Newell\'s Old Boys

Offers are on the table

Jeremy — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 14:00:21 +0000

Just not for who we thought. Pablo Vranjican has had an offer placed by some club in Croatia (Hopefully Split) and most likely will be heading on, since Caruso doesn’t have plans on using him.

Hector Gaitan is getting some love from Bolivar and just might find himself playing in La Paz.

A closer look at Sebastian Grazzini

Jeremy — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:34:12 +0000

Ran across these two videos of Grazzini playing in Italy and some older stuff of him in the Argentine lower leagues. He was born in Rosario and played for Newell’s, maybe Racing, and I think I saw a picture of him in a River shirt. Then his family moved to Italy. Or something like that. He scored 33 goals for his Italian club in two seasons.

NOB u-15’s lose final to Venezuelan U-15 National Team

Jeremy — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:41:03 +0000

Title pretty much sums it up, except for they were also playing in Venezuela. Still don’t understand why they can play a national team in a club championship, but la lepra should be able to beat the Venezuelan national team anyway, so no complaints. (2-0 final)

#29 with a bullet.

Jeremy — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 19:48:05 +0000

I’m slipping. I meant to post this the other day in case anyone missed it on the Offside main page. World Soccer Magazine put out their list of the 50 greatest derbies in the world, and Newell’s-Central made the list at 29.

Only having seen it from afar, I can’t speak to whether it deserves to be higher or not. The only real derby that I have seen in person is Motagua-Olimpia in Honduras, and it didn’t make the list, but it is pretty mean.

Hope for the future?

Jeremy — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 04:44:58 +0000

Newell’s Old Boys is playing in the final of the Mundialito Sub 15 against Venezuela’s U15 team. All the other teams that I saw were club sides, so I am not sure how they wind up getting a Selection, but OK.

The final is tomorrow (I think) in some port city in Venezuela (I forget the name). I’ll be scouring the internet feeds to try and find it.

Saturday’s stuff

Jeremy — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 04:35:02 +0000

Ok, Claudio Husain played in the scrimmage against Tiro Federal this morning. Interesting because all indications were that he was on the way out. Maybe just due to the lack of bodies?

On the new player front, Caruso decided to pass on Pinto, but signed Monsalvo, who doesn’t inspire confidence. He last played in Sweden, in March. If he is any good, why didn’t he get picked up sooner?

Also signed Sebastian Grazzini, who played in Newell’s lower divisions and returns from a third division Italian team (Sestrese maybe?)

Appears that Fabio Pieters, from Gimnasia (J) will be signing tomorrow, and maybe finally Cristaldo, too? Who knows.

What does it all amount to? A lot of depth in the midfield, not much else. I guess Caruso saw what we all did last season: strong defense, a good striker up top, and a wishy-washy midfield devoid of a real play maker.

Today, Caruso said that he can’t count on Salcedo (duh), Steinert has a foot injury and the only strikers he has available are Ferreyra and DaSilva and some kid I’ve never seen play. Holy Balls, Batman, but we need to get some folks signed up in a hurry.

Caruso’s newest desire

Jeremy — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 00:47:28 +0000

Roman Martinez, midfielder, who Caruso coached during his stint (successful, by the way) at Tigre has been denied the chance to go to Italy and play for Napoli due to a problem with his passport. Caruso is determined to get him now, and if he can sell Sa-sa or Spolli, then I think he will have him, maybe, possibly. His pass is owned by Arsenal de Sarandi so they will want some sort of compensation, especially since they had agreed terms with Napoli.

Barreto is back

Jeremy — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 21:52:44 +0000

Now that Gutierrez has decided to leave the team (I think to newly promoted San Martin de Tucuman - which is only fair, because German Caffa, our new keeper just came from there) we need another keeper. And so Barreto is back from Cerro Porteno. He was part of the silver medal Paraguayan team from 2004, although I don’t know if he even played much.

He was actually with Newell’s two season’s ago, but due to some contract dispute with Valladolid (I don’t really remember ever hearing what it was, I think he signed and didn’t go or some such nonsense) he was suspended and couldn’t play. Newell’s loaned him out to Cerro and he got some practice in and is ready to challenge Caffa for the top spot. Cerro wanted to keep him, but here he is. This could complicate the Cristaldo move, if la lepra ever get the money to buy players, since he is at Cerro.

Irritated

Jeremy — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 02:02:11 +0000

I just found out that Monsalvo, our possible fourth signing, hasn’t been signed by a team since March. What the heck? Both he and Pinto own their own pass, so that means they are essentially freebies. I’m not upset by Pinto. He had a decent run with Boca and played like 30 international games with them and then went to Russia. Probably past his prime, but experienced depth is never a bad thing.

As far as Monsalvo, I guess if he doesn’t cost anything now you bring him in, but I’d just as soon try out some one from the lower divisions.

We aren’t making any signings because we didn’t even have the cash to do training camp outside of Rosario. I can look back over the last few years and see a lot of dollar signs of players la lepra sold, and I’ve got to ask “where is the friggin’ money?” (I’m looking right at you, Eduardo Lopez)

Two more arrive

Jeremy — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 03:19:27 +0000

Today, two more reinforcements arrived, although not names on Caruso’s wish list. Both are midfielders. Gustavo Pinto, who debuted with Boca and played quite a few games with them before heading off for Russia and then Ecuador. He is lately of descended Olimpo.

Accompanying Pinto is center mid Pablo Monsalvo, whose last Argentine club was also Olimpo, but he comes from AIK in Sweden. Don’t know much about him.

Well, Caruso wanted 10. Now he has 4 and only 2 of which were on his list. If they can sell Salcedo (which they say they will do this week for up to 20% less than his asking price of 9 million), Pillud and Armani are waiting, as well as Cristaldo. That would bring the list up to 7, and if Salcedo goes to River, then getting a player (or two) out of River isn’t out of the question.