Sergio Ramos retires from International Football

[Eco]

Announced earlier today. I don’t have the actual note, but it screams ego.

He is 36 and upset that he isn’t getting called up. 
 

I’ll reread it again, but it was a ego trip the first time I read.

good riddance to a legend

[Spike]

Sergio Ramos is an absolute legend and I love how much he upsets people for nearly no reason at all. Easily one of my favourite players of all time.

[Azeem]

On 24/02/2023 at 18:41, Eco said:

Announced earlier today. I don’t have the actual note, but it screams ego.

He is 36 and upset that he isn’t getting called up. 
 

I’ll reread it again, but it was a ego trip the first time I read.

good riddance to a legend

Perfectly fine. If he feels the NT setup doesn't want him than it's better to quit then drag on like Ronaldo.

[Azeem]

On 26/02/2023 at 02:50, Spike said:

Sergio Ramos is an absolute legend and I love how much he upsets people for nearly no reason at all. Easily one of my favourite players of all time.

He is Ibrahimovic without the sense of humor.

[Eco]

On 25/02/2023 at 16:50, Spike said:

Sergio Ramos is an absolute legend and I love how much he upsets people for nearly no reason at all. Easily one of my favourite players of all time.

No doubt he’s a legend, but he’s got an ego the size on Montana, and instead of the wild notion that he may be getting older and slower, he plays the poor me card and talks about how disrespected he is. he’s just getting old, it’s happened to everyone.

[Eco]

4 hours ago, Beelzebub said:

Perfectly fine. If he feels the NT setup doesn't want him than it's better to quit then drag on like Ronaldo.

He doesn’t like the setup because the setup is pace and reaction time, two things that Sergio is on the downside of given his age. 
 

He’s upset he’s slower, and unable to do the same things he could do a decade ago, but instead of looking in the mirror, he blames for Spanish Federation. 

[Azeem]

3 minutes ago, Eco said:

He doesn’t like the setup because the setup is pace and reaction time, two things that Sergio is on the downside of given his age. 
 

He’s upset he’s slower, and unable to do the same things he could do a decade ago, but instead of looking in the mirror, he blames for Spanish Federation. 

This age complex happens to most players so I wouldn't say Ramos is being odd. If he like verbally criticised his exclusion that was in poor taste but like I said its better he just retired than making it a further issue. 

[Cicero]

Nah he's the epitome of small dick syndrome considering he won't ever start shit with people his height and stature. 

Absolute legend of the game though. 

[Azeem]

6 minutes ago, Cicero said:

Nah he's the epitome of small dick syndrome considering he won't ever start shit with people his height and stature. 

Those Real Barca games during his times were very tense though. 

[Mel81x+]

Put aside all the rest of his character, is this like a real retirement or a Messi-esque retirement? You know, I said it but I didn't really mean it but .... if they call me back I'll go. 

[Spike]

8 hours ago, Eco said:

No doubt he’s a legend, but he’s got an ego the size on Montana, and instead of the wild notion that he may be getting older and slower, he plays the poor me card and talks about how disrespected he is. he’s just getting old, it’s happened to everyone.

So he is forced to retire on the coach’s terms despite the fact that Ramos is still the best CB Spain could have available. Let’s not pretend Spain is flush is young and exciting defensive talent, they still rely on Azpilicueta and Alba for their fullbacks and they aren’t much more nimble than Ramos these days. I find it completely ridiculous that the manager could have a player like Ramos on the team still, he doesn’t even have to be  a starter, and he actually tells him that it is game over, regardless of his performance. And I don’t buy that ‘Spain young and fast’ idea either. They constantly call up players over 30.

I think the reaction to Ramos’ reaction is more dramatic

[Devil]

On the other hand these managers have it hard, it used to be the case the players would retire with grace before decline sets in, now you've got global superstars expecting to be picked and played up until their 40's.

You can't tell me Roberto Martinez will be licking his lips at the prospect of dealing with Ronaldo over the next few months and same must be the case with the Spain manager. 

[Eco]

19 hours ago, Mel81x said:

Put aside all the rest of his character, is this like a real retirement or a Messi-esque retirement? You know, I said it but I didn't really mean it but .... if they call me back I'll go. 

I think it's for real, but I guess it wouldn't shock me if he returned if he would be called up.

