Ricardo GARECA to hold Peru press conference tomorrow, to coach Argentina?

By
Roy Nemer
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223
Ricardo Gareca Peru Argentina
Ricardo Gareca

Peru coach Ricardo GARECA will hold a press conference on Tuesday.

Per a Tweet by the Peruvian FA, their national team coach Ricardo GARECA will hold a press conference. Increasing reports in the Argentine media are that the AFA have already taken the decision to fire Jorge SAMPAOLI.

We can only speculate that the press conference tomorrow would mean that GARECA could be stepping down as coach. Although that is pure speculation (it could also mean he is going to renew his contract) but considering the circumstances and everything going on involving the AFA and how GARECA has been heavily linked to the Argentina coaching job, it seems very possible.

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223 Comments

  1. To be honest, This Argentina team is very average. Messi makes them slightly better. If it was not for Messi, Teams would easily steamroll us over. Its because of Messi our opponents has to keep few players on him instead of going all out on us. Ex: Spain 6:1 Nigeria 4:2. And Remember Messi created the last 2 goals against France out of nowhere. Walking or Running does not matter. With Messi we still have some creativity and punch. We still need him for our upcoming generation.

  2. “Whoever the next coach is appointed must be given full control and he must built a new team.
    If we set winning Copa as target and influence the coach taking x player the coach will be a failure.
    If you call a player once it is harder to not call him later, you get familiar.
    the best way is to set the tone from the beginning, new coach can get rid of players easier, if the new coach thinks he can come here and take the same players and win the Copa and then drop them you’ll be mistaken. Firstly we will not win it and secondly he will lose respect.
    If we built a new team I’m not asking the coach to win the copa”.

    My thoughts

  3. This site is turning to be Messi’s fan boys more than looking for what benefits the team. All people on here care if Messi plays his 5th world cup when he will barely walks. (We’ve seen him this world cup walks at least, next world cup, he will sit on pitch).

    • Exactly WC2022

      Keep writing. This site is full of Messi fanboys trolls that prefer Messi glory over Argentina. They want to see Argentina winning as far as Messi will be part of this.

    • He’s been walking for his entire career and 5 ballon dor later, he’s doing the same thing. Keep regugiating the same bullshit

    • Juan Antonio Pizzi, who is from Argentina, said: AFTER THE FINAL COPA 2016

      “Messi’s numbers are unparalleled and I think they’ll remain that way forever, because it’s impossible for a football player to do what Messi has done…. My generation can’t compare him to [Diego] Maradona — that’s for my generation, because of what Maradona did for Argentine soccer. But I think the best player ever played today here in the United States.”

      IF YOU FOLLOW MESSI IN BARCA MATCHES YOU WILL SEE THAT HE SPEND A LOT OF MOMENTS ON THE PITCH JUST WALKING AROUND, ONCE HE GETS THE BALL HE CREATES MAGIC.

      • People here can say whatever they want but Messi is very gifted.

        They have already written him off and yet age doesn’t even appear to slow him down. People should let nature take its course on him, if he can play and create magic, they should let it be and i can say that getting a footballer like Messi will take ages, a guy who scores goals like no ones business and again heavily involves himself in the play.

        At the age of 34 in 2010, Diego Forlan was so spectacular, an evidence of age just being a number.

  4. Seems Dybala and Higuain are going to get a new teammate, none other than the pompous ASSHOLE called Christina, hopefully Barcelona get their heads out of their asses and get Dybala.

  6. After the hype and fall of Sampaoli, hope AFA does not make hasty decision. Coach is so critical position. I miss Sabella’s time when we went unbeaten for a period. The new coach must be humble rational and follow normal things such as studying opponents video, strengthened our defence, pick the best players available…

    • Let’s starts a new journey with new young blood….
      No more experience..
      Take time..
      Don’t expect result in cops..
      It will be fruitful in 2022…
      I love messi..but will we again bench Dybala???

      Again leave Icardi out ??

      There must be a project of mission Qatar…

      AFA is taking time …cooling down..think in silence…….
      Throwing coach every time is not correct…

      Yes if AFA takes a European coach then u can sack Sampaoli…
      I don’t like sacking coaches day in and day out…

  7. Garsea could be our coach, he didn’t renew with Peru, taken some time to decided his future. Meanwhile Afa don’t want sampaoli to continue, still if sampaoli stay he will not getting any support from Afa, Will not allowed to go to Europe to speak to players, have to trim the no of his staff.

    • Yeah to be a coach after getting a warning from FIFA on his behavior in our game against Nigeria when he was harassing some spectators in the stadium. That will bring more karma to our NT if he’s appointed as the coach. Young players can use him as a role model and ethical icon indeed.

  10. If we want to win World Cup then we need tall and strong to compare Europe..players like alaro,ocampos,icardi,batigolia,Peredes,simon,mammana.funts,lamela,locelso, with Dybala and Messi.

    • Do you know what you are talking about? Player that is depending in his playing first of all on speed will play having 4 and a half year more than now (WC 2022 is in december). He will have 35 and a half of year. We need players that will fight, press, run all over the pitch, no matter on which position they play. Playmakers too. Messi rarely pressing off ball even as 31 player let alone closing his 36. We will have better players. Stop with Messi fanboyism over Argentina benefit. Messi fans are only interested wheter he will play another tournament. He had 4 World Cups and 4 Copa! Lost many finals. Enough. It seems fate doesn’t want to give 5 Ballon d’Or winner any success with NT. It looks really like curse. I don’t want to see Argentina as victim of the course just because Messi fanboys want to see him as winner. He shouldn’t to kick against the pricks more.

      • I doubt there will be any player better Dan Messi at age of 35…….
        U can see totti , pirlo. , Playing at highest level at that age

        • LOL

          Which level? Why players like Pirlo, Totti, Iniesta weren’t winning WC at this age?

          And yes, Messi without the speed is a half of the player. It was evident in this WC already – very little Messi effective driblings as in past was.

          Dybala attacking from the right wing and going into the middle to shoot his fav curved left foot from behind penalty looks as much dangerous as Messi. And he will not interfere so much in other areas just to get the ball as Messi did.

          • forget klose, at 36 klose was best Germany striker and muller performed while klose there and after klose retired rest is history, at 35 messi remain best Argentina player and next 2 year remain world best

          • You Messi fanboys probably never had seen Zidane in full game. I know – it’s younger generation.

          • Yes sir, ONLY you had the privilege of seeing Zidane play in his prime. Please do us a favor and stop spewing nonsese. If only so called-fans like you would appreciate and embrace your players more, may they would shine brighter when they don the Argentinian jersey. The great Zidane, unlike mediocre and unintelligent Messi, found success because he had a great coach, played in a great system and was surrounded by other great players. But hey, what do I know about football?

          • Messi fans have the problem – they think if he is best player (Iagree he is) on the world it means he must be also most intelligent one. Unnecesary. Zidane was more intelligent. Stop deify Messi. I saw him too many times banging with the head at the wall when things goes wrong to think he is most intelligent player.

            Zidane, Iniesta, Totti, Pirlo and others were ahead of him in this point.

      • Interesting. Argentina cursed due to Messi? There will be better players than Messi aged 35? You are not only superstitious, you are also clairvoyant.

      • Like that pure shit Meza? Unbelievable i was 100% right Meza fanboy, worst player of the WC, cant shoot, cant pass, cant run, cant defend, nervous even Pavon was useless, nowhere near this level. Best players of Primera, so stop your playstation with these so called “talents”. He will be a star in Europe HAHAHAHA, in Elche or spanish 2. division?

        • @Csabalala

          how far went your oldies? your “class european players”?. All they were there in crucial games and how far. You were supporting the generation for years and where we are now?!!! Because of stupid people like you around NT we lost 4 years!!! Now we see stick on the oldies was waste of time. You should stop talk more here as you fooled himself:

          Csabalala comment June 24, 2018 at 4:05 pm

          “Argentina-Columbia 3:0, Columbia-Argentina 0:1, if finally the right players’ll play how they can ARG will beat not even Nigeria, France too”.

          Your comment. LOL

          • Your oldies were not even able to dominate Nigeria with their poor defence. Even if Nigeria didn’t parked bus. They had not opportunities in the game behind the goals.

          • Why did not Aguero start instead of Pavon (zero, cannot controll a fckin ball man) at least one centre forward would press the french defense, Di Maria world class saved our asses, no player in the box, how the hell lSampaoli wanted to score a fckin goal LOL, absurd, Maradona level mistakes one after the other

        • I just recorded your comment. Soon many talents from Primera will shine in Europe and you will be fooled again.

          I wrote here before Nigeria game if the oldies will able to reach semifinal indeed I will leave the site once and for all because I will lost believe in my knowledge and intuition. The oldies went nowhere. Now you, Csabalala, should leave the site. But you have not honour to do this despite you made idiot of yourself.

