Adios, Llop

Week three brings the first coaching casualty of the season, with Racing sacking coach Juan Manuel Llop shortly after the game. Rumor is that is was a mutual agreement, but just yesterday Llop said he didn’t plan on resigning and didn’t even think that the outcome of the game would be a determining factor in letting him go. Oops.

Granted, there was a penalty that didn’t really exist awarded to Independiente but anybody with half an eye open could see the disaster that was Racing Club tonight. If I were Pablo Lughasdkhtisdlrrnned, (ok, I’m not up on the Racing roster, but his was the only name called out for doing anything right) I would be more than pissed at the rest of my team. Racing looked like any decent team of 12 year olds could have beaten them. No offense to Independiente. El Rojo did win, but lets face it, they aren’t the strongest of teams. Racing basically outsucked them tonight.

Llop pretty much deserved the axe. He can’t totally help the crappy quality of most of his players (I know he brought some of them in) but that complete lack of desire to run after the ball or even be on the pitch in the biggest game of their season against their arch-rivals was his fault. A lot of teams actually try and play when the coaches job is on the line, at least teams that give a crap about the coach. So seems like all those rumors that Llop and the crew weren’t happy campers were probably a whole lot more than just rumors.

Anyhow, ex-River boss Diego Simeone is said to be the front runner for the job, and apparently is salivating at the mouth to get it. He’s followed up by the usual suspects that are mentioned for every job opening as long as they are unemployed, and Fernando Gamboa and Ricardo Caruso Lombardi.

My thoughts, not that Racing particularly care, are to hire one of the last two. Simeone couldn’t keep River Plate competitive without Ortega, and Racing is just a crappier, slower version of last season’s River and also without Ortega. The usual suspects are the usual suspects. Do you really want Basile or Pekerman? No. Gamboa walked into a bad situation at Newell’s and produced results. Caruso Lombardi walked into an even worse situation at Newell’s and turned it around. Of course, he is a bit of a head case, but he wins wherever he goes. And I think Edgardo Bauza is available if you want a bit more of a higher profile coach. Ok, he’s in the Middle East, but come on that just means he’ll be that much easier to get.

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