Cesar Luis MENOTTI on Argentina: “It was frightening”

22

The legendary coach Cesar Luis MENOTTI had a lot to say about Jorge SAMPAOLI and the Argentina National Team.

When Cesar Luis MENOTTI speaks, you should probably listen. Considered one of the brightest and most knowledgeable minds in Argentina, the World Cup winning coach had some comments following Argentina’s 1-1 draw against Venezuela. Always truthful, the former National Team coach had this to say:

Cesar Luis MENOTTI on Jorge SAMPAOLI

“Coaching Sevilla is not the same as coaching Argentina. Above all, you have MESSI and players who play for top clubs. He puts up drones, gives chats, 14 people to work and after all that MESSI runs forward trying to dribble past everyone.

“Football is like tango, you can’t run all the time. Football has pausing, it has acceleration, it has rhythm, it has changes.”

“He lacks time and experience ate him up. I didn’t understand the team and I say that with extreme caution as I have never spoken to SAMPAOLI but I don’t understand it. I don’t know how he plays.

“The truth is that it was frightening, watching it all was frightening. I played two matches against Venezuela: In Caracas we won 7-0 and in Rosario 11-0. We scored 18 goals in two matches. And now I have to see how much it costs us to beat Venezuela, something within us is not going well.

22 Comments

  1. Arg 3 per 0
    (Ecu 2 arg 0)
    One good game..
    We will be there…
    At least in play offs…
    With 27 points and +2 goal difference ,we will stand above venezuela bolivia and Ecuador. Paraguay (-6) have to win 2 matches with 8 goal difference and peru have to beat Columbia by a four goal margin…
    One good game… Pls
    By a 3 goal margin against peru…
    Am optimistic…
    We can…we will…

  2. I want to bond to @Gab and @Kitty comments about Messi.

    I’m not prone to think Messi is passing only to teammates he likes. I don’t think so. Problem is that Messi often deos not passing in right moment, overusing dribbling.

    “I can see Messi dribble too much when nothing is happening(mostly it starts near the mid line). The other players try to remain static, they don’t make runs along with him where they can receive and continue the attack; Whenever he makes a defence splitting passes, they end up screwing it”.

    Here I absolutely disagree that Messi do not pass to teammates because they are just staying and watching. This situation occurs but his teammates do not expect pass from Messi because they know and see and expectate he will do by himself, dribbling rather than passing (Copa finals was best example). As I said before, everyone who was playing soccer himself know the situation – you don’t feel like running when your well known teammate (who is passionate dribbler) takes the ball.
    Some players are not for World Cup anymore IMO: Biglia, Banega, Di Maria. But still I’m sure they could do better if not the Messi behaviour and whole the factor.

    “The irony of Messi” is good sentence. It’s paradox because perhaps we are not better with the best player on the world than we would be without him. I’m sure if Messi was out for all 18 qualifiers matches this team would secure more points than they have. This is not claiming for debarment Messi but we need use him in different way. Quite different because now we are most schematic and readable team on the world.
    I remember so many important games of Barcelona when Messi was almost invisible most of the game but still they won and he even scored. Remember that Champions League finals (for example against Manchester). We must muffle him and let play other players and take duties, resposibility as it was when Lavezzi and Enzo Perez were doing to some degree in WC final.

    • @Gonzalo: you may be correct here but why would you ask a man to come back who retired from NT? Because we have to accept we don’t have quality players to replace him.

      I always think that Messi should be an icing on cake and not cake itself. Give Sampaoli time and hopefully he will figure out.

    • @Gonzalo, good write up amigo, thanks.

      I admit I wrote my post in an angry & emotional state as I re-watched the game and was looking for someone to blame. But it was obvious watching that game against Ven that Messi does not like Icardi.

      Anyway, I agree with your comment about how Messi overdribbles and does not pass at the right moment. It could be that he has lost faith in the team and has decided to do a lot of it himself. It’s the only thing I can think of because he looks like he’s trying to do too much. It could also be that Messi is feeling the pressure of the country and this is his motivation of tryin to do too much.