          • At least in a Sevilla caliber team of the top5 leagues, not Sporting, Benfica UCL clown teams, where an Acuna can start. Benfica last year in UCL 6 losses, this is our level? French midfield Kante maybe best DM in the world, Matudi starter in PSG now in Juve, Pogba superstar midfielder, do you want to beat these class midfielders with your Mezas and Pol Fernandezes LOL, again out of your mind, Banega, Masche and Enzo at least know this superstar level well, play against these teams week after week, we have no talented midfielders zero, Paredes in Russia, Lo Celso benchwarmer in PSG, and definitely will play shit under the new coach, Lanzini West Ham our biggest talents? Ascacibar Stuttgart, but i tell you better the difference of talent level between mbappe and pavon was the key, Mbappe real superstar potential, Pavon? Man this guy cannot controll a fckin pass, and the others even weaker than this green guy, without the oldies ARG wouldnt be in WC and definitely not in 16. Wake up, didnt you watch our U20 and Olympics tournaments? Argentinas NT future

          • Argentina will only be a WC-contender when our youngsters shine in Real Madrid, Barcelona, Chelsea, MU, City, Bayern, PSG, Juventus etc not in shit teams, Brazil starters: two world class goalkeeper, Real Madrid-PSG-Inter (Atletico)-PSG—Real Madrid-Barcelona-Barcelona—PSG-Chelsea (Juventus)-City (Liverpool), Spain, France, Belgium, Germany even England the same too, good luck with your Mezas against them, the oldies save our asses from disaster, yes Holland is not atm, they are nowhere ofc

        • @Csabalala

          Everytime when you will bring here this anti-Argentina talent shit I will bring the comment (and your others) that makes you real fool.

          • you are chamaeleon, flag on the wind, neuter without properties. You are die hard supporter of old guard or youngsters promotor – it depends how things are going. That’s your characteristic. Do I need to bring here your so much optimistic comment posted not long before WC about our young prospects going to Europe, when you mentioned also Meza along with Vargas and other players? Another time you may posting as if in this nation was no any single young player that may keep us thinking positive about NT times to come. You are just typical populistic representative of changeable, capricious crowd.

            Coward kicks only in crowd.
            Moreover you are also coward who attack only in crowd. I have seen this many times that you always bring the aggresive comments against me and others when you see other comments against me. COWARD.

      • Clearly you have no clue what Messi has done or know anything about his style and contribution if you’re criticising “walking”

  12. Calling Bustos rubbish is pathetic. He is young has not played many games at a high level. This sort of attitude is also a malignant cancer in Argentine football and many of it’s so called supporters. Attacking Pavon and Meza.

    These players have barely had any experience at this level and they were thrown in at the deep end. It’s no wonder they found it hard to prosper especially with a coach constantly changing tack. Bustos is excellent going forward but needs to learn how to defend. It can be coached and taught and learnt by playing. But let’s throw him into the rubbish bin straight away.

    Jordi Alba was a very similar sort of player who struggled to master the art of defending initially as a fullback being more concerned with the attacking side of his position.

    Sabella had a pretty decent career as a manager but he was not a big name appointment. And if Gareca is appointed I expect he will be just as good especially given that the squad will be filled with a lot of new faces who will need a guiding hand something at which Gareca is excellent. Moulding, boosting the mentality of your players is something he can do just as well as any other manager.

    • Brian
      I wish you would post more on this site. I have been on this site close to 8 years and it seems that there are 2 groups of posters;those that are informed and those that have the IQ of a 12 year old. The second group concentrates on everything Messi and once he is out of the picture I am hoping they leave this site. I have nothing against Messi, but there is clearly a correlation between their following of Argentina football and Messi’s arrival on the international level. This group is also the group that posts a lineup every other day as though they are playing fantasy football.
      Very few people post knowledgeable informative data that you can learn from. Having said this, you are by far one of the most informed posters I have ever seen on this site. Thank you for your contribution and spreading your knowledge. Hopefully we can all learn by sharing useful information instead of trash lineups.

  13. I don’t think Gareca is giving a firm decision for at least a month San Isidro.

    Why would we appoint Aimar, Sorin, Zanetti ? I would like to see Zanetti and Sorin and others running the AFA being honest men with nothing but the best interests of Argentinian football rather than the current mob who are in it for themselves and their egos.

    Aimar has barely had any coaching credentials while we have several youngish managers who are making a name for themselves like Heinze and Dabove ? It is obvious few people have ever watched Gareca in charge of Velez and the style of football they implemented either.

    Sampaoli made his bed and laid in it and screwed up by not resorting to a countering game, picking the wrong players and then constantly fiddling with tactics and not making proper use or learning from the two friendlies against Spain and Italy. It does not seem the right fit and after the flare up post Croatia even the younger players and those newish to the squad like Tagliafico were alienated.

    Gareca is more than capable of being a very good coach for the seleccion and for those describing the 2014 side not having a plan it was by far the most secure I have seen Argentina play in many years with a perfectly clear and proscribed plan. Barring unfortunate injury issues to Kun and di Maria in the tournament and those wasted chances in the final we would have had a third star. That calmness comes down to a lot of preparation and calm leadership from Sabella and his staff and man managing players excellently.

    • i will talk about ARGENTINA. i have watched all world cups from 1982. 1990 we went with a weak team because Maradona wanted his friends to play left all super talented players home. 1994 Argentina super team happened this diego doping fiasco out. 1998 pasarela coach he went crazy Redondo Caniggia out of team because of hair out with holland in a very good game. 2002 crazy bielsa with very strong team out from groups. 2006 most talented Argentina team pekerman think is wish to change riquelme and messi didnt play all game out. 2010 crazy maradona dont take zanetti cambiasso inter champions league that year Riquelme home. go play with Germany with one play in midfield macherano out. 2014 final lost in details. 2018 worts team selection with one crazy coach out. As you can see coaches most of the time fucked us. We need a serious COACH very good COACH

    • agree on the point regarding Sabella & 2014 team. This coach & this team delivered the results and got us to the final after 24 long years. Sabella understood the value of defending. Unless the new coach (whoever it is) understands the value of defending as a team & comes up with a disciplined system, we are not lifting any trophies.. doesn’t matter how much attacking flair we have!!! Sampaoli didn’t even remotely attempt to defend a 2-1 lead against a very strong French side in a WC KO match. How shocking was that??? :O :O

  14. So Low stay with Germany! HOLD ON? Didn’t they knocked out in group stage? Still he stays. I wonder how would Argentine fan and Board would react to this kinda scenario. Bunch of panokio…we won’t win nothing till 100 years if this shit keep happening every time. No consistency only hypocrisy

    • Agreed. That’s why I stopped posting since the loss. All I see on here is people blaming Messi and his friends, wishing injuries upon less favorable players, begging for mediocre players like Lamela to return, asking for Sampaoli to resign as if we already have a better candidate waiting to replace him. Those same people asking for Sampaoli to leave, were the same ones who celebrated the hardest when he first came on board. To be honest, I was not familiar with Sampaoli’s resume until he became our coach officially but any sensible person would agree that he got a raw deal when accepted the job. Is he the coach for the team? We will never know. The guy barely had time to impose his style or ideologies. Anyway, this Gareca guy will not be any different. With any sign of struggle, they will be calling for his head too.

      I love this team but good Luck to whoever decides to accept this job. They will have their work cut out with AFA incompetency combined with the overly demanding fans.

    • Low has nothing to prove himself as a great coach. he got them Champions while reaching semi final in a prior tournament. You can’t compare his success with Sampaoli.

  16. Sweden the dark horse..?
    They knocked out Netherlands
    They knocked out Italy
    Topped the group of Germany
    Now in quarter final…!
    The giant killer…!

  17. pablo aimer with sampaoli would be great after copa we need to give full responsibility to aimer.

  18. This is probably the wackiest world cup in a long time, just hope Belgium takes out brazil and their childish antics once and for all, the sooner the better.

    • even if he give money we dont want him…………… many of them asks why sampaoli used 4-5-1 system… we need more body while defending… otherwise.. game will be end in the first half…… dybala wont defend messi wont aguero wont higuain wont… then we need more body… some senior players feels they are golden generation they want to try this world cup…. team selcetion definitely influnced by senior players…

      give him time atleast untill next copa…. he introduce many young players… argentina dont have midfield without midfield we wont win a game… i thought it would be lanzini and locelso are our midfielders… sampaoli wants messi to play higher…. but whole tournment he receved two pass one from banega and other one deflection…. he failed… guardiola failed in his first season with mancity… why not sampaoli… give him time… he will find a solution………

      • if AFA given chance to Diego maradona he will exploit many of the young players like he given in 2010 opportunity to maria, pastore, higuain, aguero, otamendi, mascherano, gago, banega.
        those players got attention in euro club after introduced in WC2010

        • Nope, Maradona will call the Friends Club, building a team around Messi, making Kun the sole striker, and hopes for Messi to create magic. Thank you very much.

