Well that didn’t take too long
By: Jeremy | November 12th, 2008Looks like the first big speed bump on Maradona’s road to the World Cup 2010 has arrived. Despite most people thinking that el Checho Batista and Tata Brown were in, it now looks like they will stay coaching the U-20 and U-17 respectively.
In articles appearing today in La Capital and Infobae, Brown gave an interview saying that he didn’t know what happened. There was a meeting and he thought everything was set, and then someone (he doesn’t know who) bad-mouthed he and el Checho to Diego, and now he thinks they are out.
The same article lists Oscar Rugerri and Alejandro Mancuso as his choices for assistants. Today, TyC reports on a meeting at the AFA in which Diego left pretty mad. He wants Rugerri and Grondona says no. According to TyC there was some sort of ultimatum on Diego’s part, saying he wanted a resolution tonight, and some are even saying he could quit if Ruggeri isn’t on the staff.
He’s not even coached his first friendly, and already there are wolves at the gate. On one hand I understand Diego’s problem. He is the coach, why shouldn’t he choose people he trusts? Bianchi would’ve hit the door running over this, and with good reason. But this isn’t Bianchi. It’s Maradona, and football god or not, he brings some baggage to the post. This shouldn’t be a quit over issue at this stage. Grondona’s not going to ask him back. And neither will his son when he takes over at the AFA, most likely.
Not the distraction you would be expecting to happen this early in his tenure. He made a surprise move in his selection of Montenegro, Papa, and Villagra for the Selection, but I think they were good choices. It was like saying that he is willing to give local players on form a shot. Getting a win in his first game after doing that would build some credibility. Arguing about assistant coaches just sucks. He had to have known that Grondona was going to try and put his hand print on this team.
Hopefully this isn’t the end of the road, and I don’t really see it being that, but then again, nothing about Diego’s run as coach has been expected.
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Comments
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This is not a surprise. I think Maradona is learning to compromise, something he’s never had to do anywhere else and the speed bumps were absolutely forseeable.
Tonight, the only two teams representing our country in an international club competition will be playing in the Copa Sudamericana Semi-final. Here’s a link to my preview.
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United States
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I wonder if Grondona decide also about the squad… it all sounds really disgusting. it’s obviously obvious that Maradona should choose his assistant coaches
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Poland -
I agree. If you give him the head coaching position he ought to be able to pick his staff. Will Grondona be phoning in substitutions and tactical shifts during the games?
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United States
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