Chilean broadcast of Ben's goal (reverse angle from the international feed)

Clumsy interviewer aside, BBD post game comments.

What a fucking great goal!   Brereton!  1-1 min 24.

1 hour ago, rigger said:

I know, but it will get him wondering.

You have got me.....wondering. 🤔

1 hour ago, rigger said:

So why doesn't every athlete use that training ?

Who knows.  When was the last time a Bolivian or someone from Tibet won a marathon?  

The biggest sports news last night was, of course, Ben's arrival in Santiago.

Big Ben has arrived

Unlike what the earlier video I posted stated, Ben did NOT go to his hotel but instead was taken to a private bedroom at the Chilean national team training grounds in order to await the results of his Covid test, as required by Chilean regulations, where he then trained alone.  The team will take a private plane north to Calama on Sunday with their first training at 2260m on Monday.

"Big Ben is in Chile and ready for the altitude"

Much of the coverage again focussed on his "specialized training" in his use of a hyperbaric chamber provided to him by the Chilean FA in his own residence.

The hyperbaric tank, presumably this is the actual tank in Ben's abode.

5 hours ago, frosty said:

I really don’t think ‘he almost went to Leeds’, as she’s claiming. There’d have been mention of that here at some point if so, but there’s been nothing of the sort. I get the impression that in Chile they just like linking him with transfers.

You are correct.  He has been no where close to a Leeds transfer despite their interest.  Leeds has totally given up on him at least until summer given how expensive he is & how much Rovers want to keep him.  Sports journslists are the same all over, often ill informed and talking out their ass.

Leeds is the most popular premier league team in both Argentina & Chile.  This is due to Marcelo Bielsa coaching there.  All Leeds games are broadcast in both countries.  While Bielsa divides opinions in Argentina due to his "failure" at getting the great 2002 Argentina team out of the 1st round (i'm sure many here remember their game vs England), Marcelo is almost universally loved/beloved in Chile for his imprint on the national team and the so-called "golden generation" of Chilean football.

For those that don't know, the Bielsa family is one of highly intelligent high achievers in Rosario, Argentina's 2nd largest city.  Marcelo's brother Rafael is the current ambassador to Chile.  His sister is a prominent politician, was vice governor of a province and has been a cabinet member.

So the idea of Ben playing at Leeds and being improved and moulded by Marcelo Bielsa excites everyone in Chile.  This reporter obviously let wishful thinking get ahead of the facts.

Ben's arrival in Chile, mins 0:38 to 1:32

"Ben Brereton heads the arrival of national team players" reads the title during that segment

Ben was quickly whisked off to his hotel.  Here: https://www.noihotels.com/noi-vitacura

That oxygen tank chamber was paid for by the Chilean FA and installed in Ben's own home in December in preparation for these games in January vs Hungertina and Bolivia at altitude.  There is concern that Ben style of play, which involves a lot of running and sprinting, may cost him during these games since he as no experience playing in the thin air he can expect for these matches.  Chilean players also are not used to playing at altitude but at least every player on the team has done so before.  

The first team practice will be Sunday.  Brereton is the first player from abroad to arrive.  The report stated BBD went to train by himself later that same day.

Rumors circulating about a possible Ben Brereton biopic.  They out here sayin Harry Potter actor Matthew Lewis, who played Neville Longbottom in the series, has been tapped to play the role of Bréreton Díaz.

47 minutes ago, bluebruce said:

So not only are we missing him for a game that is a few days before his Chilean game, but he is already undergoing some regimen to change his breathing in readiness for high altitude, which he will not be playing at with us in the meantime.

It better not reduce his fitness at normal altitude even 0.01%.

his training for altitude should benefit him even at sea level (or 6ft above sea level).  more oxygen to the muscles, increased aerobic capacity.  at least that is what the research seems to show.

Yes, he is tanking.  Oxygen tanking.

"Big Ben Confirmed"

Chilean news reporting the Chilean FA (ANFP) has reached an agreement with Rovers over releasing BBD for next week's game vs Hungertina.  The FA president, Pablo Milad, says Ben will arrive in time to join his team mates for their transfer north to Calama.  BBD could arrive in Chile on Jan 21 or 22.

"Luggage packed: Brereton will arrive in time"

The report also stated Ben is already undergoing "specialized training".  Ben is submitting to hyperbaric oxygen therapy, by using a hyperbaric oxygen chamber (sort of like Michael Jackson, or Boba Fett) in order to prepare his body to play at altitude with attitude.

The curious can read more about what this entails here:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperbaric_medicine

1 hour ago, rigger said:

Lord Baltimore : Are you Chaddy in disguise.

I am badly in need of a haircut.  And manicure.

48 minutes ago, rigger said:

Lord Baltimore : Are you Chaddy in disguise.