  20. I am trying to comprehend what good it will do to bring in Gareca.

    I would like to remind you that before AFA appointed Sampaoli, he was considered a world class managers by many, including me. His Sevilla team was a joy to watch and gave real run for the money against WORLD CLASS opponents like Barcelona, Real and Juve and he didn’t have a huge budget like them. His Chile team was unplayable and won Copa America. It looked like he knew what he was doing. I refuse to believe he’s tgis incompetent because its just not one season or one team. All his teams were excellent, be in Europe, South America or National team. Many avid followers of Barcelona wanted Sampaoli to be the next Barcelona manager after Luis Enrique instead of Valverde.

    But as soon he became our manager, everything went south. He became a worse impression of Roberto Martinez and Bauza. He became crazy and clueless.

    Thats why I have absolutely no idea what good will come if we appoint Gareca or Gallardo or anyone else.

    May be, just may be this time we need to start thinking real fresh instead of doing sam shit over and over and again and again. Start a project from the youth, and start building a team from zero. If the result don’t come next copa, so be it. Also if the results don’t come in wc 2022 so be it. I just want to see a team once in my life.

    For instance,

    – 98 wasn’t a team
    – 2002 was a bad team
    – 2006 was a FUCKING TEAM.
    – 2010 wasnt a team
    – 2014 wasn’t a team
    – 2018 wasnt a team

    I know I rubbed the wrongside of lot of people by sayaing 2014 wasn’t a team. But its fine. If you think putting 6 defenders and 4 forwards together and achieving clean sheets is a virtue of a team, then its fine. That team didn’t know what to do with the ball. Didn’t know to counter, or didn’t know to create. That isn’t a team in my definition. During qualifying we had a team, but during world cup we didn’t.

    I just want us to have a team. I don’t care which form of football we play – attacking or counter attacking, it doesn’t matter at all. For starters, lets make a team that plays football together. And I don’t think just changing Sampaoli for Gareca will do anything.

    • Someone finally makes sense here. I agree with you! A lot of people here are hurt understandably and the passion for Argentina makes them blindly bash Sampaoli. Though he made a few blunders withhis team selections, he is definitely not a worse coach.

      1. Persistently sticking with Meza even at the most crucial time.
      2. Sticking up a false 9 formation without a proper striker in the box to pressure the CBs.

      Apart from thes decisions I cant really blame him much. Here is a guy who had 13 months as coach with the players playing together for hardly a month before the world cup. Its not that easy. AFA has always been at turmoil and changing coaches will do nothing. Every coach needs time and changes to get the right formation to play.

      # It took Joachin Loew 4 years to reach the finals, 8 years to win the cup and 12 years to get out of the first round of the world cup.

      # I can say the same thing about tabarez though Uruguay hasnt won anything significant.

      # Alejandro Sabella needed 3 years to take us to the finals of the world cup too.

      Handing over the guard to Gareca or Maradona or gallardo will do nothing for the team. It is only unlucky that none of the above coaches had the same preparation time as Sampaoli.

      P.S: I am not supporting Sampaoli by any chance but he is by no means a bad coach like a lot of people comment on here. Every coach needs time! Sampaoli does too

      • To remind you or anyone – almost all his decisions were wrong.

        He wanted to play highline possession football. Okay fine, great! Icardi can’t do holdup play, okay right.

        * Squad selection errors –

        – He called up slow CBs and CBs who haven’t played last season.
        – He didn’t call up the ONLY ball playing technical CM we have.
        – He thought Salvio and Acuna were fullbacks.
        – He had second chance to call up Paredes, but he went ahead and selected Perez (which he should have done earlier instead of taking the injured Biglia or out of sort Masche).

        World cup errors –

        – Against Iceland the whole world knows they are going to park the bus and there’s absolutely no necessity of playing a double pivot. Sampaoli plays Masche Biglia.
        – Against a team like Croatia he changes formation and went back to 3 men back.
        – Against Nigeria he makes crazy substitutes
        – Against France he plays 4-3-3 false 9 but doesn’t make sure his wide players drifts in to the box when messi drifts out. Thats football tactics 101.

        See – a novice like me can blow a hole though his selections and tactics.

        He did everything wrong during his 1 year of management. There shouldn’t be absolutely no discussion on this matter.

        • Like i said, you are bashing him because all the results went against him.

          We can always talk about what if parades was called or what if icardi was called up or whomever for that reason.

          What if Messi didnt miss the penalty : we would have won and might have stuck with the same formation against Croatia and might have topped the group ended up playing against Denmark too.

          What if lanzini wasnt injured: We all knew he had plans for Lo celso and lanzini moving up the field with Mache acting as the only pivot.

          What if Salvio did a roberto: That would have been a godsend to have a utility man towards the later stages of the world cup.

          Amidst all the idiotic decisions that he took, there was always the attacking instinct in his mind.

          Everybody on here say that he could have sat back and defended the 2-1 lead. if he did that and had Argentina lost, the same people would bash him for being over defensive like PSG vs Barcelona.

          Lets be honest, he never had enough resources/time to carry out the plans he had. Even if we tried to defend, we’d have still lost.

          Sampaoli might have done a lot of things wrong but to get the team ready within a year and put together a playing formation with too much pressure from the home country is no easy deal. Pep Guardiola would have had trouble with this team.

          My point is, inspite of all his management he should still be given a run until the CopaAmerica 2019. You just cant sack and swap managers like that! it will do the team no good.

        • Exactly right.each game ,he introduce new player..I don’t know actually what was going on his mind.he destroyed argentina formation .he is coach which hve no vision.afa sack please

    • Finally a very good post here. Tired of seeing players name and formation. Why everyone is failing as an Argentine national coach, that is the problem. I do feel even Pep Guardiola will fail with this team.

    • Senior players undermined sampaoli no doubt but he is to blame for abandoning what made him famous.
      The first 50 minutes v croatia is sampaoli style the team did well despite some players not fitting.
      sampaoli knew dybala & higuain played that style at juve & should have included in the starting line-up.
      sampaoli also made error in goalie choosing.

  21. BTW anyway saw the last chance was heading straight for Fazio’s head? I wish Angel would have left it for him since he was better positioned and is an absolute giant. I thought about it a lot when Lukaku left the ball for Chadli to score yesterday.

  22. Before this match against France, I watched some French football TV show. Many of those French journalists had the perfect prediction on the scenario of the match: Argentina will try to play high and when they lost the ball, nobody will go to press, as a result, lot of space will be left for counter attack. They also said that the Argentine fullbacks are very average and the French ones should feel free to attack. For marking Messi, they suggested to use Kante+Matuidi(part time). They also mentioned Di Maria is the only one can make the difference if Messi is marked.

    We all know what happened and its quite amazing that even sport journalists(no offense) can totally predict Sampaoli coaching with so much detail. How can you win with him?

  23. We should have won against France and we had the chance. We needed to be little intelligent and have a proper game plan after we were 2-1. Again 4 year wait. Its so painful.

  24. After what Sampaoli did I would never let myself taken again. Like most everybody I wanted him to be Argentina coach and when they gave him the job I was elated. In my mind Argentina was back, and with Messi on the team, a glorious Russia 18 to look forward to, very bright future. Until the guy started showing, bit by bit, his incapacity. So if Gareca becomes coach, I hope he does, I will hold my judgement until September when the team plays Guatemala and Colombia. I hope he is hired but I’ll wait and see, judge him on his production with Argentina on the actual pitch. It’s one thing to coach Peru, or even Chile, and another to do so with Argentina. Argentina is, and still remain, one of the four most glamourous teams in the world, year in year out. It is not easy. You have to be made of steal. A fickle, softy, person will fail miserably. You have to be balanced. Crossing my fingers.

  25. Can you imagine us losing a 2-1 lead with Sabella or even Tata for that matter? No matter how fortuitous it was the right moves would have had us see out that game as victors. Aguero for Pavon as soon as it was 2-1 and we win this game. Sampaoli looks at the scoreline to gauge if his tactics are working, not what is unfolding on the field. Because Argentina were tying at half time he felt his system was working even though we clearly needed a focal presence in the box. Instead, for the 2nd time he disastrously took off a midfielder for a striker and lo and behold France score 3. I’m not as much bothered by Sampa’s tactics, suicidal high line against a team of sprinters notwithstanding, as I am by his reading of games and subs he makes. They always result in net negatives for the team. I submit that ANY other coach in this tournament would have done better after stumbling into a 2-1 lead. It is very frustrating because if you look at the standards of the teams left and we would have won this tournament at a stroll in 2014 or 2016. 2018’s version had a decent chance but were undone by a crazy man at every turn.

    Personally I thought Rojo was doing better against Mbappe after a shaky start and I would have rather risked the red with him than bring on the slowest player in the tournament at half time in his place. Just have the team defend deeper and see how it goes from there. Alas here we are.

    • I haven’t been able to stop thinking about the collective madness done by our manager and players against France. I thought after Croatia game Sampaoli is not going to have much say but that wasn’t the case!

