Hard Tackle: Chile squad strip team-mate Roberto Cereceda
The media Hokey Cokey, with Chile’s national team
Chile’s media took advantage of their short-lived increase in access to their national team by snapping the squad stripping midfielder Roberto Cereceda on the training ground.
New coach Claudio Borghi wanted to open up to the media more than predecessor Marcelo Bielsa and, as part of that plan, allowed the press to attend the squad’s Copa America training camp.
While there they witnessed Cereceda being relieved of his kit and some publications questioned whether the forthcoming tournament was just a bit of a lark to the players.
The players took the hump and have now got even less access to the players than before since the squad have decided on a media blackout.
Playing the part of the child who says ‘starting from now’ was Jean Beausejour, who couldn’t resist a pop at the media before ceasing communication.
He said: “If you ask me, the press should not be in Juan Pinto Durán [Chile’s training complex]. There are places for privacy and what happened to Cereceda has happened a thousand times.”
No wonder they’re called Chile if they’ve stripped team-mates to the buff on a thousand occasions. It’s probably a ready made excuse as much as the name of their nation.
Spotted on Dirty Tackle