It would have been unfair. Yes. Very unfair. And yet, it was unfair. Very unfair.
How do I explain what I´ve just wrote?
Simple.
It would have been unfair for the likes of Lionel MESSI, Sergio AGÜERO, Gonzalo HIGUAIN, Fernando GAGO and a number of very talented Argentine players that I´m sure are looking forward to playing in such an important competition as the Olympic football tournament next year in Beijing.
Unfair for all the fans (like you) who follow anything that wear the Albiceleste colours regardless of the competition, sport, gender, venue…you name it.
Argentina won the all-important game against Uruguay in the dying moments. And (it hurts when I say it) IT WAS UNFAIR.
Not because Uruguay were better. Not because they deserved to win. Not because the competition format was appropriate (in fact I think it was criminal making these guys play crucial matches every 48 hours). It was unfair simply because Argentina didn´t play for the win. We did NOTHING to win it and we shouldn´t have won it.
I´m very disappointed with the team, but specially with Hugo TOCALLI, the manager.
Let me explain why.
From what I saw, Argentina were never going for the win. It looked (right until the very end) that we were OK with one point. But NO, Mr. TOCALLI, we were not OK with one point.
I must admit I was a little bit concerned everytime I read one comment from TOCALLI saying: “Our first goal is go to the Youth World Cup”. And by the looks of it, I was right to be scared.
But the worst thing is that we could have even lost by 3 goals and still be in the Youth World Cup and with Paraguay beating Chile earlier, we were going to both tournaments with only a 1-0 win. So there is nothing in the World that can justify such a strategy even though TOCALLI got the result because everybody, even Mr. TOCALLI, know that we got away with that without even trying to get it.
I have to say that this was the worst U20 national team I have ever seen and I think we are very fortunate to have qualified for both tournaments.
And I have to say that I´m very very very pleased that despite those facts, we will have a team to defend the gold medal in Beijing 2008. I hope to see MANY changes and I would like to make the most of this opportunity to ask everybody who should be the 3 over-aged players (older than 23) that should go with the youngsters to the Olympics.
