San Jose Earthquakes coach Matias Almeyda recently gave an interview to FIFA.com where he discussed his career and also mentioned that he would like to take part in another World Cup.
The former Argentina man is presently coaching MLS club San Jose Earthquakes following stints in both Argentina and Mexico. Here are some parts from his interview.
In terms of tactics, what was the greatest challenge?
It was changing the approach on the training pitch and bringing in new ideas. The team was used to playing in a rigid shape, dropping deep and then hoping to hit the opposition on the counter. Now our system is quite the opposite, as we’re more attack-minded, more dynamic and more aggressive. It took a while to sell the idea to the players of defending as one and pressing from high up. Through this approach I ensure that my players run less and have more fun.
What do you want to achieve from your coaching career?
It is still early days for me but I would like it to be similar to my playing career. Achieving that will be difficult because as a player I got to represent some big teams and I featured at two World Cups and the Olympic Games. Making this come about will be a challenge, I would have to do really well.
Do you aspire to become a national team coach in the near future? Or do you think such a role is for someone older who is not as fussed on experiencing the day-to-day rush that club football offers?
I would love to! For me, just because you are a national team coach doesn’t mean you lay about at home. Although you don’t go to training every day there is still a lot of work to be done; you have to take in many games, keep in touch with players and know how they are doing off the pitch.
It would be a chance for you to go to another World Cup…
Going to a World Cup is the most fun you can have in football. I’d love to enjoy another and experience something as special as this again. In the two World Cups that I played, I felt conflicted, because I didn’t want any family to come along because I wanted to be isolated, purely focused on football. If I got the chance now I’d just want to experience it with a smile on my face. It would be the icing on the cake of my coaching career.
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Why everybody is talking about anything but Almeyda? This is a weird forum.
Can anyone tell me Emi Buendai is going to play for Argentina or Spain?
He is eligible for both
I think if Dimaria can play in the NT again we should also call the like of Diego Cana, Guinazu or even, Mas and Bilos etc… I look at the game against Mexico, this the best have seen Argentina for a long time on a defensive point of view. The first shot on goal against us was in 90th minute. In the middle, we just need a creative player like Messi, LoCelso or even Dybala. The trio of Depaul, Palacios, and Paredes with Messi in front is the way to go. Please, guys, let Dimaria where he belongs…. in the past.
Vargas has scored for Espanyol again in European League.
Espn fc has become a joke now , they are using a transgender person for football discussion . They have all the idiots in their pannel especially Steve Nicol , why espn is even paying them for doing all the idiocy.
ESPN FC has gone “woke” and SJW, a hideous trend these days…
Tagli is highly overrated player..rojo better than him
while TAGI is available, Rojo should be used as a LCB if called to the NT . as a LB Tagi is the best we have, whether he is considered good or bad, he is the best available.
4 goals and 3 assist this season more than any other LB in europe… He is overrated.
His national team performance is so poor..where he don’t have support player like ajax..to score?he is just an avrg player..he has zero assist in national team.
Ebo and Choripan
my friends you forget the main reason that Di maria “hate” Real Madrid and he will perform always as best he can against them.
Real Madrid was the reason that Di maria didn t play in the “game of his life” as himself said.
i am speaking about the world cup final in 2014.
President of Real called Tapia and Sabella the day before the game and forbid them to use him in the game. Di maria after that ask for transfer out from Real Madrid imidietely and he left finally.
just for the history.
He got injured in semi final
he got injured in quarter final against Belgium.
in final he said he was ok to play.
Argentina doctors said he could play if he wanted and then Real interfere
to don t “risk their property”.
those things it is not from my head.
Di maria himself said those things and not Tapia or Sabella never deny that it is nor true.
That is well known my friend,at least to me, I think he said that himself that it was the game of his life, and he wanted to play, Sabella should have done better than introducing Palacio. He took out Higuain after that famous miss while he was creating Havoc on the German defense. keeping Higuain would have been better than introducing Palacio, but again it is history. the more I think about that match , the more sick I get.
yeah, that was a disgusting show of power from real madrid.
“President of Real called Tapia and Sabella..”
I am sure meant GRONDONA, coz TAPIA became AFA head after 2016 Copa.
you are right.my mistake.
