Those magnificent seven have at least some sense. Are any of them actually elected to the AFA board ? Please enlighten me looking outside in.
Bielsa stayed after the WC and didn't make it to 2006 basile started in august 2006 and lasted just over 2 years its still a long time until 2014. even with a copa america victory, he could still leave by the world cup... we just have to pray i'm just trying not to think about the consequences of a copa america defeat... i'm having a nightmare about diego learning nothing from the past 2 years as coach and i'm seeing lucio lifting the copa america in the river stadium...
I dunno... after everyone's review of Bielsa, Basile, and Pekerman, I'm starting to think it's the players. But what about Batista? Yes olympics is easy stuff by comparison, since our players at 18 are much better than those of other countries, but I got to hand it to Batista, 3-0 against Brazil in a crucial knockout phase. Not bad. And the Brazilians threw the kitchen sink at us - they wanted that gold medal really bad. Next olympics, Brazil will do whatever it takes to win. I hope we are there to stop them again . I keep thinking Bianchi, but he doesn't seem to want it and I think he is probably out of touch by now. I vote for Batista. Batista - Maradona combo would be tolerable if that is the next best option. I think the players enjoy having Maradona around. I'm fine with Maradona the cheerleader, but we need a real coach. His ego is too big to admit where he belongs unforunately, and as Grondona says - he can do whatever he wants. The only way things are gonna change is if Maradona's ego shrinks and he realizes he needs help (Bilardo/Batista/Bianchi/etc)... but we know that will never happen... the guy recovered from drug addiction, obesity, and all sorts of crap, you think he's gonna give up now? no way...
Batista said he wants Diego to continue. Okay, so the situation is the following: -Next week they will meet again, J. H. Grondona and Maradona. -Maradona will give Grondona his opinion on what happened, and what should be done from now on. -Grondona wouldn't bring any "but..." and offer Diego to stay until 2014. At least that's what it's said. Also it seems AFA doesn't have any plan b.
This is ridicoulous. What has Maradona done to deserve a 4 year extension? Especially after losing by the greatest margin in a world cup since 1974 iirc. Hopefully this is just some bogus offer and the contract includes certain clauses that Maradona would never accept. If Maradona does continue I can't imagine the likes of Ruggeri coming in. Although I believe he played a great part in the last defeat as I recall him saying on telefe: "you don't alter a team that has won the last game". These two mindless tools are meant for one another though.
I also have the impression that Diego is staying... this is over. Now only Spain and the others european teams can stop Brasil in 2014 I think Diego will stay regardless his shortocomings, because it is not a technical debate but a political one .... he sucks as a coach, but he is great enterntaiment, has the media charmed and has a significant popular following that worships him .... all that translates into a huge political capital. No politician wants to be the "man who fired Diego" There are some good articles already on this topic: http://www.buenosairesherald.com/BreakingNews/View/38495 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/14/sports/soccer/14spainteam.html http://bleacherreport.com/articles/420347-argentine-football-maradona-argentinas-pampered-child Of course everything should be taken with a grain of salt, but many of those things I can suscribe.... here some extracts: "This is not sport. This is nationalism. And it is becoming a cult. After Argentina was eliminated, taken apart, 4-0, by Germany, its team, led by Coach Diego Maradona, arrived in Buenos Aires to thousands of worshipers. The vanquished were hailed as victors in a place where Maradona is as much a cult figure as was Eva Perón." "Evidently the troika established between CFK, Maradona and Argentine Football Association (AFA) President Julio Grondona to launch the Fútbol para Todos nationalization of soccer broadcasting last August is not so easily broken by the failure of another trio (strikers Lionel Messi, Carlos Tevez and Gonzalo Higuaín) to deliver goals. Yet despite all the bravado, World Cup elimination now seems to reduce the Fútbol para Todos drive to its original motive of depriving Clarín media group of a succulent business (replaced with state propaganda as the financial basis of soccer broadcasting) rather than any electoral dividend — a political battle may have been lost but the media war will surely continue" "Well, the AFA may have no choice but to make it continue. After all, Maradona is now backed by one of the AFA's most important business partners: The Argentine national government. This government has turned football into a key factor in their "populist" political agenda. Just over a year ago, they cut a deal with the AFA called "fútbol para todos" (football for all), wherein the government paid for the domestic football TV rights (about 200 million dollars worth), and made the matches freely available on a state-sponsored channel."
That's the biggest bullshit... But not a surprise coming from a newsletter that has Andrés Oppenheimer. And who knows, maybe he'll get Ruggeri now, if he accepts, as he wanted before.