I dont know what that means.  Probably not.

A few sources reporting West Ham has increased their interest in BBD and now also Alexis Sánchez.  Chileans, of course, like seeing players from the national team playing together at club level.  Doesnt look like anything beyond general interest at this point.  But it made the national sporting news.

"The Hammers probe for the national duo:

West Ham want Sánchez & Brereton"

Benny boy vs Cardiff.  "He played 79mins"

5 hours ago, only2garners said:

As I understand it we don't have a choice unless the club wants to get sanctioned* or that we can somehow do a deal with Chile.

* I have no idea what the sanction would be.

this isn't an official fifa date.  there was an agreement that chile disisted in its threatened "sanctions" or whatever against Blackburn back in october under the understanding that Ben would be allowed to play these games at the end of January.  Tony Mowbray said as much in interviews.  While it seems he will be released, it's not the way chile would prefer, being so close to their game against Hungertina.

Chilean news talking about the possibility of Ben not coming at all as apparently negotiations between Rovers & the Chilean football federation are still ongoing.

"¿Will Ben be released?"

"Arrival in Calama in doubt: ¿Will Ben remain in England?"

The rest of the Chilean team is set to arrive in the relatively high altitude city of Calama in the middle of the Atacama desert on Monday January 24, the same day as the Blavkburn game vs Middlesbrough.  Ben is the ONLY player on the Chile squad who has never played at altitude.

(As am fyi, the Calama is situated on a high pleateau between the coastal mountain range & the Andes.  Calama depends on large mining operations nearby, has a relatively wealthy 1st division chilean club, and in my opinion is one of the ugliest cities in Chile.  The game will be played with reduced capacity due to the recent omicron outbreak, though Chile has one of the highest vaccination rates in the world and began a 4th round of vaccine boosters this month).

Chilean news sources are reporting Blackburn is trying to secure BBD's services against Middlesbrough for Mon Jan 24, just 3 days before Chile face Hungertina on the 27th.  This would normally not be a huge deal but Chile will not be playing in Santiago but in Calama in the northern Atacama desert, elevation of 2260m/7410ft.  BBD needs time to acclimate to altitude.

Teams like Hungertina, Uruguay, & Brazil have HUGE issues playing at altitude.  VS Bolivia (in La Paz 3640m/ 11,942ft) they dont even "lace their gloves", to use a boxing term, and routinely get trounced by otherwise weak Bolivia.  Chile has high Andean peaks but no population centers at great altitude. 

Chile has chosen to play against Argentina in northern Calama to take advantage of its relatively high altitude and attempt to gain a slight advantage over Hungertina.  In addition, Chile will then be playing against Bolivia in La Paz and playing in Calama will help the team acclimate to Bolivia's high altitude and thin air.

Keeping BBD for an extra game could jeapardize Ben's own aclimation since he's never played at altitude.  3days isnt enough time.

Yeah, the idea of BBD playing at either Real Madrid or Barça is beyond ridiculous at this point.  He wouldnt even start at Leeds right now, probably.  However the Sevilla interest is real.  I have no doubt the Spanish giants know who he is and they always keep tabs on who their rivals want to sign.  But that is the end of it.  Newspapers need buying, online articles clicks, and tv news need an audience.

Speaking of which, this still made the chilean nightly news.

¿Real or Barcelona?

¿Does Big Ben Brereton tempt the Spanish giants?

I read this yesterday in a Catalan sports newspaper but it seemed a little out there so I didn't post it.  But since now a British sports paper is reporting it, here it is....

Now Barcelona and Real Madrid are linked with incredible transfer move for Championship star

Barcelona and Real Madrid have joined Sevilla--and half the Premier League--in being linked with Blackburn's Ben Brereton Díaz

https://www.fourfourtwo.com/us/features/now-barcelona-and-real-madrid-are-linked-with-incredible-transfer-move-for-championship-star

BBD vs Wigan

Not his day today, though that offside was close & he had a nice hook shot 2nd half.  Ran at too many people.  (WTF is up with your keeper?  Pears?  Was he betting AGAINST himself today?  In tropical countries, he would end up shot for a performance like that.)

I was reading in the Spanish press that Sevilla is indeed still interested in BBD's services and will consider EURO$35M bid for him.  We'll see.  Given how much he would cost right now I think he'll stay put 

4 hours ago, rigger said:

Is that meant to be an image of Diaz booting out the corona virus ?

that is the great thing about Art:  it's democratic and there are no right and wrongs.  Everyone makes it their own.  Sure, maybe he's giving the boot to coronavirus.  Or maybe he's about to boot one of those spikey naval mines.  I found it on my chilean meme site so i have no idea.  

I dont know what's going on here....but they say a picture's worth thousands of words.