Simeone Death Watch Underway
By: Christian | October 27th, 2008If the honeymoon has already ended between Diego Simeone and River Plate, then all that remains now is the bloody divorce. After another humiliating 1-0 defeat in the league against minnows Gimnasia de Jujuy over the weekend, which left River once again tied for dead last in the table and extended their winless streak to 9 games, it appeared that Simeone was set to walk out on the club that he only months ago lead to a league title.
It didn’t happen. But while it may appear that Simeone will stick it out, at least until the second leg of the Copa Sudamericana, the end of the Cholo era seems to be drawing to a close. With the odds unlikely that Simeone will see out the rest of the season, and with an extension of his contract even less favorable, the writing it seems, is on the wall. Simeone has not only guided River to a season that was over before even being midway through and failed at its other top priorities, the Superclasico, and as it appears, the Copa Sudamericana, but he now owns a title that no one could have seen coming: leading River to its worst start ever. At the rate the club keeps losing games, it’s hard to imagine that things could still get worse.
With no help in sight, I can’t help but think that Simeone is just counting down the days until he can resign and rid himself of this River team that, try as could, was never really his own. He never really warmed to the fans, the players (Ortega?), or the board, and though he led us to our first league title in 4 years, it may not be enough to see him through this crisis.
While I find it admirable that Simeone would tell his friends that he would stick it out (allegedly), I just can’t buy it. He’s been rumored to move to Spain for months, and though he was never a serious candidate for the Argentina NT post, he must know that if he continues to beat this dead horse, it could stain his future coaching aspirations.
For now though, River and Simeone are tied together in an un-easy union, a relationship that is close to a sad and premature ending. As as in all the relationships that end that way, it’s always too soon, too much, and never thought possible.
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Well written Christian. I think we’ll see the last of Simeone in the Copa Sudamericana, if not on the 6th of November than later on in the competition. The writing is on the wall and it’s only a matter of time before he resigns to save some face. The team does not play well and to turn it around quickly enough to advance tot he Semi-Finals is far too much to ask at this point. The players have not respond to him and since he arrived he’s had trouble on putting together a team on all the lines. Like I said when he was signed, he’s much better suited to a style of play of a squad like Esudiantes had and at River the club’s style of play, from adults to 12 year-olds, is much more technical and has a knack for flair. All us fans knows it when we see it.
This news is so beyond ripe that it isn’t odd to hear of possible replacements. The names I’ve heard so far is Americo Gallego and Nery Pumpido.
Americo I wouldn’t mind to see again, a little bit of the old guard to re-focus the players about what River is all about and he’s a proven winner in his first season. His second seasons need a little work.
Nery Pumpido coached Olimpia to the Copa Libertadores in 2002 and as a player played at River when he earned the call up to the national team that won it all in 86.
I also like Claudio Borghi. He’s a good coach and is a straight forward guy–probably reason enough for Aguilar and the directors to look elsewhere–and is able to build some really good, solid teams that play a nice brand of football.
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United States
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Sole last place! Can things get any better?
Americo wouldn’t be a bad idea, like you said bringing in an old-guard member can help the club find its identity, it would be a short term move but that might be what is needed right now.
Posted from
Canada -
Well Nolan, after today’s match, it seems that there is no way to steer this ship in any other direction regardless of who is coaching. This season will end in ruin and there is nothing anyone can do about it in the short term. We have to look to next season and begin planning for then. Choosing the next coach seems the next logical topic unless our team finds a way to turn their fortunes around. I personally think they’ve squandered to prime chances at points against Gimnasia de Jujuy and today against Newell’s.
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