You are right Nope, he is not gonna give up ... problems is, I suspect it will us the ones giving up on Argentina NT Diego stays until 2014, that means that Argentina, even if qualifies, is out of the fight for the title. It will be up to Spain, Germany or any other european team to stop Brasil and save the day ..... I wonder how I will look in a red shirt, cheering for Spain: Vamo' Vamo' lo chavale' !! Vamo' Vamo' a ganar!! Que esta barra tan flipante!! No te deja de alentar!!
this is the most sickened i've felt in a long, long time. i don't even know what to say. i knew as soon as that HDP anibal fernandez opened his mouth this was all a political agenda... i don't even want to think about football anymore. just reading some other argentine boards and the problem is we can do what ever, boycott games, buying jerseys, whatever, but it won't matter. here we are. Diego 2014
that proof you're only supporting a team when every decision goes your way I'm disapointed but if Argentina stumble in next 5 world cups I'm still Argentine supporter, I'm not even an Argentine What disapointing me the most is the AFA decided to use him until 2014 He should be replace if he fail miserably at Copa next year, so with still 2 and half years before 2014 Argentina can fix lots of things. I'm not surprise AFA trying to keep him at the moment, Argentina is no real madrid.
I have a feeling that even if he does stay he will cause a major conflict within the 'seleccion' that will demoralize or turn a great number of players against him. It's just a matter of time until it all collapses because idiots like him don't last long and I can't imagine Bilardo continuing. Who will take over Bilardo's role? Certainly not Maradona who probably doesn't even understand the role of a manager.
.......I saw this coming...Now what we can do is hoping against hope... 4 years ago, it was the peak time for our first u20 champion generation from 1995，1997 and 2001, but we unfortunately lost to the host due to various reasons... 4 years later, it will be the peak time for our second u20 champion generation from 2005 and 2007, maybe it'll be acceptable to lose to the host again....
Just like it may have been since Menotti was put on the national team. And that's such an empty statement either way for the Government it is not different if Maradona is there or not, and if AFA is pressed, well many claim that Grondona is very influential with FIFA, of course Grondona's influence is exaggerated or understimated depending how it serves the speech. And guys don't anticipate anything until Maradona himself doesn't say anything we won't know.
This is required reading for all the kool-aide drinkers out there. I'm talking at you, hitherto conspicuous by his absence NYC_COSMOS!! Albi, the peculiar bylaws created by the reasonably unreasonable RacingGirl preclude me from adding to what must be your mounting, flirting with the stratosphere Rep Mountain. I would if i could, but I can't.
Ok this is over. There is no point continuing to comment. I hate diego even more. Like I said earlier, the country itself has become corrupt: los piqueteros being funded by the gov't, the huelga by the farmers,ect., censorship of the press by the leftist gov't, now the AFA has been bent to serve the junta. Ladies and gents prepare to become the new Colombia. Chao, I am out.
Don't tell me you also believe that bullshit from "Buenos Aires Herald". For one AFA has bent to ALL THE GOVERNMENTS SINCE IT EXISTS AND WHAT ELSE GIVES FOR THE GOVERNMENT IF THE COACH IS MARADONA OR NOT? Wouldn't they go the "safe" way like Videla and co. did? And Grondona wasn't there by the way. If there's censorship why do Clarín and La Nación keep throwing bullshit all over the place? Why's there so little awareness about the Copa América being held in here, except brief mentiones involving Maradona's current contract? Of course it's easier to make up stuff than criticizing actual stuff, which there is.
Everyone can say what you want but Diego has led the team to the highest placing in a World Cup since 1990. All this without the assistants of his choice. How could anyone work in this capacity (DT), without the proper people in place. Diego did and accomplished more than all those more intelligent and so called capable DT's before him. Again I'm not saying that Diego didn't commit mistakes, of course he did, but then again, if he really was as horrible as many here make him out to be why did he place so high? Also I don't recall any player clamoring for Pekerman to stay on, or even Bielsa. If Diego stays on, I hope that he's allowed to pick the collaborators of his choice and not those that are pre selected for him. My hope always was the Batista would be part of that group, along with Tata Brown or Turco Mohammed.
There is also another factor that is being overlooked and that's how Diego made the team come together as a unit. That's something that probably hasn't occured on an Argentine NT since 1990. That right there is worth it's weight in gold.
true but one thing... Diego still failed to fix the players mentality. Argentina team always looks terrified and shaky when playing at knockout stage. I'm sorry but this has to be said, believe it or not this big problem exist. solo run, long range shot, passing play, scoring goal out of nowhere... the current Argentine generation posses this ability at club level, if it never comes out once in national team colour then something is wrong with their state of mind... they're afraid of losing.
Do you guys really want a DT who makes his team selections based on a dream he had? Are you guys seriously endorsing this?
All this team bonding counts for diddly squat when you don't know the first thing about tactics. You don't pick the right players. Then you play players out of position. Then you don't bother rectifying mistakes that are obvious to see to the layman. Messi can kiss his chances of winning any title goodbye as can Mascherano and the rest. What a joke we've become. Any association worth it's salt should and would have sacked the manager after that 6-1 debacle in Bolivia which is solely attributable to Maradona's arrogance and ignorance. As for being a team unit they were that in '98 and '06. Under the messiah's guidance by the end of the QF they looked like a low ranking team from CONACAF. Is he untouchable ? Are the Argentinian public like mice entranced by the gaze of a cobra ? It's a sad day.