      • When I see even teams with middling players like Denmark or Russia able to defend because their managers aren’t crazy or arrogant it makes my head want to explode even more. Ignashevich is 38 for god’s sake. iI we played someone as old as him against Spain with Sampaoli’s tactics we would concede 10.

        • if every body defends who will attack… small team always defend… bigger teams need to play football… otherwise… you wont win the world cup……

          f

  26. I am really having hard time comprehending why Sampaoli insisted with high line pressing and without a no 9 against France. Sampa has been coaching for decades right, is there something we are missing? I really want to hear Sampaoli’s side of the story. He is not a novice manager and any sane person would never have gone with the insane tactics he used against France. Also, i know Messi isn’t a very vocal person but didn’t our other seniors say anything about that sucidal tactics before the match? These players have played in the highest level with master tacticians. How can the whole team and staff lose their common sense together?

    • I wager only Sampaoli knows why he did that. We had Demichelis and Garay who are no speed demons so Sabella being a sane man did not play a high line against Robben. You don’t need to be a Nobel laureate to know that giving faster players space to run behind the ball will usually end badly, especially if they have someone like Giroud knocking forward headers or holding up the ball. Even if we had Godin and Gimenez those tactics will fail. You need players with recovery speed to play a high line so I have no idea what he was thinking.

    • All the team needed is either Higuain or Aguero in there from the start and France would have been beaten. It was unreal to see the team trying to break through the wings with nobody in the box, nobody. Every single game at least one of those had started and mysteriously against France we dropped them both. Messi was again easily surrounded by three four players every time he touched it in their camps.

  27. Not sure Gareca is the best candidate. He has the same profile as Sampaoli: old school and never coached any big name and a top team. They are great for U20 or small team with high potential like Morocco and Japan but Argentina is too big for them. I’d rather take someone more connected to young players, flexible and ideally a great player career in order to have the authority in the dressing room.

    • Agree with you Argentina is too big of a job for a lloy of these coaches. Definitely. You put them in there, they see the pressure and they start melting. Fingers crossed.

    • @splendor.2839 If Maradona comes back I’d cry. Be prepared we’d have 5 attacking forwards at once leaving our midfield empty. Get beat 4-0 against Germany last time.

      Maradona needs more manager experience.

      • at least he will give some opportunity to youngsters what he did in 2010. he introduced higuain, maria, aguero, mascherano, otamendi, demischellis, pastore.

  29. In my opinion We should play 4_3_1_2 in Copa & for the next one year or more with Messi in 2006 Riquelmi role.

    ___________Icardi_______Dybala___________;

    __________________Messi_________________;

    ____Lo Celso_____Banega___Paredes_____;

    Tagliafico_____Garay___Otamendi____Bustos ;

    ___________________Romero________________;

    Only extra member from club to stay for a while is Di Maria. Rest should not be called up again. Time to use a regular 23_26 players for 3_4 years.
    Lanzini,Papu Gomez, Ascacibar,Rulli,Lautaro,Pizarro,Pavon.. a must be regulars in squad. Messi should not be called into anyl
    friendlies in 2018. Lo Celso must be stepped into his play maker shoe.

    • Enough of Romero, Otemandi, Banega, Maria.. only Messi should be there.. but not in the comfort zone of his friends.. when seeing Japan players running like giving their everything..it hurts to remember Messi walking near half line.. Banega showed his fitness at 30.. what we can expect from him at 34..we have to accept the reality.. we need energetic players like laxalt torriera mbappe surrounding Messi..whose place itself under threat now..if we fail to start from scratch now.. future will be filled with more sufferings.. still the pain is immense.. worst this time..

      • Messi’s playing style is not to always run around throughout the whole match. Even for Barca, he does not do that. He maximises spaces by walking in spaces that he can potentially receive a good pass or to get the second ball after a defender clears it. He observes the game and moves around accordingly.

    • lanzini is out for 18 months so u can take him off the liast

      mercado – otamendi – garay – tagliafico/rojo

      bustos has proven to be rubbish for ARG and he still has nightmares from spain game

    • @campeones18

      “Messi should not be called into anyl
      friendlies in 2018”

      COmpletely agree. The young players needs to learn depends on their own instead make worship to Messi on the pitch.

      • The only way to make money is by bringing Messi in unless he has an important game with Barca closer to friendly date.

  30. sampaoili is partly to blame, and the rest is players
    cabellero cost iceland the goal but also messi missed a crap penalty (if that was higuain you’ll be cursing him) the tactics apart from meza instead of benaga were fine

    sampaoli was 100% to blame for croatia loss for changing the system and for picking caballero and meza

    he made so good changes for Nigeria bringing back banega and mercado at RB

    his tactics failed again vs france not deploying a number 9 and also for bring meza on again, and also for playing high line in 2-1 lead, knowing we didnt deserve 2-1 lead and were already getting destroyed in the match. he should have played double 5 and just defended and play counter

    basile and maradona owned france,

    id keep guzman as he is only keeper playing regular
    id keep all the defenders for now as they were let down by poor midfield defence

    MF id only keep banega and di maria and lo celso for copa

    up front higauin needs to have some guts for once and retire

    and i would call back romero, garay and icardi for copa.

  31. Why not Redondo or Zanetti or Santiago Solari or Juan Pablo Sorin cannot be coach? Bring a newbie who will not follow any style rather create his own. They were elegant NT footballer and can motivate the team…

    • non of the ones you mentioned have any legit coaching experience if I’m not mistaken. You can’t take someone and give’em such a monumental task just on name alone, that’s how the NT ended up with Diego.

  32. sampaoli with chile was best … so we thought he would be best for argentina … now we are saying Ricardo GARECA is best with Peru so bring him in .. lolz… i tell you Ricardo GARECA will be same as sampaoli …may be worst

    • Sampaoli took over Chile after bielsa and everything was set for his system. He didn’t need to rebuild or repair a broken team. Actually I didn’t have high expectations before the tournament and after 1:1 against Nigeria I accepted our defeat psychologically but even if you know your team has no clue what they are doing on the pitch. In Ko phase everything is possible and I had some hope. They didn’t try to defend the 2:1 against France. They had to keep 2 defense lines deep in their own half and try to counter attack. Omg it’s so depressing. Still can’t get over it. Can’t go to work. Cant meet my gf since she is French. AFA doesn’t have any plans. I see my obsession with Argentina as a weakness but ppl just underestimate my passion .they didn’t believe me as I told them every 4y I’m suffering around 30 years. Now they think I’m crazy cause I say i cant go to work.
      Everything sucks Q_____Q

      • I totally understand and feel you…. because I am going the same… can’t bring myself to watch the ongoing matches.. and when I do I wonder how we’d fare, why the other team has a solid defence, a midfield and energetic and fast players….sigh…

      • World Cup has also ended for me. I have no more interest in watching the matches any more. I understand. I was so nervous before the Iceland match and my friend asked me whether I have betted lots of money on it; maybe it’s hard to understand the intense wish for the team to win. My friends asked to watch the game as a social gathering but I was hesitant as I told them I may not be able to function socially while watching the match as I would need to concentrate on watching the match. It cannot be just another relaxing social gathering for me and they may not understand how serious and emotional this is for me.

        • Same for me, heihei! Watched the game by myself coz nobody will know how much it meant to me…I can stand hand over heart and hum the National Anthem of Argentina and nobody can laugh at me, the feeling of elation and relief during that Nigeria game, the sadness (0-1) then relief (1-1) then excitement (2-1!) then disappointment (2-2) and finally anger (2-3 and 2-4) and hope for miracle (3-4) before whole sky come crashing down feeling during the France game…. nobody aound me knows…

          • Yah, feel as though we are on the field emotionally with the players right? I was most excited when Di Maria scored that scorcher of a goal as I thought they are showing signs that they would play above themselves and we would at least hung on for a penalty shoot-out. I was so ecstatic that I was jumping up and down and clasping hands with strangers at the public screening place. When Mercado deflected Messi’s pass/shot into the goal, I thought finally luck is on our side, and players would be clam enough with a lead to hand on for a win or even if they concede 1 more goal, we could hang on to a penalthy-shoot-out. Alias, it was not to be. Hang in there, there is always hope for the future. We will come back stronger. Which country are you from?

  33. Sampaoli failed to archive anything for what reason doesn’t matter. But if I were Sampaoli I would insist keeping my position. He put his reputation and career on risk at a time none else was dumb enough to take over the team. AFA needs to show respect to their own decision. Maybe most of you will disagree but this issue at the moment is also about trust.

    • Agree. no body gave a shit when it mattered most. Sampa atleast tried. I will respect Sampa for that.
      You never know Sampa must have given up on coaching post revolt with the players. May be Masche as Coach wanted to play that highline.

  34. Why don’t we go for Beccacece. He got the potential. It will take a year or two to things start to happen.. but he must be given the freedom to work as a coach..feel in this painful World cup..he was totally isolated.. not sure who is ri

  35. Jack is absolutely correct. Gareca is not going to give an answer to the PFF until a month has passed. I think he is weighing up his options.

