Cesar Luis MENOTTI: “We are far from Germany”

By
John
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Cesar Luis Menotti Argentina
Cesar Luis Menotti Argentina

Argentina’s 1978 World Cup winning coach, Ceasar MENOTTI spoke in an exlusive interview on Ole about the current state of Argentine football, his relationship with former Germany’s coach Jurgen KLISMANN and he’s hope on Jorge SAMPAOLI’s appointment.

Cesar Luis MENOTTI on the current State of Argentine football

We are far behind compared to Germany. The football in Argentina is very chaotic and disorderly. Young players are leaving too soon, there is no proper maturation and process of formation.

In Germany, they set up a project and maintained it. They do not have a “MESSI” but they have a “KROOS” or “HUMMELS”. They have a group of excellent players that aim to play as collective unit. They are a team that strongly defends an idea and respect it. They have great organization and culturally that’s different from Argentina.

We are only equal in terms of genetic but there is little we can match with them

Cesar Luis Menotti on his relationship with Jurgen KLINSMANN

I knew Jurgen from our time with Sampdoria (1997) and we had close relationship. He was already a World Champion with Germany and still wanted learn more about the game.

I met him and Joachin LOEW for lunch back in 2006 after Germany had defeated Sweden. He was a guy who wanted to outdo himself and was always listening to advice and opinions from others.

When he told me he wanted a German team which the people can identify with and enjoy playing. In the beginning those two received a lot of sticks but with the success they have continue to achived, its not just the Germans who enjoy watching them play.

Apparently, it was during that lunch session which KLINSMANN said “Ceasar advised me about the position of FRINGS and BALLACK and it was very useful. He’s the coach I learn a lot from”.

Cesar Luis MENOTTI on Argentine football’s obsession with individuals

They are no saviors at the moment. Even if MARADONA and MESSI for all their splendor, still need a proper team to get behind them. If you are drowning at 100m, a lifeguard can save you. But if you are drowning at 10,000m right in the middle of the ocean, no can save you. That is what Argentina football is today, its too far for even a player like MESSI to save it.

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34 Comments

  1. Deb, first of all thank you for your kind words, it is my honor, i really appreciated!
    I didn’t say that we are better at the moment, although it really hurts saying this, i agree with you that they are superior right now. But hopefully as Sabellista said, we are in a rebuilding process and we may present a well organised and equally tough contender for the world cup title, if we qualify.

    But i am telling you my friend, what i said might sound as excuses but i didn’t say it under the affection of my love for Argentina, but simply because i feel that way. I honestly feel that they were not superior to us in 2006 and in 2014 but i agree with you that it was our fault that we didn’t take our chances and ofcourse they were lucky that we didn’t :).

    Luck is playing a big role for a team to win, but there is also something else that i personally have noticed throughout the years. I have been a hardcore albiceleste fan for over two decades and i personally realised that many times it is not necessarilly the best team that wins. I only want us to qualify first and present a tough contender for the title and ofcourse playing with our style, bring our identity back.

  3. I know Germany is better than us at the moment. Its pointless to argue about it at this pointing time. Spain, Brazil and France also are better than us. But that doesn’t matter cause 12 months is a long time in football. A lot of things can change abruptly in that period.
    We’re in a rebuilding phase. Still work in progress. But we’re on the way up. Therefore, I think Argentina will be a well oiled a machine capable of knocking them all out in 12 months time, Germany included.

    I agree with kid. That the Confed Cup victiry for Germany gave other coaches insight into Joachim Low’s tactics.

  4. Yes I agree that Germany has the best team but France, Brazil, Portugal and Spain not bad too. Especially France: Pogba, Kante, Griezmann, Mbappe, Dembele, Varane, Mendy…etc. Maybe their best generation ever. Portugal is getting even better after Euro 2016 with Gomez and Bernardo Silva as attacking midfielders and CR7 as forward. Spain and Brazil with their main players who play champions league semi finals/finals every year.

    But I think with Sampaio as new coach, he is going to reduce the gap with Germany. Once he finds the right players for his 3-4-3 system, Argentina is going to play great and efficient football. The biggest challenge for him is to find the right players on the flanks. Di Maria and Mercado seem to be the best choice currently but I am not totally convinced.

