The step of Jorge Sampaoli by Selection It brings back not very pleasant memories among Argentinian football lovers. Although six years have passed since Russia 2018and in the middle the consecration in Qatar 2022the thorn of what was the participation of Argentina in that World Cup, which finally had France as champion.
Today, years after that elimination early, that internal conflicts were aired, differences between the squad and the coaching staff, Sampaoli remembered his cyclespoke of the “fire” that was the National Team at that time, of the role of Lionel Messiand did not avoid the question about the continuity of Lionel Scaloni, who was his assistant.
“I take care of mine. Throughout my career, I always knew that I couldn’t take care of the joys and sorrows of the public. Neither when we win nor when we lose. Otherwise, I would be eating the film that the system he proposes to you. That was a complicated process. The team was not that armed. We made efforts to put it together, but it didn’t happen,” Sampaoli began, in an article with the Spanish newspaper Marca, when he was asked about how his relationship with the Argentine public was.
Along the same lines, he explained: “People believed that I could change the reality of Argentine football, and I didn’t go through that. I didn’t have enough time and I’m sure I made some mistakes. I had time to reproach myself. I understand that when things don’t go well, it is necessary to find the culprits. It is enough for me to reproach myself, in my privacy, for what is mine. I never had the need to talk about anyone. A friend of mine says that football is a sport that dies every weekend and is reborn every three days. The best coaches are those who deal with rebirth.”
On the other hand, regarding Messi’s role and influence within the squad at that time, he stated: ““Messi knew what there was, with a complicated process… and he did what he could.”
In the interview, the coach was asked if he also felt part of the success that Argentina achieved four years after his departure, with the consecration in Qatar 2018. And, in his response, he explained one of the main “problems” that he had in his passing through the National Team: the key name that his side was missing.
“I try to do my best everywhere, with a lot of passion and professionalism. Then, there are many factors in football that are relatively unrelated to you. One of my problems in the Argentine National Team was the not having been able to take Juanma Lillo. He would have solved many things for me with his experience. Argentina was a fire and I went with great enthusiasm. And I don’t regret it. but Lillo would have helped me solve things that overwhelmed me at that moment,” he responded.
Lillo is a Spanish coach, who worked as Sampaoli’s assistant during his time with the Chilean national team and in his first cycle in Seville, in 2016/17. Today he works alongside Josep Guardiola at Manchester City, playing a fundamental role in the dynasty of titles that the team has been reaping both in England and on a continental level.
Furthermore, when asked about the future of the National Team post-Messi, Sampaoli acknowledged: “Argentina always has the ability to be competitive. Before I got there, it was a National Team that was highly criticized by the Argentine public. It has very good players and this process “He has done very well as a champion.”
Scaloni’s continuity after his departure
Logically, one of the questions also pointed to Lionel Scaloni, who was Sampaoli’s assistant during his time with the National Team. After his departure, the world champion coach continued as interim and was finally confirmed in the position. “I can’t take credit for Scaloni. I only wanted to help a former player who was starting to participate in a project and nothing more,” he said when it was mentioned to him that he had given the current Argentina coach his first job opportunity.
“Were you surprised by what he did?” they asked him. And Sampaoli answered bluntly: “It was all very fast and knew how to consolidate itself in a situation that was favorable.”
To close, about the next Copa América and the possibility that Brazil could beat Argentina, he responded: “It’s going to cost them, it’s a new team and Argentina is very consolidated. In Brazil they have broken processes as if they were clubs. Argentina did everything the opposite and it shows.”