    Colombia ? Peru ? Argentina ? He has played in Colombia and they have a set of bright young talents coming through. Not so with Peru. However what he has asked of the PFF such as establishing a new national training centre and other demands were met. The AFA on the other hand are stubborn thinking they know more than the coach they select. You dance to our tune we don’t dance to yours. Petty rivalries and all that.

    But the lure of coaching your own country and the talent that is available to him must be a pull for certain. He is a great man manager, and so far has shown himself to be an astute tactician as with Velez. He may have the odd superstition but very few players don’t and indeed fans. He has played for the seleccion so knows what it is all about and like Sabella is a gracious person which would endear him to the some time vitrolic Argentine media.

    In terms of the next Copa the incoming coach has to make his mark quickly and dispense with most of the old guard and rebuild anew. That said a handful of experienced players will be needed to make the transition less difficult.

    Goalkeeping wise keep Armani. Outside of that we are struggling badly. Rossi is unproven, Werner is doing a Romero.

    Defence keep Otamendi as a six bring in Pezzella alongside as a the two. Give opportunities to Franco, Quarta, Cardona,Magallan and Conti in central defence. Mammana unfortunately is out for the short term future.

    Laterals. Again the cupboard is bare. Tagliafico has his spot and rightly so all to himself. Incredibly solid defender. The other side ? No one stands out at the moment. The solution may be to find some wingers and teach them the role.

    Defensive midfield. Incredibly rich supply of candidates. Asacacibar to take this spot and in tandem with a deep lying playmaker like Caseres or Paredes. For an all round central midfield box to box role Robertone and without any doubt Lo Celso. Vargas should also come in for a more out and out attacking option along with Dybala.

    Wingers we can keep Pavon having been thrown in at the deep end and Joaquin Correa. Outside of that no one is establishing themselves.

    Upfront keep Kun, bring in Icardi, Lautaro and Alario. Maybe Ferreyra. There are a host as usual of potential players who have real potential but the issue as always is translating that into actual form and it is hard when many of them are jumping ship prematurely to Europe and end up not playing or being loaned out every year. They cannot settle or develop and end up being wasted.

    A fine example if Cecchini who has returned to Banfield after wasting a season in Malaga and not playing while others that were highly trumpeted like Esteban Rolon DM have failed to adapt to the demands asked of them at the same club.

    There is a wealth of ability but translating it requires mental strength and character and intelligence as well as making the right career choices. Many are playing simply too few games each season when they are 18-21 at a crucial period of their development and some like Kranevitter seem to have zero interest in improving themselves or learning from others. Take the attitude of an Asasicbar and what his coaches have to say about him. An intense hunger and desire to be the best, to train endlessly and to absorb as much information as he can. It is a shame many other Argentine kids do not exhibit the same trait.

    So we have lots of possibles like Paz, Colidio, who have bags of ability in their role but the crucial question is will they turn that into becoming seasoned veterans by the time they are 22-23 having learnt their role by practice and learning.

    You look at Foyth and he is an incredibly talented player. Reads the game to make up for his less than stellar acceleration which isn’t too bad and having been a former midfielder is so comfortable on the ball. Good aerially and puts himself about. However he is 20 and has yet to feature for Tottenham in a senior match. That is where he will learn and coaches can really guide him.

    His team mate Jackson Martinez has already played seven times the number of senior games he has at the same age. And there are rumours that he won’t get much of a look in this season either. He has to go out on loan and play regular football at a high level. Go to Ajax or a middling club in La Liga or serie A and learn on the pitch.

    • i liked what u wrote pal! congratz to that! i think u rate our young players and their potential quite accurate and i agree with you. but i dont agree with you on keeping some of the old players. i am all for making a clean cut and letting em all go. we have quite a number of very talented youngsters. throw em into the cold water so they have to learn to swim quickly. and we need to find a coach who is willing to build a new argentina. gareca…why not?! gallardo? maybe! almeyda? maybe yes! i would opt for a foreign coach if possible. i dont dream of conte. and i also dont dream of pocchetino or simeone. but maybe there is one willing to join this horrific AFA.

    • Nice writeup Brian, yeah there is plenty of talent in most positions, it’s a matter of utilizing this talent.
      When an up an coming player does well and gets a call up, even if it’s just for a friendly, it will give them alot of motivation to continue their ascend, as opposed to continually calling up dinosaurs like Biglia, Masch, Maria, pipita etc……even after failing time and time again.

      Don’t give up on Rulli, yeah he had a horrid season but it wasn’t his fault, Sociedad had a leaky defensive system and Rulli lost his confidence.
      There are also players like Angeleri (RB), Robertone (CM) and Vargas (LAM) plying their trade in Argentina who may turn out to be something.
      Benfica has Conti, Cervi, Ferreyra and Lema and are a team to look out for.

      • Not a long term solution as he is older, but for Copa we have Ansaldi! I cant understand why he is not getting minutes. He is strong, natural left and right fullback, and is a threat attacking..

  36. Gareca with peru better than Sampaoli Chile, if copa win really matter than pizzi is also better who failed Chile into the world cup. If wasn’t messi masterclass against equedor then Argentina not playing in the world cup. Gareca with limited sources succeed with peru bigger than Sampaoli or pizzi who won copa with chile golden generation. Argentina Golden generation was unlucky lost copa in penalty but Chile golden generation won credit goes to bravo

  38. I don’t mind eve Sampaoli remain coach but if new coach again stick with higuain Dimaria etc then changing coach not solve anything

  39. For messi haters, messi saved Argentina from 7-1 humiliation, until Aguero France continuously attacked, then park the bus then final score line became respectable 4-3 thanks to messi

  41. I can’t understand why some of our mundo friends are so obsessed with a coach having European football knowledge. Look at tite. I have checked out his profile, he has not coached any European team so far to my knowledge. He single handedly turned everything around. He is the reason of Brazil’s success. He looks dignified. Does not talk much about his formation. He is very focused on his team. He’s respected by the entire team. He is working In peace. Everyone performing so well for his team. He has got a great personality. No player dares to say anything. There is a harmony and tranquility in their team. We need to search that type of coach. Since Brazil is our arch rival, I also keep news about them. When tite was about to be named as the coach of Brazil team, every Brazilian was happy to have him. But in Argentina we fans are not getting even a single coach of title’s calibre. During his coaching Brazil has never played a bad game. Have a look at this world cup, Alison bekerr has not made a normal save so far. Thiago silva, miranda are playing like beasts. Tite has made up his mind much earlier about his team, because he knows what he is going to do, but our argentina coaches are always clueless. Dunga did not give chance to paulinha, marcelo, dani Alves, Thiago silva. Tite brought them back into team and they are reaping gold for Brazil. We need that type of a coach with tactically brilliant along with great personality.

    • Praise Tite when he won the WC or at least Copa. He’s just another coach now. He lost to Argentina and with this Sampaoli..!

  42. I worship the ground that messi plays on but I believe, sadly, that no coach will be able to fully succeed as long as messi is around because every coach will be more focused on bringing the best out of messi and securing the legacy of messi than rebuilding the NT. Yes I know that what’s best for messi should equate to what is best for the seleccion but the reality is an entire team must be constructed and made sure to function rather than start from it’s top player and work one’s way down.
    What Sabella was able to do was akin to a miracle and sadly there aren’t that many coaches who are any where near as good as Alejandro so with great sadness I feel that messi needs to go and the whole team needs to prepare for a ‘post messi’ era, as it happened way back post 1990.

      • Why would you swear? Plus he didn’t crticize Messi and was respectful.

        Mamoun, I have never seen you this frustrated and know the current situation in NT is not good.

        I wished Sabella had continued post world cup. We would have won at least one Copa.Sigh!

      • @nikucky02
        yeah its very frustrating seeing all this potential go to waste especially in a WC where Argentina could’ve had an easy path to the final, but hey tomorrow is another day.

        @snjv1234
        Dude calm down, breath……..and watch your mouth, I can understand you without you cursing a blue streak.
        I’m one of many who didn’t want Higuain anywhere near the NT after his shocking misses and as I said before I worship messi but his time with the NT is done and it’s time to move on.

    • I agree with you. I even said it a few times that Argentina won’t achieve anything and with any coach as long as Messi in the team. Look how many coaches we brought, formations, player selections, tactics, plans, different tournaments, the result was the coach sends Messi and hopes for a miracle- doesn’t matter no midfield or proper defenders, or decent goalkeeper- All coaches say the same: We are lucky that Messi is on our side, and he will make the difference. They are fool, and Messi enjoys it because he’s getting the spotlight, not to mention his ego surpasses his accomplishment in big tournaments.

      The Solution: It’s time for Messi to retire and opens the door for young talents. Even if you give him 10 more WC tournaments, he will not lift the world cup. Someone here said that all football icons won WC at their prime (age 26-27), messi’s chance was last world cup in Brazil, do we really expect him to lift world cup at age 35?

    • Sorry but I disagree. I have watched how Argentina fared without Messi in qualifiers and friendlies during his brief retirement, injuries, etc. I didn’t see any hint the team is better without him.

