Alejandro SABELLA: “The Argentina team is rebuilding”

By
Roy Nemer
-
31

Former Argentina national team coach Alejandro SABELLA spoke about the team and the Copa America.

Alejandro SABELLA coached Argentina to the 2014 FIFA World Cup final and spent three years coaching the team. Speaking in an interview with TyC Sports, here’s what he had to say: 

“It’s difficult for me to talk about the Argentina national team because I was once coach and also because I don’t have all the information to give an answer.

“What I could say is that the team got much better, they were growing at the Copa America and against Brazil, who were one of the candidates and champions, they had a great match.

“The coach made the team better. It’s things that give us some hope but you always have to be very calm and very cautious because we are in a process of rebuilding and every change and rebuilding takes time.

“And we know how we are. I grew up hearing we are the best in the world  and I never saw us as being the best on the pitch or that we compete as equals until one day we did.”

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31 Comments

  1. Sports Pundit, analysts, everyone doesn’t see Argentina as great as people here say they are, so why are we hyping Argentina’s performance against Brazil?

    Was it a team effort, or was it individual performances again just like France?
    Messi finally turned up that game, but lacked support he does in Barcelona from Suarez, Busquets, Rakitic, Coutinho, Alba, Roberto, etc.
    When has Messi played that good for Barcelona and they lose?
    They don’t, because he has support from everybody.

    He was carrying the team that game and only had support from Aguero and Lautaro, not the WHOLE team!
    The TEAM was not good.
    Messi was brilliant. So was Lautaro, Aguero.
    But the TEAM was not good!

    I don’t believe this hype, as had it not been for Messi, the game wouldn’t be so even.

    Argentina + Star (Messi) vs. Brazil – Star (Neymar) = Brazil 2-0 Argentina!

    That’s how you can tell Brazil have a team.
    When you win without your star!
    Unlike us! 🙁

    I said it ever since he was appointed and I believe it even more after the Copa.
    Scaloni is NOT our guy!

    • Dude You have a problem with that equation
      Argentina+star(messi) – VAR vs brasil-star(neymar)+ corrupted refree = Brasil 2 Goals and Argentina All better stats

  2. I agree with sabella. But as usual we are in need of a defense. We found a right back in Foyth and a left in tagla…. But how about centrally. I think otamendi time is done. We found a central defensive midfielder and I believe we have our strikers and attackers in place, dybala, martinez, Messi, de Paul lo celso….
    But we are again searching for a great pair of defenders. Like i said before, we haven’t replaced ayala or Samuel, and that was 2006. 13 years searching. And in respect to ayala and Samuels, although I love them I have to be honest and say they also had their moments of choke and blunder

    • While foyth performed admirably as makeshift right back, he is not our long term RB. We need a fullback who can attack. Foyth just dosent fit bill on attack quotient. I see foyth having great potential to be our CDM or as CB ( though he is a penalty risk due to too much ball playing. May reduce as he matures). After bustos’s performance against Italy, I really thought he was our future RB. But one Spain thrashing & he disappeared. Hoping to see him or saravia bouncing back soon

      • @amit u r spot on mate, I like what you said on Foyth,he can be our future CB but not a RB. he has a good feet strong tall and has got decent defensive skill(will develop in future).But he needs to learn good passing also crossing.Which is tough for him.He needs to focus on defending More than attacking

      • An unpopular opinion but what do you guys think about giving Saravia another chance.He was the undoubtedly our worst in the match against Colombia,but to be fair in that game we were playing Lo Celso as a winger and that more or less had affected Saravia ablity to attack.In the game against Qatar,we shifted to a 4-3-3 and Saravia imo did pretty decent.Too bad he was ditched for Juan Foyth.

  5. IN and OUT as well as STAY after copa:
    STAY= Armani, Musso, Saravia, Foyth, Pazella, Tagliafico, Lo Celso, Paredes, De Paul, Dybala, Messi, Lautaro, Aguero
    OUT= Maschrin, Otamendi, F Mori, Acuna, Pareyra, Gludio, Pizzaro, Suarez, Dimaria.
    IN= Rulli, C Romero, Manama, N Perez, Barco, Icardi, Montiel, Sosa, Ascaliber.
    In long term Aguero and Armani won’t be useful still considering copa at home both can be useful therefor they are IN/OUT hardly matter according to me atleast.

  6. Otamendi and Dimaria must not be called up if Aguero is the part of plan 2020 then should be called up during friendlies suddenly called up in tournament affect in team chemistry. Same for messi too, should be called up regularly in friendlies. Musso/Rulli should be given more NT matches, it will be disaster if our main GK in 2022 worldcup has less than 10 match experience,

  7. Scaloni and Co should learn lessons from Sabella’s selection mistakes in friendlies. They should give as much players as they can chances to play and try things. If not, you’ll get nowhere to do that and we’ll end up back to square one. The continuity and team chemistry is important without a doubt, these experimenting is also equally important. You can never guarantee anything in football or life. The availability of players, their fitness, form no one can be sure. So it’s vital you have backup players. Sabella’s major fault was that he didn’t have one ,creative wise. He placed all his bets on his core group, but we’all know what happened when the tournament came.

    • Fair point mate one thing for sure
      About scaloni and his coaching staff
      That they will try new players which is
      Good other wise it will be pointless.
      To Play same players for the friendlies
      At the same time the nt must have
      Stlye of play or identity regardless.
      Weather it’s based high pressing.
      Quick contra attack .possessions based.
      I’m sure the coaching staff are working
      On that too with old ceaser menotti.

  8. “you always have to be very calm and very cautious because we are in a process of rebuilding and every change and rebuilding takes time”.

    Some people still are far to understand that most obvious truth. You can’t judge this current team just as that old guard group from 2014 -2018

    • Nothing against the old guard but I do
      Believe next generation will keep improving
      Just we need to give time the coaching staff
      I’m sure they want to change Argentina nt
      In better way . By the way not only him
      Who said they re a lot ex players coming
      To support what is happening the nt now
      Mario kampes zanatti sargio Batista.
      Matias almayda all support the coaching
      Staff and the nt

    • Old Guard at their best during 2014-2016 after that drastic changes needed considering 2018 but sticking with same team cost the world cup, bauza must be blamed for this and sampaoli didn’t have enough time to change the team.

  9. Just Argentina need faster. Strong and
    Ball playing centre backs plus we must
    Keep faith in saravia as right bk also
    Scaloni need to give more chance likes
    Gonzalo montiel Jonathan Silva .

  10. Most important thing is to keep more or less same team and give chance to 3-4 new players who are young. Mainly in CDM position or holding midfield position.

    Out – both guido, matias suarez, acuna
    In – Palacios, battaglia, cristian romero (must), Icardi (may be)

  11. I just translate the ‘rebuilding” as a ‘Harmony in the team’ after the storm at WC under Sampaoli disharmony and weird approach to the players. Now there is more calm atmosphere with good young players and coach with a high determination to contribute something and hunger for trophy; what is lack is the long strategy and proper plan and call the young potential bloods. Instinct are much needed. Sure it takes time but not excuse and trial error again.

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