  5. In my humble opinion, truth is lying somewhere inbetween here. Here are my thoughts:

    Should we give credit where it is due? Ofcourse we should! Germany is one of the most successful teams in wc history, if not the most successful, but although i don’t give any attention to stats either, kid has some points here, i also see a bit of exaggeration as quite many times have the feeling that Germany is presented as unbeatable.

    They cheated on us in 1990 and broke our hearts three times in a row in 2006, 2010 and 2014 indeed but they were slightly favoured by the refs in 2006 and actually they were not better, they won in penalty shoot-out in their own home remember? and they were lucky to beat us in 2014 although our big guns were out of form or unavailable because if our players would convert their chances, which were more than Germany’s, we would have not been talking about Germany now.

    In 2010 they played much better and deserved that huge win on us, but if they had someone like Maradona on their bench as a coach the outcome might have been the other way around, don’t you think?

    We should give credit where it’s due, sure, because we must be objective, but being objective also means that we should examine all the facts and not just bringing words such as “excuses” when it comes to Argentina.

    They beat us in 2006 but it is ridiculus for me to accept that they were superior to us simply because they beat us in penalty shoot-out! Same in 2014 they were not superior to us, they won simply because we didn’t take our chances, but i give credit to them they won anyway!

    In 2010, yes they were superior to us and deserved to win on us even by that margin simply because we had someone on our bench who thought and still thinks that he is a propper manager.

    All the above are also facts to me and not just “excuses” as some people have claimed in the past.

    Another fact is what kid said about Germany’s rising economy, as i also believe that if it was not that case Germany would not have been that successful, especially nowadays.

    Put around Argentina the right people in order to show its real strength and then it will seem more fair and objective utleast to me the comparison with Germany or any other powerhouse.

    • @waveride you are one of the best bloggers here. I am actually a little surprised by this one :). There are several good points in your post and I agree to it, but overall it sounds like “excuses”.

      Germany is better than us. We must learn to accept. If someone has beaten us 4 times in a row (1990, 2006, 2010, 2014), I have to accept they are superior. Both are powerhouse teams, so anything can happen. But it seems they always deliver when it matters and we always choke.

      1990 – We were pathetic. We were actually lucky to be in finals. Yes they got a controversial penalty, but they were superior.

      2006 – We were a better team on paper. We played better as a team too. But if our players cannot score and Pekerman does not have balls to put Messi in, its our fault, lack of preparation and zeal to kill the game.

      2010 – Its our fault that Maradona was our coach.

      2014 – Its our fault that Messi, Higuain et al cannot put the ball in the back of the net. Germany can also say if howedes header did not hit the post, they win in 90 mins.

      2018 – If Bauza is a coach chosen for greater part of qualification then its our fault.

      We cannot say we are superior to them and lose 4 times in a row. I would rather accept the fact and prepare, so that its not 5 times in a row.

      Just a different person and different perspective. Everyone has weaknesses and limitations, but you prepare accordingly. Germany can give an excuse that German mothers do not give birth to naturally gifted players like Messi, Maradona, Tevez, Batistuta, Aimar, Riquelme etc. They accept that limitation and wins by team play. Just saying.

      • my take on vs Germany.
        1990 we had no right being in the final but we were and despite a dour game they got the lucky “break” to get a non existent pen, the bad luck for us was in the semi can getting booked for nothing by the yellow teams ref to miss the final.
        2006: a combination of bad luck, bad refing and bad coaching.
        the ball that was just an few cm’s away from teves (I think it was him) foot and its was a goal, ballck who should have been sent off for that assault on our gk and the last min pen we 100% should have had on maxi, the fact we had to use our sub on a g/k instead of an out field player, peckerman deciding to close out a 1-0 game far to early, and his choice of the 2 other subs he brought on were wrong (riq had run out of gas and probably had to go off) but he got the ones he brought on totally wrong.
        pens are a complete lottery , always have and always will be.

        2010: no complaints we were humiliated-end of story.

