BUENOS AIRES.- As an underwater missile, no one saw it coming. And his shock wave shook Argentine football. Lionel Scaloni the mentor coach of the last world champion, left open the possibility of leaving the albiceleste in a public warning that no one expected, in the midst of the hubbub over the historic away victory against Brazilbut apparently it was not the product of an outburst on the part of the coach, but rather coldly calculated by an anger that accumulated several layers.
“I need to think, I need to think a lot what I’m going to do“said Scaloni, in a statement more typical of a defeated coach and not one who had defeated Brazil 1-0 at home for the first time in the history of the South American qualifiers.
“It’s not goodbye or anything else, but I need to think because the bar is very high and it’s difficult to continue, it’s difficult to continue winning“, he noted at the end of the press conference at the stadium Maracana. “I will tell the president, I will tell the players later because this team needs a coach who has all the energy possible and who is well.”
When a journalist asked him if he was resigning, Scaloni denied it. “I’m not saying that, I’m commenting on what’s happening.”.
Scaloni, 45, did not give details, But his discomfort showed that not all that glitters is gold in the world champion.
Scaloni accumulated discomfort:
Apparently the technician has been accumulating quarrels with the Argentine Football Association (AFA), which leads Claudio Tapiasince a delay in the renewal of his contract – the negotiation began before the world and closed earlier this year —, prizes owed after obtaining the title in Taste and the organization of friendlies that prioritize economics over sports.
If Scaloni did not express his disagreement before, it was out of respect for the leader. Tapia gave him the opportunity of his career when in 2018 he appointed him interim coach of the senior team without previous experience on another team. A year later, the president of AFA confirmed him in office.
Among a sea of versions, some local non-sports media reported that Scaloni had been pressured by the head of AFA to publicly support the presidential candidacy of the Minister of Economy. Sergio Massafor the second round last Sunday that the far-right won Javier Milei.
Tapia, close to the ruling Peronist party, He did express himself in favor of Massa shortly before the election.
There was no official response from the AFA to the coach’s sayings. Some players, among whom the captain was not Lionel Messiwere surprised and publicly asked that Scaloni remain in office.
“We didn’t expect it“, acknowledged the steering wheel Rodrigo DePaul on Wednesday before heading back to Spain to join the Atlético de Madrid. “It is quite exhausting, exhausting. “We set the bar very high, as he said, and it is normal that he wants to take a few days.”
Meeting in sight:
“Chiqui will be in charge of talking to him (Claudio Tapia), surely Leo (Messi) will speak too, it is a dialogue they will have between them. From our side we want him to continue because he is a very important architect of everything we achieve,” he added.
It is not clear when that conclave could take place.
The activity of Argentina For this year it is over, although at the end of December several activities are planned to commemorate one year since winning the world title in Qatar.
The team will be in action again in March when it plays preparatory friendlies for the America Cup that will be played in USA. It will be seen if with Scaloni on the bench.
FOUNTAIN: AP
