockup firmly on Brazil's shoulders, because if the CBF said no to the four players featuring then the situation wouldn't have gone any further But instead, their populist fascist leader (sound familiar...?) wanted the bread and circuses to be doled out to the plebs and so he leaned on the CBF Obviously the four players are at fault for thinking nobody would notice they played for Spurs or Villa last week, but the Brazilian authorities deciding to Cummings it because a football match is more important than their Covid regs is why the situation unfolded as it did
Hopefully after yesterdays match the clamour for TAA to play in midfield will stop as, and am I the only person who thinks we witnessed Bamfords entire international career.?
