Ricardo GARECA on coaching Argentina: “No one ever called me or contacted me”

1. Simeone and Pochettino clearly don’t want to Coach Argentina Now, They have their own reasons for that, We cant blame them too. There is no point in asking them again and again, Gallardo should fit the bill but he too has his reasons to not coach Argentina too. If i m not wrong Pekerman too will take his decision by this month end. That leaves us to Sabella?? Well his name brings confidence to us. Definitely.

   Otherwise Just knock of the Word Interim from Scaloni. Let him lead us till Copa. We will see his tactical knowledge during this year. Till now he looks Good. We will see.

2. I would like to add something to all the good people’s discussion.

   In my opinion we don’t need a world class manager who is proven in club level to win world cup.

   This hypothesis is based on the examples of previous(past few at least) world cup winning teams and finalists. If my memory serves right, neither France, nor Croatia’s manager is like Pochettino or Simeone. Which is to say your “Proven world class manager.” However, what they are is devoted to a cause, and works to cover their team’s deficiencies.

   World class managers doesn’t change their play types. They have one idea, and they know only to get to that and only that. At club level, they get the ammunitions to reach to those idea, but for national teams they wouldn’t be able to do that. At national team you have to adapt to the situation.

   For instance, the Croatian manager didn’t try to play expansive possession football just because he had Modric Rakitic Kovasic and Perisic. He toned down and slowed the team mechanics down, because he didn’t have world class wingers or a number 9 that plays like those team’s number 9. The main thing is he didn’t try to make his team a club team, rather he worked hard to hide his team’s deficits and almost won…IMO they were the better team in final and was unlucky.

   The golden goose chase of Poch or Simeone is bound to fail, and even if that succeeds, guarantees no success. Poch will try to play his style, and Simione his, and in the middle of all these the national team will suffer again.

   We need to look for a guy who doesn’t have his own style, rather who is ready to adapt according to the players we have.

   Lets see how Scaloni is like. If he’s adaptive amd reactive, lets keep him. Lets see if he’s ready to work with whatever we have, which may not be world’s best, but certainly not worse like we saw.

   The dude can be old or young doesn’t matter. But he needs to be adaptive and needs to be able to react to situations. Younger is preferable of course, as they are familiar with the new tactical developments happening right now.

   This is my hypothesis about the currently ongoing coach situation.

   • Nice write-up Istiaque and very analytical in my point of view. Scaloni needs to be given a chance and time.

   • “but for national teams they wouldn’t be able to do that. At national team you have to adapt to the situation.”

     “We need to look for a guy who doesn’t have his own style, rather who is ready to adapt according to the players we have.”

     Absolutely agree, Something Sampaoli failed at. miserably

3. Angel Correa is impressive in Super Cup final against Real. He also came back to defend. That’s a missing trait for any Argentine attacker. So far so good.

4. We have to build our team with what we have. Let’s pretend Messi does not exit. With Messi, we have won zero trophies. Yes we went to some finals, but went to finals before too, and lost them. There is nothing special about loosing a final.

   We have to build our attack with Dybala, our best player in attack, truly world class. He had 22 Serie A goals and 7 assists last year, How many “Brazilian youths in biggest teams” can match that? Then we have Icardi, 29 Serie A goals. Aguero, at 30 still at his prime unlike Suarez. He is still willing to contribute, and I think he has the hunger . That’s 3 worldclass attacking option.

   Outside that, we have Martinez, Simeone who can be worldclass soon. Lucas Ocampos had a very good season.He has improved heaps and bounds, excellent goal scorer, super fast, athletic, excellent in defending. In primera, Vargas is very mature for his age. He is a unique player in a sense that while he is a great dribbler, he also has a very good decision making and key passes. He reminds me of Hazard in his younger days.

   Let’s say we are not a top 4 but a top 8 team now. We have inferior players compared to Spain or Brazil. Still our players are quality. We have to remember that Maxi, lucho, Sorin, Crespo of 2006 team were not 1st class players of that time, still we were competitive if not formidable opponent. Nobody could write us off, like they do now. What do we lack now? A good manager. A manager who can build a team.

   With inferior players Sabella almost beat Barcelona of Pep Guardiola. Sabella stopped Hazard with Jose Basanta. Sabella made Romero, bench warmer at Monaco, one of the 3 best GK of WC. He made Rojo, a CB from Sporting Lisbon best LB of WC. With Biglia, he stopped Beligium, Holland. Biglia has never been same since then. My point is, some managers know how to use their players and bring the best out of them.

   If we get a manager who will bring the best out of our players, we will be a formidable opponent. We don’t need players playing for Barcelona(we had them in past), but we need a good manager.