      • That’s because the team was full of the same old farts who were in stagnation. Inorder to move on from messi, Argentina needs a complete reconstruction from the ground up with new talent that is motivated.

  43. To all those who are vouching for Gareca, Sampaoli was even more impressive with Chile & Sevilla.

    Yet, he couldn’t put up a team. Defense was shit. There were no midfield. But he always talked about getting best out of Messi and always put the pressure on Messi.

    I was his great admirer, but I just can’t believe how a top coach could not build a proper defense and midfield.

    But I don’t want us to take desperate decisions. If we can’t get a coach who is better than Sampaoli, let him give another chance till Copa 2019. He might have learnt the mistakes and he might be able to do better with another set of players.

    We must admit that part of the blame must goto Tata & Bauza who were crap in building a team and squad for 2018 world cup. Those two coaches didn’t bring any youngsters and even had no plan whatsoever. Sampaoli atleast tried all players and brought some in.

    Sampaoli doesn’t deserve another chance. But if we can’t get another coach with vision and tactical knowledge, we should let him continue for another year. And try to look for the best alternative during this time.

    I wouldnt have minded Sampaoli being given another chance even we knocked out at the same stage, if he did NOT make those TERRIBLE mistakes, FAIL so miserably to set up a solid defense and GO crazy to experiment in the world cup.

    I would like him to be replaced but only if we can get a better coach. We don’t want another Bauza. I would rather give Sampaoli another chance hoping he would learn from his mistakes and prove that he is a great coach as we all thought.

    • I see your point but disagree. If Sampa would have shown some degree of tactical sense in the three group matches, then he would have earned another shot. Unfortunately, he had no clue, and he admitted several times that he mis-read the matches wrongly.

      Sampa looked better than what he is because of Chile won Copa. But was it really thanks to him? In my view, he inherited a very string generation of Chilean players and Bielsa had alreafy formed the right structure for them. The proof of this is that Pizzi also won Copa following Sampa. Sampa did not impress at Sevilla either. The team started the season very good but was leaking defensively and ended the season in a mediocre way.

      The Messi cycle is clearly going to its end and a new cycle must start immediately. Then we will have four years of preparations. Therefore a new coach must be installed now, not after the Copa. Otherwise, we will have Tara/Bauza situation all over us again. Compare the current situation with how Sweden managed following Ibrahimovic quitting the national team. Zlatan, when playing, was so dominating the Swedish team that everybody was passing the ball to him and expecting him to make some magic. Recognise the pattern? Now after him retired, the team is finally playing as a team. But it would be stupidity not including Messi by 2022 if he is still good enough (duh) and the coach can find a right place for him in the lineup.

      • Messi won’t play without his Friends. If Aguero or Higuain retire today, he will do the same. I don’t feel sorry for him being without a WC while reaching his retirement threshold.

    • SAMPA COULD NOT DEFEND A 2-1 LEAD AND WE LOST USING HIS HIGH DEFENSE LINE TACTICS. 7 OF THE 9 GOALS WE CONCEDED WERE A RESULT OF COUNTER ATTACKS. IT WAS SAMPA’S 100% FAULT.
      A SMART COACH SHOULD PLAY IT BY THE BOOK SOMETIMES.
      RIGHT AT THE START OF THE GAME, FRANCE PLAN WAS TOO OBVIOUS, SAMPA SHOULD HAVE SWITCHED TO 4 4 2 AND NEUTRALIZE MBAPPE. WE HAD THAT GAME IN THE BAG IF HE GUIDED HIS PLAYERS TO FALL BACK RIGHT AFTER TAKING A 2-1 LEAD, INTRODUCED FRESH LEGS (AGUERO) AND HIT FRANCE IN THE COUNTER. MBAPPE AND GRIEZMAN WOULD HAVE NO SPACE TO RUN INTO. A COACH WHO IS THAT HARD HEADED SHOULD NOT BE GIVEN ANOTHER CHANCE.
      ONCE A COACH LOSES THE DRESSING ROOM, IT’S OVER.
      DO YOU THINK LO CELSO OR DYBALA OR ANY OF THE OTHER PLAYERS WILL SHOW UP FOR HIM AFTER LEAVING THEM ON THE BENCH? DO YOU THINK HE WILL HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO BUILD A TOTALLY NEW TEAM? HE IGNORED MANY PLAYERS. TAKE LAMELA FOR INSTANCE. DON’T YOU THINK RULLI WOULD HAVE FUNCTIONED BETTER THAN ARMANI OR CABALLERO? CAN YOU FIND A SQUAD WHO WILL FIGHT FOR HIM IN SUCH A SHORT TIME BEFORE THE NEXT COPA?

    • Sampoli put always messi on pressure.some times he played in midfielder sum time he plays false 9.he doesn’t hve good tactics..one year tenure argentina never played a good game.he always changed player.

    • our defence was good enough but real concern was defensive midfield. how messi protexted by konte and pogba
      how was Argentina team reached final on 2014 because of defensive midfield. this time DM was totally expired by biglia, enzo and mascherano.

  44. Gareca is not holding a press conference to say that he is coaching Argentina, that would not make any sense nor would it be respectful to the Peruvians. The Peruvian Federation has offered him an extension and according to Peruvian media and reports, he is going to say that he will give them an answer in about a month. He needs to take a step back and clear his head and then he will decide.

    • Too all of you in this site yes i love messi his my favorite player this past YEARS (my favorite of all time is Redondo) You MESSI or ARGENTINA. WE HAVE TO MAKE A TEAM NOT AROUND MESSI BUT A GOOD TEAM IN GENERAL. YES MESSI CAN PLAY IN THE NEXT WORLD CUP LIKE MARADONA DID IN 1994 35 YEARS OLD BUT WE NEED A VERY GOOD TEAM PLAYIND LIKE ARGENTINA.

  47. Been hearing Sabella’s name in the mix. I know there’s a 2% chance of him returning but will not forget him. He never played any posh football but the defence, midfield and attack was just perfect. He was the only one who found a system that suited Messi. I quite liked Tata as well, he just didn’t bring any young talent in. He’s currently doing well for Atlanta FC.

    I really want this WC to end right now. I’ve predicted Uruguay to win it.

      • Aguero, DiMaria, Messi were all struggling with injuries at various points during the knockouts. It was a team pretty much running on fumes and gutsy determination, and yet came so close. How easily people forget or down play its achievements.

      • REMEMBER, IN 2014 WC WE NEVER TRAILED. UNTIL THE LAST 5 MINUTES OF EXTRA TIME IN THE FINAL BECAUSE OF A DEFENSIVE ERROR.

    • I asked few of my friends who live in Argentina, they all told me this is the worst team represented Argentina, so this time they are not sad or anything because they didn’t expect much of them from the get go.

  49. I’m already in the bandwagon of Mauricio Pochettino. He has a European experience, young, and has a stable personality unlike. Though I doubt since he just renewed his contract with the Spurs and he mentioned he would only leave them if Real Madrid calls him.

    • Pekerman would be fantastic and provides authentic tango style but he wouldn’t deal with AFA all over again. Same with Sabella whose his health won’t allow him to deal with AFA pressure and diva players.

  51. This Mundo site turned to be Messi’s fans thread. I do like Messi, but he really didn’t achieve much in WC as a leader. If things don’t go his way like last game, he isolates himself and becomes passive aggressive towards the situation. Yes I get it, defenders and goalkeepers didn’t do their job and screw his plan, but being passive or just walk around won’t save the situation.

    I don’t wanna see another coach gets the job and says things like: “We will utilize Messi and gets the best of Messi, we will find the troops to help and support Messi, we will build a team around Messi so he can score like he does in Barca, we will make Messi happy and ask Messi what he prefers in terms of position and how would he like us to proceed for him to shine”, sounds familiar? Well that’s what every coach be in charge and starts using same language.

    I want to hear from a new coach things like: We will find best midfielders, defenders, goalkeepers, and strikers who can invest their times to the NT, gel well and value team work. “We will look for individuals who are willing to learn and follow instructions for the team’s benefit”. I don’t wanna hear a mention for Messi, he’s just one player, yes he will add a value and competitive advantage, but that advantage will become invisible if we ignore the value of the rest of the team.

    I don’t want to see another coach calls up: Higuaín, Di Maria, Aguero, Otamendi, Rojo, yada yada, yawn, the party started and welcome to Friends Club. Let’s start fresh and don’t even think about transitioning period, we have been there and transition from old players to young players turned to be send youngsters home and let the oldies lead. No, thank you very much, do me a damn favor and get young players for the futures, 2022 will come sooner than we think.

    One more thing: Messi is not the upcoming most promising player who is 20 years old, he’s getting older and you can tell how his UCL campaign along with WC campaign is shrinking. He hasn’t won Ballon d’Or in the last 3 years and he won’t this year. Messi’s skills and speed are declining as a matter of fact like any football icon when reaches certain age. I’m not saying he’s too old, but he’s too old to build a future dream and make that dream evolve around him. Football has changed in the last 2 years drastically and dribbling, possession, passing skills won’t win you titles. It’s about counter attack using speedy compatible players with finishing ability. Experience is very subjective nowadays, or Spain would defeat Russia, or Messi gets his penalty shot right against Iceland.

