Hey everyone,

Today is the day! Jorge SAMPAOLI will be presented officially as our new National team coach at approximately 6:30pm local time in Argentina today.  He will be accompanied by Claudio “Chiqui” TAPIA.  The coach has reached an agreement with AFA that will see him as the Argentina coach for the next 5 years.  Only Cesar Menotti (1974-1982), Carlos Bilardo (1982-1990) and Marcelo Bielsa (1998-1994) have had contracts that lasted more than 5 years.

SAMPAOLI wil be presented today, and tomorrow he will depart Argentina for Melbourne, Australia at approximately 7:50am local time.  In Australia he will make his debut as the new Argentina coach in a friendly match vs. Brazil. His staff includes Juan Manuel Lillo (2nd in command coach); Jorge Desio (physical trainer); Lionel Scaloni, Matías Manna, Martín Tocalli & Íñigo Domínguez (helpers); Javier García (goalkeeper coach); Sergio Domínguez & Moisés del Hoyo (helpers in physical preparation); also Jesús Olivera (video analyst).

Hopefully this is the start of good things to come!

VAMOS ARGENTINA!!

It is now official: Federico FAZIO will be replacing the injured Javier MASCHERANO.  The Roma defender will be with the Argentina national team for the friendly matches vs: Brazil and Singapore.  Fazio, 30 years old, hasn’t played for the national team since 2014 when he was called up by Gerardo MARTINO for a friendly against Croatia.  Here is an updated list of the players that have been called up by coach Jorge SAMPAOLI:

Goalkeepers: Sergio Romero (Manchester United), Nahuel Guzmán (Tigres) & Gerónimo Rulli (Real Sociedad).

Defenders: Federico Fazio (Roma), Nicolás Otamendi (Manchester City), Emanuel Mammana (Lyon), Gabriel Mercado (Sevilla), Jonatan Maidana (River), Nicolás Tagliafico (Independiente), Javier Pinola (Rosario Central) & José Luis Gómez (Lanús).

Midfielders: Ángel Di María (PSG), Eduardo Salvio (Benfica), Lucas Biglia (Lazio), Guido Rodríguez (Tijuana), Leandro Paredes (Roma), Éver Banega (Inter), Manuel Lanzini (West Ham), Marcos Acuña (Racing) & Nacho Fernández (River).

Forwards: Paulo Dybala (Juventus), Mauro Icardi (Inter), Gonzalo Higuaín (Juventus), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Alejandro Gómez (Atalanta), Joaquín Correa (Sevilla) & Lucas Alario (River).

What do you guys think of this call up? I am personally content.  In my opinion, FAZIO has grown over the years as a player and deserves another chance.

VAMOS ARGENTINA!!

The Argentina Under-20 team is out of the World Cup.  As we all know, this is considered a failure for a team like Argentina. They did not make it out of the group stage.  Claudio UBEDA’S team lost their first two matches: first against England (0-3), and then vs S. Korea (1-2).  They did beat Guinea in their last match but it wasn’t enough.

Hopefully, this stirs up change in the youth system in Argentina. The Albiceleste have won this tournament 6 times: (1979, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2005 & 2007).  This is the 2nd consecutive Under-20 World Cup that they have gone out in the group phase.

What do you guys think? Can any good come out of this? Can this be a good learning experience? I think it definitely should be for us.  There needs to be an in-depth analysis of this situation.  Is this generation just not good enough?

Argentina’s Football Association has agreed to pay Jorge SAMPAOLI’S release clause, reaching an agreement that will allow the Sevilla coach to take over as the national team coach of his homeland. SAMPAOLI is leaving the Spanish club a year before his contract expires.  The agreement will be signed by both parties on June 1st. AFA representatives have agreed to the rescission clause in SAMPAOLI’S contract, which local media reported to be 1.5 million euros ($1.68 million).

“All parties are satisfied by the agreement reached,” said a Sevilla statement on Friday.   The statement goes on to say,  “This agreement in principle is pending the drafting and presentation of the relevant documents, which must be signed by all parties by next Thursday, 1 June.”

SAMPAOLI is inching closer and closer to coaching Argentina!

They are saying in Argentina that SAMPAOLI will be at the Racing vs San Lorenzo match tomorrow night and then on Sunday the River vs Central match.

VAMOS ARGENTINA!

Hey guys!

Los Pibes won 5-0 today against Guinea.  Although they did play a lot better today, it may not be enough to qualify into the next round of play.  Marcelo TORRES opened the scoring for Argentina after 33 minutes and Lautaro MARTINEZ added a second just before half-time. Matias ZARACHO and Marco SENESI scored one each in the second half before MARTINEZ completed the scoring.  They now have to wait to see what happens in the other matches to see if they can qualify as one of the 4 best third place teams.

Here at the highlights down below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vh26y6e6C8w

VAMOS ARGENTINA!!