   • You are right. We don’t need top clubs players (it’s good to have but it’s not necesarry, Chile or Uruguay winning Copa have not the number of talent Argentina has always) to go far if there’s understanding between them. As it was said before most of our players found best form in middle and smaller clubs, leaving the big one. Not only on 2014 WC we have a lot of the kind. But also on other tournaments. Bielsa promoted so many unknown young players from small clubs. Mascherano and Tevez having so good 2004 year with NT were still South American players when performed in 2006 WC. How many players of 2006 team were stars of big clubs? Not many and most failed them.

     • We still have good players. Juventus is a top team, Man City is a top team, Inter Milan is trying to reach their former glory, Icardi helped them to get there. Zenit plays regular CL football. WC winner Pavard was from Stuttgart, same as Ascacibar. Pezzella is the captain of Fiorentina. Newcastle and a Serie A team wanted tagliafico but could not meet the asking price. It’s not all doom and gloom when it’s come to player quality.

       Schurle assited Gotze’s goal, what big club he used to play for or playing for? He did what Robben, Hazard could not do against us.

       • Exactly, my friend

   • You have –

     1. Bad goalkeepers. We dont have one single good goalkeeper.

     2. Tagliafico, Mercado and Bustos as fullbacks. One very good and Bustos is not so good right now but will improve.

     3. Otamendi, Pazzella, Fazio, Garay. If you dont play a highline, these are fantastic defenders.

     4. Paredes, Battaglia, Ascasiber, Lo Celso. Four central midfielders that provides energy and athleticism with quality. ***Its certainly not as bad as a washed up Mascherano and Banega midfield***

     5. You have wingers like Ocampos, Lanzini, Two Correas and Pavon.

     6. You have Dybala, you have Icardi, you have Lautaro and you have the young Simeone.

     I mean, if you play a deep defensive line, you can definitely get by with an average goallie. We are definitely not in a situation that we would be beaten by Chile or Uruguay. At the moment we have better players than Uruguay position by position. We need a manager who can set up gameplans after seeing these players rather than try to set his gameplan on the players.

5. As for the Barcelona – Boca game, the biggest differences one could very quickly spot between the two teams were the passing skills, the overall technique (especially the ball control) and the space occupation. The difference was huge and that holding into account Barcelona was at 50-60% of their potential? Embarrasing for the arg football…

   • I think that it was the same when Argentina played Spain. Spanish players were better in possession, ball control and one touch play.

     • They looks just as they know what to play. What is their style. Possesion, ball control, one touch play – it’s in DNA of this Spanish club.

       • Yes I agree. It is their strength, we must play to our strength.

       • Without good defence you will not go anywhere. Barcelona and Spain is the same. They dominate opponent on possesion, ball controll and so on. It may looks frightening but they are beatable (Messi makes a lot of difference though). So did Spain on WC. They were dominating every opponent. But barely won one game in group and gets eliminated in 1/8 because the opponents have solid, well organized defence. Thing that first of all lacked this Boca team.

         If only you can stop opponents forwards everthing may happen.

         • To be honest, when Tata Martino took over, all the work of Sabella was undone, first thing he did is to remove Basanta, one year later Garay. From defensively solid to getting scored against 4 times on regular basis now. If Russia can be defensively tough, why we can’t be?

         • Any construction must be raised from bottom. You may or you may not score in regular time. But you mustn’t conceed.

   • I’m not sure it’s the biggest difference. There were moments of good passing in the middle area when P.Perez was on the pitch – someone with cool head, without shy. He looked most matured and brave of the Boca players and didn’t feared anything. Boca had some opportunities (with hit post as well). Th biggest difference was defending and lack of better striker IMO (Benedetto). The defence so poor: Andrada and two defenders Izquierdoz, Olaza are new players – they have played together for the first/second time. It was evident with their lack of principal understanding. Barcelona made opportunities very easy. Besides the Boca team had apparently some inferior complex which was not seen only in Perez and Pavon playing.

     There’s also stadium factor. It’s not that Boca could beat Barca at La Bombonera but just like Barca has their sanctuary also Boca it’s has. There the difference would not be so huge.

     • It easily could be 3-2, or 3-3. Villa had a woodwork, Zarate missed due to show off, another one shot straight to Umtiti while GK was not covering the post.

6. Icardi will be the new captain for Argentina

   • No offense, where do you get this nonsense from???!!

   • Icardi is not NT material. He is toxic to the team.
     He does not move much, He just pokes the ball into the goal, Martinez or Vietto waaay better.