    • Nope. Messi obviously, and Aguero, Di Maria, Otamendi should stay. Messi, literally just carried Barcelona for entire fucking season to a 99% win record in la liga (lost 1 freaking match), yet you think he’s declining because we played horribly for 3 games? I think Messi and Otamedi suffered by playing way too many minutes at such a high intense level, easily being the best players of their team. Guardiola also DOMINATED the Prem through possession play and you think its outdated? He slaughtered the fast counter attacking Prem teams.Thats also why Bayern, Real, Barca, City, Juventus, PSG all dominating too, through possession. Your opinion is nothing but recency bias and you see France as the leading example. Our main problem is that we had no identity. Sampa changed the damn formation 40 times and a 100 different players. Stop blaming possession play and Messi / Aguero because that is not the core of the problem.

      Id love to see this line up:

      Copa defense with in form Funes Mori was solid. Shame is out of form and just started playing. He was super athletic, great in the air, fast, and dribbled well.

      Icardi – Dybala

      Messi

      Lo Celso – Paredes – Lanzini

      Tagliafico – Otamendi – Funes Mori – Bustos

      Armani

      Aguero, Pavon, Martinez, Di Maria, Lamela, Barco, Battaglia, Rulli, Foyth, Conti, Mammana, Corra, Centurion, Ascacíbar, Kranevitter

    • What we need is a coach who talks less but finds a perfect system that suit best for his players.

      Did we see Deshamps talking about he will play with a system that will bring most out of Mbappe? But he did just that. Found a system that can work for his team and bring the best out of his players.

      We need a coach like that. Find a system that can bring the best out of all our players. Find a system that can balance the attack and defense. It should either be great defensive unit with great counter attack (like France, Brazil) or great attacking unit with solid defense (like Germany, Belgium).

      Our problem has been not finding a system that can balance both the attack or defense. Last world cup, we were atleast good defensively, this time we were shit on both fronts.

    • WC2022

      Once again, completely agree. My thoughts.

      No matter who will be our coach if he will take Messi once again the coach will become another from worse to worst, the more Messi is past his best.

    • Yes2 I know. Neymar is the best player isn’t it.

      Everyone here is Argentina fan. It is normal some are quite passionate about Messi, Maradona (2 fav players of mine). In fact I am not interested at all in Neymar, Mbappe or whoever coz they are not our players. Don’t care at all.

      What I do (and perhaps others) is appreciate Messi for what he has done. Also being rational that currently no argentinean is better player than Messi. Dybala, Icardi is fine and happy they’re In our side. But to think they will be better than Messi is delusional.

      Regarding 2022, it will depend how Messi is and if he wants to be part of the team. I hope he’s in if he maintains his high standard.

  52. If rumors are to be believed, Mauricio Pochettino is set to leave Spurs to coach Argentina!

    He is a good candidates but im not sure if he’s the He right man forbid they the job. He has Tottenham playing good football, but he hasn’t been able to win anything.

    We need a manager who’s has some credentials behind him. Achieved something to give us hope! But we’ll see!

    • Impossible. He won’t even take it as a part time job. English media will rip him apart if Tottenham doesn’t perform good.

    • I think you may be starting that rumor.
      This job is a mixed bag. Poche is one of the most admired coaches and won’t leave club dollars to work on a reclamation project where players revolted and now you have to rebuild a team from scratch. Yeah, we have forwards and maybe one midfielder, but nothing else.
      I’ll say it again and again, no defense, no trophies. No speed, no goals.
      This ass clown Sampaoli gave up 19 goals by my count in 7 games.
      Nigeria 4
      Spain 6
      Haiti 0
      Iceland 1
      Croatia 3
      Nigeria 1
      France 4
      If anyone knows anything about football, they know that you will not win Anything giving up 19 goals in 7 games. The defense is the biggest problem we have. End of story.

    • pochettino or simeone is right candidate for youngsters and also they can develop youth academy.
      if any of the guy other than those nothing will happen again they will go for old guys.

    • That’s how his game is.

      Walks on the pitch mostly when off the ball and the ball is not near him, explodes once he has the ball.

  54. First of all I’m not campaigning for Gareca because I don’t trust anyone. just studying him.

    – Gareca scored the goal that qualified Argentina for the World Cup 1986.
    He was not selected for the World cup. I read a story of his that he was heartbroken but now understands Bilardo because he happened to live the same scenario as coach and player. Some player scored a goal that put his team in the final of a cup competition but he didn’t play him in the final because some he saw some other player a better fit. This shows maybe past achievements don’t mean much to him what counts is now. This has been a big problem for us because we reward players for what they did 4 years ago.

    – Reading the interviews I posted between the lines he is not a Messi worshiper. He praised him but also criticized and said this is not his best version and kinda challenged him to work harder and said he had to win the cup.

    – describes as an psychologist by his players.

    – humble

    – Got rid of Jefferson Farfan, Claudio Pizarro, Carlos Zambrano, Carlos Ascues and Juan Manuel Vargas due to lack of discipline and age. Started an entirely new team made up of young players in the Peruvian league. The aim was to impress at the Copa America Centenario and get them playing abroad.

      • We will earn more money if he’s the man, everytime he trains players, we invite Hollywood pundits to roll their camera for a new Hitchcock-like horror movie.

      • If he accepts he won’t have full control like others. he will be forced to pick stars like kun, di maria because sponsors will pay more. There is also the vile argentina media(the worst in sports world) who will be after him from day one plus old jealous former players like maradona who wish argentina never win a trophy so they remain king. Coaching argentina is the most pressure job even england or brazil isn’t like that.

    • “Got rid of Jefferson Farfan, Claudio Pizarro, Carlos Zambrano, Carlos Ascues and Juan Manuel Vargas due to lack of discipline and age. Started an entirely new team made up of young players in the Peruvian league. The aim was to impress at the Copa America Centenario and get them playing abroad”.

      Now need do the same

  55. Don’t matter what manager we get when our players shit the bed. Look at the game against france. Everyone here clamoring for Tagliafico, then 3 french goals come from his side of the field. Everyone want fazio and armani, they crapped their pants as soon as he came on. Fazio looked slower than that sloth from zootopia, Armani should have saved Mbappe’s first goal, etc. Our defense in particular is just not good enough.

    • The reason why the back line crapped the bed in that game is because Sampaoli (the idiot) played a 4 man HIGHLINE defense against a team that’s packed with pace and relishes and semblance of space.
      Ask your self why France barely scored 3 or 4 goals in 3 games yet they bagged 4 in one game against Argentina, its all about tactics and that bald fool’s so called plan counted as a 12th player for France.
      The reason why 3 goals came from Nico-Tag’s side was because Mbappe came from his side, you know that speed demon who was given miles of space because Argentina’s bald carrot top of a coach decided to give france’s fastest young player exactly what he wanted.
      Fazio is another victim of the highline defense, he did very well against some of europe’s top clubs in the CL yet when he came on it seemed like he’s never touched a football.

  56. Praises Messi but no worship and also critical

    Gareca, in the interview, says he can not understand that some Argentines still discuss the involvement of Leo Messi . “No, no, I can not really understand it, I think Messi is the best player in the world and he gives everything for his country , for his national team.” At least since my analysis, Messi gives everything, he is indisputable, but what are we discussing! “he exclaims.

    It highlights how important it would be for the FC Barcelona player to become the world champion. “For me, Messi has no discussion, for those who are so fanatical about comparisons, it seems that yes … For him it would be very important to be world champion.”

    He hopes to see the best version of Leo Messi in the 2018 World Cup, although he has already seen many “better versions” of the Argentine star. “It will prepare for this … Messi always expected something good , do not know if this is the best version I’ve seen so many spectacular versions of Messi no longer what would be best. But it certainly leaves prepare in the best way , will be very aware and I do not think it is his last World Cup, unless he decides, “said the Peruvian coach.

  57. Google translate – before the world cup

    The Argentine coach of Peru, Ricardo Gareca , said that if “Lionel Messi does not show the same performance he has in Barcelona during the World Cup, all his detractors will reappear to seriously question him”.

    “The Argentine fans want Messi to do the same in Barcelona as in the national team, and if he does not achieve it at all, there will be problems because his detractors will reappear , ” Gareca told Télam Audiovisual in an exclusive interview held in Lima.

    “It’s that the Argentines have the need to be world champions, and as long as that does not happen, Messi, as its maximum reference, will be very questioned,” said the former coach of Vélez Sarsfield.

    Gareca has the maximum responsibility and recognition in Peru in proportional doses, since he qualified for a World Cup after 36 years, because his last participation dated from the 1982 World Cup in Spain , something that Télam could prove “in sittu”.

