Harsh words from Carlos Antonio Vélez for the call of the Colombian National Team

In his first call as coach of the Colombian National Team, Néstor Lorenzo called 26 players for the friendly matches scheduled in the United States. Although important changes were expected, players with a long career in the Tricolor appear on the list, such as James Rodríguez and Radamel Falcao García.

That first call generated a lot of criticism of the nascent project of the Argentine strategistwho has only managed one team in his career and went to Melgar from Peru, of which he was in charge between December 2020 and July 2022. Already knowing that he would reach the bench of the coffee team, Lorenzo made that squad champion before leaving .

As a technical assistant he was in different countries, since he was part of the minor divisions of the Argentine National Team, being since then the right hand of José Néstor Pékerman. It should be remembered that he held that position in the absolute albiceleste and in Colombia between 2012 and 2018.

Although his hand has not yet been seen on the field of play, negative comments are still the daily bread. One of those people who spoke again about the Tricolor news was the journalist Carlos Antonio Vélez, who once again attacked the call.

“That call disgusted me”, he expressed openly in his space Big words in Antenna 2. In addition, he expressed that the list of players “bothered him as a soccer man” because it was “revindicating bad habits, bad behavior of having taken out a coach and mortgaged” the qualification for the Qatar 2022 World Cup.

“They sent two professional technicians who deserve respect to hell,” he said before the departures of Carlos Queiroz and Reinaldo Rueda.

For Velez, the friendly matches against Guatemala and Mexico are “residual games, to break the ice” in the Néstor Lorenzo era. He also said that Colombia is not “playing for nothing” and there is a coach who “missed the opportunity to do something different”, but he hopes that “he will do it because he still has time”.

“They had a lack of character and attitude. So calling those was legitimizing those practices. Colombian soccer has been asking for a renewal for a long time. Of course there is. Two or three per position”, sentenced the sports journalist.

Regarding Saturday’s rival, he indicated that “Guatemala does not exist”, which is why “they were able to give the opportunity to many who perform in Colombian soccer.” “You have to surround these new boys well, with mirrors. Let the example be Luis Díaz and not others. There is a lot to correct”.

As for Néstor Lorenzo’s first games as Colombia coach, the first friendly will be against Guatemala, scheduled for this Saturday, September 24 in New Jersey, United States (6:30 pm Colombia time). Three days later, on the 27th of the same month, the Tricolor will face the Mexican team in Santa Clara, United States (9:00 pm Colombia time), to close the double Fifa date.

Colombia National Team Call

• Alvaro Montero – Millionaires FC (COL)
• Andres Llinas – Millonarios FC (COL)
• Camilo Vargas – Atlas FC (MEX)
• Carlos Cuesta – KRC Genk (BEL)
• Daniel Munoz – KRC Genk (BEL)
• David Ospina – Al Nassr (KSA)
• Dávinson Sánchez – Tottenham Hotspur (ING)
• Frank Fabra – Boca Juniors (ARG)
• James Rodriguez – Olympiacos FC (GRE)
• Jefferson Lerma – AFC Bournemouth (ING)
• John Lucumi – Bologna (ITA)
• Jhon Jader Duran – Chicago Fire (USA)
• Johan Mojica – Villarreal (ESP)
• Jorge Carrascal – CSKA Moscow (RUS)
• Juan Guillermo Cuadrado – Juventus (ITA)
• Luis Diaz – Liverpool (ENG)
• Luis Sinisterra – Leeds United (ING)
• Matheus Uribe – FC Porto (POR)
• Stefan Medina – C.F. Monterrey (MEX)
• Steven Álzate – Standard de Lieja (BEL)
• Oscar Estupinan – Hull City (ENG)
• Radamel Falcao Garcia – Rayo Vallecano (ESP)
• Rafael Santos Borre – Eintracht Frankfurt (ALE)
• Wilmar Barrios – Zenit FC (RUS)
• Yáser Asprilla – Watford F.C. (ING)
• Yairo Moreno – Club Leon (MEX)