[Eco]

14 hours ago, Spike said:

So he is forced to retire on the coach’s terms despite the fact that Ramos is still the best CB Spain could have available. Let’s not pretend Spain is flush is young and exciting defensive talent, they still rely on Azpilicueta and Alba for their fullbacks and they aren’t much more nimble than Ramos these days. I find it completely ridiculous that the manager could have a player like Ramos on the team still, he doesn’t even have to be  a starter, and he actually tells him that it is game over, regardless of his performance. And I don’t buy that ‘Spain young and fast’ idea either. They constantly call up players over 30.

I think the reaction to Ramos’ reaction is more dramatic

Spain's back line in the last WC match was

Alba - Laporte, Rodri, Llorente

You have Garcia and Torress on the bench who are both mid to early twenties and figure to be regular starters.

Balde will hopefully be the permanent LB at just 19.

So really the only weakness is RB, as I don't think Llorente is best there anyways.

The Nations League is upcoming for Spain, and then awhile until the next World Cup, so I'm not sure what sense it makes for Fuente to play a 36 year old Ramos at RB, when really it's better for the team to find a solution for the future and find out what some of this upcoming talent can do.

If today Spain needed to win a game, could he help based on talent alone, sure.

But he isn't the long term solution, and i have no idea what he's like in the locker room, and that may a reason he has been left off.

[Mel81x+]

14 hours ago, Devil said:

On the other hand these managers have it hard, it used to be the case the players would retire with grace before decline sets in, now you've got global superstars expecting to be picked and played up until their 40's.

You can't tell me Roberto Martinez will be licking his lips at the prospect of dealing with Ronaldo over the next few months and same must be the case with the Spain manager. 

I mean the world of sports science has changed drastically in the last decade and continues to do so. A guy like Ronaldo 10-15 years ago burns out by early 30s and isn't running at prime fitness (maybe not solely due to his own fault). But now, they've got sports medicine to keep you ticking at optimal output for a longer time than before so I suppose the fallout from that is that players want a longer career since they can play longer and perhaps even at a sustained level in some cases. At the club level it may be a whole different story to the NT level but the aforementioned changes in the sport will bring this kind of behavior up. 

[Azeem]

Most of those sports medicine are clandestine doping imo.

[Spike]

6 hours ago, Eco said:

Spain's back line in the last WC match was

Alba - Laporte, Rodri, Llorente

You have Garcia and Torress on the bench who are both mid to early twenties and figure to be regular starters.

Balde will hopefully be the permanent LB at just 19.

So really the only weakness is RB, as I don't think Llorente is best there anyways.

The Nations League is upcoming for Spain, and then awhile until the next World Cup, so I'm not sure what sense it makes for Fuente to play a 36 year old Ramos at RB, when really it's better for the team to find a solution for the future and find out what some of this upcoming talent can do.

If today Spain needed to win a game, could he help based on talent alone, sure.

But he isn't the long term solution, and i have no idea what he's like in the locker room, and that may a reason he has been left off.

Well he wouldn’t play RB as he hasn’t done that often for nearly 15 years. He only ever played RB because Real Madrid wanted him in the starting lineup and they were flush in the centre. But you are right he isn’t the long term solution but winning is good for morale and Ramos is a big stage sort of guy. Plenty of teams have relied on old players, France In 06 and Argentina just recently. He is just such a rare player with his experiences, I think it’s a waste when he can still perform.

as for his lockeroom reception he seems popular in team pictures but that’s just an assumption.

[Eco]

1 minute ago, Spike said:

Well he wouldn’t play RB as he hasn’t done that often for nearly 15 years. He only ever played RB because Real Madrid wanted him in the starting lineup and they were flush in the centre. But you are right he isn’t the long term solution but winning is good for morale and Ramos is a big stage sort of guy. Plenty of teams have relied on old players, France In 06 and Argentina just recently. He is just such a rare player with his experiences, I think it’s a waste when he can still perform.

as for his lockeroom reception he seems popular in team pictures but that’s just an assumption.

Yeah - I only said RB as Spain looks to be set long term with CB's, and I think it's much more beneficial to play them then to drag out Ramos's remaining year(s).

There appears to be a lot of Spanish players who don't appreciate Ramos at all, and as you have made mention, he is a very polarizing player, which is why I just guessed as to his locker room presence.