    The technical director who on February 10 will be 60 years old will be one of the five Argentines who will attend the 2018 World Cup in Russia. , which is an unprecedented fact for the ecumenical history of Argentine football.

    The other coaches that will compete from next June 14 in the world championship along with Gareca will be, in addition to Argentina , Jorge Sampaoli , who in Brazil 2014 was in charge of the representative of Chile, José Pekerman in Colombia; Juan Antonio Pizzi in Saudi Arabia and Hector Cúper in Egypt.

    And with regard to Argentina and continuing its analysis of the team captained by Messi, the “Tiger” had a special look on the chances that fit the albiceleste in Russian territory.

    “The 1-6 of the last friendly against Spain will have to take it as an experience worth taking , because those things often serve to start another stage,” he said.

    “Obviously a defeat like that will have hurt everyone, the players and the coaching staff, but those shots, from experience I say, always end up generating something good, ” he said.

    But Gareca has a worldview about the future of the Argentine national team from just being the coach of Peru, even above the knowledge he has of national football.
    Is that for those coincidences of destiny, the last FIFA World Cup date in which Argentina beat Italy 2-0 to then fall for the aforementioned 6-1 against Spain had two separate matches for Peru with the first two rivals that the team will have of Sampaoli in Russia: Iceland and Croatia (he beat both of them).

    “Iceland is a very strong and hard-working team, with a very dangerous and effective aerial game, and the physical presence of its players will be something that Argentina will have to fight against” , analyzed Gareca on the first opponent the Argentine national team will have on his debut of June 16 in Moscow.

    “On the other hand Croatia is quite the opposite, as it has a team that makes very fast transitions, has a great technical wealth and an interesting possession game.The only thing that has similarities with Iceland is in the air game,” he concluded. his description to Télam Audiovisual the technical director factotum of the “Peruvian miracle”.

  59. Another disaster for Argentina if Garcia becomes the next head coach. Argentina needs a coach who coached in Europe for long time and Simone is a perfect one. Garcia is not better than previous coaches at all.

    • Gareca not Garcia. Simeone is a phony ass talker. This POS is the first to criticize Argentina but when it comes to giving a crap he is no where to be found. Enough of the Simeone ass kissing. And don’t forget this guy shit the bed in River Plate.

      You want a real professional? How about have Javier Zanetti run the AFA. That man is all class. I would give him the keys to the AFA and get out of his way.

    • Simone is not gonna leave his posh lifestyle at AM and neither will Pochettino for the same reason. Gareca is experienced and knows his stuff and has been successful in the qualifiers, Copas and in the WC. He cuts an imposing figure unlike the other two previous jokers.

        • TATA was good but the man refused just flat out refused to mess with the Sebella formula that worked in the 2014 WC, how many new or younger players did he call? you can count them on one hand. Sam just simply cluless and it was painfully obvious during the qualifiers, I mean when you are worse than Maradona!!! THAT SAYS A LOT.

  60. Ummmmm….
    Not sure how I feel (or would feel) about this one?

    Not that many credential to begin with! Sure got Peru into the World Cup but we kinda gifted them that opportunity by letting them draw us TWICE!!!

    Anyone other than Sambaldy but….
    Are we that desperate?

  62. Revised list

    That should be the players who should be nominate for the next friendlies
    Guys what do u think of this players If someone know another good players add them
    For the people who say messi would be to old he could play in midfield as playmaker

    Goal
    1 Rulli
    12 Axel Werner
    Another keeper

    Defender

    2 pezella
    3 taglafico
    4 bustos
    13 lucas Martínez
    17 otamendi
    20 Emanuel Mammana
    21 juan foyth

    Midfield and attack

    5 parades
    6 ascacibar
    7 Pavón
    8 lo celso
    9 icardi
    10 messi
    11 dybala
    14 Lanzini
    15 lamela
    16 bataglia
    18 ezequiel barco
    19 j corrrea
    22 a correa
    23 lautaro Martínez
    24 lucas oscampos
    25 Luciano Vietto
    26 meza
    27 Pastore

  63. I am happy as of now to hear Messi still in the national team. Want to see him play in LA. Eventhough I know my team will get murdered (Guatemala). I will be happy to watch Argentina play in general. I am guatemalan but that does not stop me from supporting Argentina’s national team. Does anyone here know the condition of Romero? and will he be in the national team still?. I honestly wanted to see Guzman play in the world cup don’t know if he would have made a difference but think would have made a better effort, just my opnion.

  64. That should be the players who should be nominate for the next friendlies
    Guys what do u think of this players If someone know another good players add them
    For the people who say messi would be to old he could play in midfield as playmaker
    1 rulli
    2 pezella
    3 taglafico
    4 bustos
    5 parades
    6 ascacibar
    7 Pavón
    8 lo celso
    9 icardi
    10 messi
    11 dybala
    12 Axel Werner
    13 lucas Martínez
    14 Lanzini
    15 lamela
    16 bataglia
    17 otamendi
    18 ezequiel barco
    19 j corrrea
    20 Martínez
    21 juan foyth
    22 a correa
    23 another goalkeeper
    24 lucas oscampos
    25 Luciano Vietto
    26 meza
    27 Pastore

  65. Peru might have been knocked out in group stages but they went out fighting. If this man can make our players play like the Peru team then with out quality and depth we can win the Copa and head to the qualifiers with right rhythm and form!!

    • @SulaV Yeah his last games were:
      Peru v Bolivia W 2-1
      Ecuador v Peru W 1-2
      Argentina v Peru D 0-0
      Peru v Colombia D 1-1
      New Zealand v Peru D 0-0
      Peru v New Zealand W 2-0
      Peru v Croatia W 2-0
      Peru v Iceland W 3-1
      Saudi Arabia v Peru W 0-3
      Sweden v Peru D 0-0
      Peru v Denmark L 0-1 (unlucky)
      France v Peru L 1-0 (unlucky)
      Australia v Peru W 0-2

      A lot of Sabella results here. Clean sheets but he did this with a Peru team. Argentina have way better attacking talent. He has the “I don’t mess face” for the role.

      You’re right, he’ll give us fighting spirit then the walking zombies we saw in the WC!

  66. I knew it, looks like a proper coach to me and a tactician.
    We going to hear a TON of opinions but NOBODY IN HERE REALLY KNOWS UNTIL WE SEE HIM IN ACTION.

  67. Our future squad of Icardi, Dybala, Martinez, Ascacibar etc. looks healthy. But it won’t work if we don’t have a manager who’ll blend them together. Already we’ve seen Icardi-Dybala-Messi mix and it didn’t work.

    -Icardi isn’t Higuain who tracks back, we’ll need a manager who plays defensive but counter-attacks through the midfield to fit Icardi. The manager would be… Ricardo Gareca. Peru play just like Inter Milan which would suit Icardi.

    If we want to build our defence up, Simeone is our man. But to play his style we’ll need to have a quality partnership of 2/3 strikers. Look at Atletico Madrid: Greizmann-Costa-(A. Correa). Look at Uruguay (a mirror version of Atletico Madrid): Suarez-Cavani. We’d need Dybala-Icardi to read each other like a book and Messi to join in as well sometimes. I doubt he’ll be our manager until 2024-2030.

    Our next game is Guatemala in September. I EXPECT Ascacibar to play. Now Masche and Biglia is out he’s said to be the new Masche and the German’s are praising him every week. I’d be amazed if Ascacibar isn’t played yet alone not being picked.

    If I was the manager to start from scratch in midfield I’d want 1 inexperienced (Ascacibar), 1 proven (Lo Celso) and 1 experienced (Banega) then take another midfield as another back-up as my main midfielders.

    Guatemala – Ascacibar-Lo Celso full game.
    Colombia – 1 half Ascacibar-Banega then the other half Ascacibar-Lo Celso.

    These young players need to have the responsibility to be the man on the field. Yes Banega once in a while to give them more experience but they can’t be fed like a baby every time.

    All the people saying we should start from scratch… football doesn’t work like that, and if we did do that don’t moan when we become the new Netherlands who’s team is full of U25s and haven’t made 2 competitions in a row. You always build a new team with experience. That’s why the Dutch a few years ago recalled Van Persie and Robben just to give their youngsters a bit of help, motivation and add experience within.

    • Messi is going to stay with the team. They will have a lot of time to work on his partnership w Dybala. They will play together.

      • Messi won’t play with Dybala, there is just no chemistry between them on or off the field. Dybala has no problem, but Messi doesn’t welcome the idea so I don’t expect to see their partnership on pitch at all.

    • We just need a normal good COACH. And i want to see a mix of youngsters and experience players. Messi aguero otamendi romero banega rojo have to stay but they have to listen the new coach. New players are more important. Icardi dybala correa ascasidar paredes lo celso martinez centarion and many other have to come in to team and play full and alot games to be ready for copa 2019. We need to start winning we have to be strong again

      • I am sure they will listen to the coach. Not sure what that means. If anyone didn’t listen to Sampaoli you can’t blame them.

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