Following El Coco

By: Jeremy | October 22nd, 2008

Who will be the next coach of the train wreck that has become Argentina’s World Cup 2010 qualifying? Some people are confident that when AFA head Julio Grondona returns from his meetings with FIFA he will be naming Miguel Angel Russo, currently at league leading San Lorenzo, as the next coach. I think that if it was a real possibility it has probably run its course. That was before Bianchi expressed interest, and before el Diego started his media campaign to get the job.

A nationwide poll done in Argentina has ex-Bocas Juniors and Velez Sarsfield coach and walking trophy cabinet Carlos Bianchi as the favorite. He won like 87 league titles (ok 4) and a Libertadores (or three) with Boca and another three titles and a Copa Libertadores championship with Velez. He’s turned the job down twice before, but apparently told the AFA he would accept this time. Personally, I’d pick him. And it seems like AFA is thinking the same thing. They have made contact with to ask whether or not he is serious. His reply was yes, and that he wanted a face to face meeting with Grondona. Grondona has indicated that he wants a sit down as well. Let’s face it, what other candidate can bring the silverware to the table that he can? He is the smart choice.

There is also a groundswell of support for Diego Maradona. The players all love him, most Argentines adore him, and he needs the work. (I heard that if he doesn’t get this he’ll probably resort to playing again, either for the LA Galaxy or AC Milan.) And a few phone calls took place between AFA and the Maradona camp. He was told that Grondona wants a meeting with him as well. El Diez is also starting to put together a coaching staff, having phoned Pedro Troglio, currently coaching Cerro Porteño in Paraguay to gauge his interest in joining his staff should Diego get the nod.

He is the face of Argentine football, good or bad. He means and has meant and will mean so much to Argentina. He is idolized, even worshipped, by many in his country. And I do think one day he will get the nod, but not today. He has extremely limited, unsuccessful managerial experience. See Racing in the mid-nineties and some smaller club. It strikes me that the Argentine national team is not the place for on the job training. But some sentiments have him getting the job as therapy, because Argentina owe it to him for treating (unfairly) like the second coming of Christ.

Not long ago Maradona was struggling with a very public case of substance abuse and hospitalization for it. I even read reports stating that the end was near. This addiction has plagued him since his days with Barcelona. He has also recently battled weight problems because of it. In 1986, he led Argentina to a World Cup. In 1990, to second place. In 1994, to a group stage exit after getting busted for doping (which, to be fair, he denies intentionally doing) and getting sent home. Then there was that little case of owing Italy multiple millions (I think like 30) of euros in unpaid taxes.

His life is unstable. He seems to be turning the corner, but think about a country that believes itself to be one of, if not the best, footballing nations in the history of the game. A nation that hasn’t won a world cup since ‘86 or any major silverware on a senior team basis since ‘93. We are talking about a very vocal and unforgiving group of fans here. And a very hungry group.

Giving him control of the Selection may seem like a good idea to some, but there is virtually no way he can succeed at this time in his life. I say train wreck of a qualification not because Argentina won’t qualify (they will) but because of the way they are playing. And it isn’t just the coaches fault. Argentina has about 4 gazillion talented and world class attackers on the squad. Mostly young. And better ones keep coming. Defensively, they still can’t find a replacement for Heinze, who needs replacing. Their keepers are not world class, nor is their back line. Sure Maradona would motivate them, but that won’t be enough in the end.

Expectations with him as coach would sky higher than they already are, and there is no way he could fulfill them. And when the fans turn on him, like they have on the last coaches, what will happen to Diego? Can his fragile psyche handle it? If I were Grondona and seriously considering it, I would sign Bianchi and get Diego some experience managing teams in the AFA first. Maybe the U-23, especially if Batista gets the nod. Then bring him up and give him his chance. Argentina does owe it to him.