        2014: talk about bad luck that 4 of our most important players at that time come into the w/c recovering from injuries in kun, d/maria, messi and gago.
        the final again d/m injured before we started, how was their g/k not sent off for that assault of hig, hig that 1st chance, then just a few cm’s on side and he had a goal,(yes it was just offside sadly), we also had messi and pal misses, howedes hitting of the post for them but the whistle had already gone and it became a free kick to us and it would not have counted any way. the coach got it so wrong once again with his choice of subs and they go on to score with their 1st real shot on target (they had a few half chances but rom was not a busy keeper) and that is it.

        for me only 2010 were they the better team (by far) and with any actual luck we could have won all 3 of the others games 90, 06 and 14 but for what ever reason we always seems to get screwed vs them by the refs, our coaches and by our selves with some inept finishing.

      • I was surprised with Waver too :). I don’t think by acknowledg German success and strength is hype or favourism towards German. Since 2002 they have played every single semi or Final on Big Tournament. We are making ‘excuses’ actually saying we could have win if we put our chances. Same thing Bosnia and Iran could say in their game with us. YES they didn’t outplayed us but everyone was saying their defence crap but yet they stopped our 40-50 scoring strikers. There is no team in the world consistent like Germans. We have not won something since 1991(Copa) last,if we weren’t play final last WC than we could have counted as second round or Quarter final team. I don’t believe Portugal and France,Belgium ahead of us but We are not ready for win Nexr year yet but we can be if Sampa doing same thing he doing. He met Banega yesterday in Rosario with some video tape to analyse. He will start a tour from 1st August to meet players with video tapes. So it is promising but whatever the reason it is,economic, culture or players WE ARE ACTUALLY BEHIND GERMANS.

  6. I don’t agree with Menotti——-our team is better than Germany Right Now……if our formation something like this….

    ————————Rulli————————-
    ———————Mascarano——————-
    —Mussachiho——————–Otamendi —
    ———————-Paredes———————-
    Perroti-Vasquez————–lanzini-pereyra

    ————-Messi———Dybala—————
    We need work 🐴 in midfield with Strong body and tall and No need number 9 because we have Messi..

  8. Menotti is one of the most respected coach in the world, his vision and comments were being quoted and learn by others expect the Argentina national coach.

    • so true but better add an “s” to coach and its was a series of coaches who did not listen to him from maradona, tata, batista and bozo and lets not leave out nor forget the past inept afa over all of that time.

  9. Everyone jumping on the Germany bandwagon as of late. Reading gibberish on YouTube from posters saying the 2018 world cup favorites are; Germany A team, Germany B team, Germany C team and the German U21 team is quiet astonishing. It’s getting ridiculous at this point.

    Germany is already in a no win situation come next year. There are so many factors against Germany going into the 2018 world cup despite all the noise surrounding them.

    1. Every national team (especially the major football nations) will be gunning for Germany (this was the same with Spain after winning in 2010), they will be thoroughly studied by all their opponents on and off the pitch. What the Confederation Cup did was allow all the other world cup contenders and dark horse teams to have a full insight into Joachim Löw tactics and strategy.

    2. No nation has won back to back world cup titles in over half a century.

    3. The Confederation Cup winner the year before the world cup has never won the world cup title.

    4. In the last two World Cups, Spain and Italy have crashed out of the world cup during the group stage. (This though will likely be the least feasible unless Germany end up in a tough group with Colombia, Italy/Holland etc.)

    5. All the pressure will be on Germany

    6. Germany did not win the European Championship in 2016 despite all the noise over the Confederation Cup win.

    7. Brazil win at the 2013 Confederation Cup against Spain was much more dominant and imposing than what we saw from Germany against Chile.

    Menotti failed to mention that Germany is the fourth biggest economy in the world behind only United States, China and Japan. Germany rising economy has played a huge role in German football development over the years. Germany youths can afford to stay in their domestic league and develop while in Argentina it’s totally the contrary for the youth players. A 23-year-old promising midfield player in Germany under no circumstances would go play for Zenit! The same for Foyth, a player his age in Germany with so much potential would remain in the mainland and develop instead of moving to Russia for the sake of a big money move.

    • Spot on.
      History is changing. No European team won a WC outside Europe until 2010. And again in 2014.

      Let’s hope some other team beats Gernany and we meet them in Moscow a year from now.

      BTW didn’t Roma offer 9m for Foyth?