     • ebo: “He is toxic to the team”
       actually its the old guard that have been toxic to the team.

       you on icardi “He just pokes the ball into the goal”
       who cares as a goal is a goal and if icardi can do that for the n/t then brilliant as we have seen with out messi we do not score many goals at all, the much vaulted strikers in hig and kun are 2 big names who have failed us to many times in the past.

       • There was no toxic players, there was toxic coach and corrupt AFA. The past world cup was the easiest to win even with the OLD GUARDS. SAMPAOLI WAS A TOTAL FAILURE; If he planned his tactics on what the players can do, WE could have won easily. He drove a toyota like a ferrari until the wheels came off.
         Higuain was top scorer in Napoli and Juventus just like Icardi at Inter, that did not make him great for the NT.
         Icardi is waaay overrated

7. My guess is that the job is Scaloni’s to lose. Essentially there are no standout candidates who want the job and AFA nor the team have any pressure until the full time coach is announced. I think the AFA strategy is to give Scaloni a shot, if he fails then it’s time to look for someone like the plan has been. If he does good then you can ‘keep the look going.’ I bet if he shows up well in the friendlies he’ll get to coach for COPA.

   I think this type of low expectation coach is exactly what the team needs right now. Take the pressure off.

8. Brazilian young players are getting chance in European bigger and biggest club but our argentine player didn’t get any bigger or biggest club of Europe..it hurts a lot as a Argentine fan..just see Brazilian players like Malcolm vinicious junior Alex Sandro and many more..I don’t know what is wrong with our player…

   • Angel Correa still not a starter…

     • With good reason. He does not have a brain.

9. Pablo Perez and Pavon few good moments. That’s all.

10. Difference between European top clubs and South American top clubs is huge as just proven by Barca and Boca. No wonder the WC for club teams nowadays always goes to euro team.

    Not a single player in Boca stands out, although Andrada is very, very good with his feet.

11. Agree that we should forget those not interested in coaching NT or too expensive. No use dreaming. Let’s see how Scaloni performs…. not very optimistic.

12. 5 foreigners in Boca starting eleven + few older players. How to like this current Boca?

    • Absolutely rubbish from Boca. I hope they get knocked out of the Libertadores so that they learn their lessons.
      A top European club like PSG gives chance to Weah, Nkunku n Man city to 17 yr old Boden but guys are Maroni and Almendra are not trusted by Boca.
      But sadly, no team in Superliga have the depth to beat Boca to the Superliga title.

      • Boca the only argument to win league is depth as you have said plus Benedetto – Pavon duo. And still I have doubts they will win. River has stability and good balence young-experience. Independiente as well. I see at least one Argentina club better in league or Copa Libetadores.

        • Come on bring on Almendra, Pavon and Zarate let’s tear this Barca team in the 2nd half ! hehe

    • from the 6 argentines, reynoso and andrada are only positive things.

      • yup

        • cheap goal conceded by andrada.
          argentine goalkeepers are having nightmare all over world in thr recent year.

13. The generation Heinze-Scaloni-Aimar will be a great option because they used to work with two masters Pekerman and Bielsa. Especailly Heinze who used to work with the best: Fergusson, Bielsa, Pekerman, Deschamps and Capello. Quite impressive, isn’t it? I am not surprised to see him succeed with his club or with the NT later.

14. Anyone has the link for the barca-boca game?

    • Many links on Roja Directa

      • Watching on livetv.sx. tq

15. Giovani Simeone is going to get his chance in NT. Maybe AFA want to stroke his Giovani’s father.

16. Now Gareca also say no one from AFA contacted him to ask about coaching. AFA don’t want independent people who comes from outside are not part of the surrounding thinks too much and may do revolution. They want loyal and allegiant coaching staff which would not be any threat to AFA ancinet regime people. They give us young Scaloni and Aimar to let people think naively the youthness means new one, means revolution. But the first steps they took when wanted to contract Messi (and other older players) for upcoming friendlies seems to confirm they are people of the regime. Contract 7-8 players of last WC must be called up for friendlies is first signal of the dependence.

    Scaloni and Aimar are AFA people. Convenient to the federation. It must not means they will fail but that means they will not act in full independence so it will bring backroom problems sooner or later.

    • Unfortunately, lobbying exists in the football world. I always have high opinions on Gareca, his Peru team played great football with limited resources, that proved that he can work with any player. But AFA will probably not take the risk to choose someone outside the close circle of AFA. I don’t think it’s wrong to do so because it makes totally sense to appoint some that AFA knows well and so bad surprise. Who can imagine how bad Sampaoli has turned into before this WC. He used to be a great coach with Chile but now completely lost.

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