      Regardless of what happens with these WCQ and Russia WC, I hope that a new and young generation of players come in and replace the old . We the fans have suffered enough watching Arg play unrecognisable and ugly football over the last 10 or so years and it’s time for something new. I hope Sampaoli can start this new generation as I have faith in his coaching abilities. The only issue with Sampaoli is he’s very attack minded and this could reignite our defensive issues of the past, especially playing with 3 in the back. We are always going to get scored on the counter with this formation.

      Let’s see what happens against Peru.

      • “Messi overdribbles and does not pass at the right moment. It could be that he has lost faith in the team and has decided to do a lot of it himself. It’s the only thing I can think of because he looks like he’s trying to do too much. It could also be that Messi is feeling the pressure of the country and this is his motivation of tryin to do too much”.

        No doubt that is the reason. Probably his behaviour is motivated by plexus of these factors.

        • Rather the “Absurd of Mundo” is if Messi plays all the matches Argentina now fighting with Brazil for the first place with that team efficienty when he was in the team. The others fucked up everything when he was injured, and of course after one unlucky match the reason is Messi, who overdribbles. Monty Python

          • One unlucky game? Was Uruguay another unlucky game? Messi was there too. You see only numbers, stats and nothing more behind. As tmisellati said Will understand within 5 years. Cheildren Messi’s fans are thinking he is the only under the sun who is doing all things perfect. You must be blind not to see he is overusing driblings. These are no more old times, now most of his driblings brings freekicks at best. Nothing more.

          • Awerness that we have problem also with Messi is just awakening. You will see as still more and moe people see the problem. Let’s wait next few months. Within one year it will be considered as obvious.

          • the problem is clear. it is just that Messi’s fans are living in denial. just go and see the highlights for the last four games. there is complete dependence on Messi. the man recieves the ball from the backline or Pizzaro and wants to dribble the whole team while he can distribute the ball and open the field wide open for the other players to move. Sampaoli fell in the same mistake. the same mistake that Bauza fell in before him. the era of one man team has ended in 90s. soccer now is based on 11 players. you can not sacrifice with the potential of ten players for the sake to let one man shines.

          • tmisellati

            he fell in the same mistake that Bauza and also Martino. But still I think this is to some degree is inevitable. If only something goes wrong our coaches are suconsciously resort to Messi’s help. And if he is sometimes really saving us then we stuck on this dependency what goes to nothing. Everytime when we are in critical situation our coaches are scrambling for any help to save themselves. Even if it brings us dmage in long in the longer term.

    • Against Manchester? His 2011 performance was one of the best individual performance ever, in 2009 only a very solid. “I’m sure if Messi was out for all 18 qualifiers matches this team would secure more points than they have. ” Because? We see the exact contrary, 8 matches is more than enough, 1 win.

  3. Talking about those old results is just stupid. The game has changed so much. The gap between top and bottom is smaller than ever, the players are more even in terms of skill strenght and speed and most importantly tactics have evolved.

    • @Lester Brisco, you’re spot on. Menotti’s comment is irrevalent because it’s a much more competitive environment today than it was back in the old days.

      But Menotti is absolutely right when he says ‘And now I have to see how much it costs us to beat Venezuela, something Within us is not going well’…ain’t that the truth!!!!

  4. Watching Del Potro Vs Federer U.S Open Semi-final and lots of Albiceleste wearing fans in the stands.
    Roger is class personified but Sky-blue and white all the way baby.

  5. I understand where he is coming from and respect his opinion but as Dfox said many teams have come a long way since Menotti’s times. Still, we should be bearing Venezuela at home, no excuses.

  6. I watched bits and pieces of the game since I didn’t actually watch the game itself last night and I was surprised to see the chances that didn’t materialize into goals and as we ARGENTINA fans have seen about half a billion times…….the goalkeeper from the opposing team transforming into Wolverine from X-Men and stopping everything in site!! it is truly unbelievable what a lousy Luck ARG has…simply amazing but never lose heart.

    11-Zero and 7-Zero….its 2017 and we all know how far other teams have come but I do understand his concerns.

Comments are closed.