Grondona was president.
he died 2014 little after world cup final.
Disgusting
Emiliano martniaz saved 7 shots out of which 4 are from inside box and his ball distribution was awesome too
Vietto and Acuna started today in Sporting’s lost against PSV Einhoven 2:3. Interestingly they have numbers 10 and 9 on their T-shirts.
Question for those who say Di Maria should be our starter again:
– what’s so differ about this Di Maria and that from Copa just few months ago?!
– can you really honestly acknowledge this Di Maria is having turning point at age of 31?
– this is same old story: I hear before every tournament that Di Maria “must be there” cause he is “most-in-form” player and all the statement are based on his club performances.
Really? He is shining almost every his season preceding NT tournament. That’s same old story. Some people can’t learn still that there’s no straight translation from Di Maria’s club form into Di Maria’s NT form. Despite being outstanding during clubs season he is disappointing in recent NT tournaments (Copa this year, WC previous year). Yet people naively want to see again something breakgrounding in his carrer at 31 of his age.
You talk as if Di Maria was some long time out of NT tournaments so that he deserved new chance now after showing class for his club. Do you really suffer so short memeory to forget that he was beginning another tournament AS OUR STARTER just few months ago? Not few years ago – just few months ago!!!!!!
And he got the chance after loooong deliberations here and there wheter he actually deserves this VERY LAST CHANCE. Yes, he got that. Not only as memeber of squad but AS STARTER. He got that after well known claims: “he deserves very last chance because we can’t ignore his club form”. He got that starting position and the game against Colombia was his first and last on the tournament as starter. Was poor and tired, being benched after 45 minutes.
Do you want ignore that and raise new expectations about life’s form of Di Maria so that we can expect something more than before? Do you think this is coincidence he looked so threadbare and lifeless on the Copa? He will be 32 next year and do not expect he will show more energy after club season, especially when it seems he is giving his best for his club.
You guys want avoid of confronting the factor of age. Do you really cant see why was Di Maria so exhausted on last Copa? No wonder at age over 30 and after intesive club season. What do you think, why Messi looked tired on the Copa? For same reason.
Now you want to line up our Copa 2020 forward line according to this well known ‘club performances criterion’: ‘if one player shines in big club he must be our starter’. And I’ll tell you what obvious result brings the criterion following the premises: our forward line on Copa 2020 will be Messi – Aguero – Di Maria. I bet they will shine most of our players having most goals during this season. Is this the result you really want have?
Someone said here not long ago such forward line will be suicide, cause 3 forwards at age 33, 32,32 is madness. I think so too.
Now tell me why I shoud go rather for Aguero than Lautaro having to choose only one striker (I suppose Scaloni’s strategy will tend now more to one-striker formation). Should I do that because of Aguero countless goals for City and Lautaro’s misery in Inter. Sorry, I take Lautaro cause what matters for me are NT performances while Lautaro already has better goal ratio than Aguero.
And tell me why I should rather give the chance another time to Di Maria instead of Buendia? No thanks, I take Buendia (giving to De Paul his favourite LM position while Buendia RM, Paredes and Palacios in the middle). We need rather another hardworker (especially when Messi will back) in midfield than exhausted at the end of the season 32 yo Di Maria. I believe with 9 hardworkers and Messi-Lautaro ahead we can score somethinh during 120 mins wothout conceding one
I agree di Maria should not be called anymore and also Abraham a 33 year old defender should not be considered
I am not fan of Tuchel but what he did against RM tactically was a great stuff, I like that kind of football
Even in La liga Real madrid lost to mid table teams so PSG did nothing big.By the way Di maria was really good on the pitch.
Your argument is very interesting. So no big team should lost against a mid table one? I am not psg fan, I have followed psg because Pastore used to play there and then ADM and now Icardi. But please be honest with yourself.
My point is Real Madrid getting draw or lose against mid table teams either back to back or little less in frequency.Once in a blue moon defeat us acceptable but not in regular interval.
No offence to all ADM’s haters, my post before PSG-RM:
canadienroyal September 18, 2019 at 12:14 pm
Maybe the 1st test of Icardi against RM tonight. I believe that if PSG gives more freedom to Di Maria and pair him with Icardi in attack, kind of 532, they may be able to do something big.
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