      • If Argentina put away their chances they will defeat Germany or any other team in the world. We lost to Germany in 2006 and 2014 because Argentina did not put away their chances during the game. 2010 was the first world cup on African soil, Spain just end up being the first country to win the first ever world cup on the African continent.

    • It will be extremely hard for German next year no arguments about it KID. But i was talking about more German system and collective as a unit. You gotta give credit where it’s due dude. About the past and stats! Just give it a rest bud…it doesn’t make sense now a days anymore. Spain won in Africa and German won in Brazil!!! You might see a South American team can win in Russia. Some stats doesn’t add up now days. We should have done way earlier what Sampa and Tapia and Veron them doing now. About our team and players, we have some amazing talents and THE best player in history will ever see but our system sucked all along. Hopefully it’s change now. Ohh…belive me i ain’t any poster fan or riding anything on German but as ultimatum football fan you gotta appreciate if you see something good happening in football. It doesn’t mean i am scared of German to face them next year.NO! I ain’t loosing any sleep over it,TRUST. Because i know we have right President,Right coach who is more professional than any other ever were before. With Chile Sampa made Germam to go all the way and i am sure with Argentina German won’t find a way.

    • As far as I remember so good semifinal of last Euro France – Germany I’m convinced that Germany team was best on tournament. They were really better than France in that semi. Just lacking on luck. No team won a tournament if luck was on other side.

      Germany are most consistent NT team in history and just you can’t ignore them never.

    • Kid
      Other than your point 1, all are about trends and stats, basically useless points. As someone mentioned below, these kind of stats does not hold anymore. These days players and preparations are so global that location hardly matters. There was a time when certain teams played well under sunlight and struggled under artificial lights. Now no one cares. Same with all your points. I do agree with your first point though.

      My most hated national teams have been Brazil and Germany. Unfortunately, both will do great. Germany is always strong and prepared enough to be in Semis. After that anything can happen.

    • That’s it, I can’t be silent anymore. After FIVE years I talk again, because I can’t take this idiotism anymore.

      Mr. Kidulthood, you and all other freaking **** are the reason, I didn’t want to comment anything after 2014 final. I quitted mundoalbiceleste, because idiots like You are pointless to argument about. Before 2014 final (and before WC) I told everywhere Germany is and will be the biggest threat to Argentina forever. You made similar pointless arguments, why we DEFINETLY will win in final – keep Your arguments, because You do not know anything, I mean ANYTHING about football.

      I was fucking heartbroken after 2014, you all know, 2015 and 2016 was not better. And **** like You with bullshit arguments, “fact” and analyses makes this whole thing even worse.

      GERMANY IS AND WILL be biggest contender always and do not fucking mock them. They are the best and broken our all hearts THREE TIMES IN A ROW. THREE TIMES!!!! And by the way, Germany has reached semi-finals of world cup more than 70% of times.

      So please, JUST CUT THE *****.

      Thank You for attention,
      Oliver (after five painful years)

  10. Menotti maybe old but he ain’t dumb. He knows his football. He likes and will back Sampaoli.
    The architect behind Germany’s successes is Oliver Bierhoff. He set up the whole scenario at the DFB.
    We have the better individual players but in terms of tactics, training facilities, video analysis and preparation we are way behind. Hopefully Sampa can close the gap in the next few years. Remember the stats on Argentina’s penalty takers in WC 2006? Did we have stats on German players. No. Do we have them now, 11 years later? No….

    • Actually right now we have one of the best video analyst in our team. Maradona was criticised Sampaoli over he has too many stuff. Sampa got few good people as his back room team. We are in right path just players needs to perform

  12. Klinsmann AKA ‘the ballerina’ and if you don’t know why the nickname then you better ask somebody!

    Team is more important than individualism.
    Young players leaving the nest before they learn how to fly properly.
    Chaos gives way to more chaos.

    all good but very obvious.

    They should have been thrown back into the Atlantic at the conclusion of 1945…hint hint

  14. Apparently, it was during that lunch session which KLINSMANN said “Ceasar advised me about the position of FRINGS and BALLACK and it was very useful. He’s the coach I learn a lot from”.

    Menotti basically was helping our rivals during a World Cup tournament. He indirectly sabotaged his own country’s effort by strengthening the rivals. This is ridiculous. Makes me suspect him of also advising Klinsmann before that 2006 QF.😠😠

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