Almost immediately after the final whistle that on Wednesday declared the defeat and the elimination of the Argentine National Team of the Sub 20 world At the hands of Nigeria in San Juan, the soccer chair, cruel and successful like few others, concentrated its artillery on the figure of the coach Javier Mascherano. More than the mistakes that he could have made in the party planthey reproached him for not having known or been able to take advantage of the local status and for not having known or been able to put together a team that would prevail over the eminently physical approach that the Nigerians developed.
Perhaps Mascherano will never become as a coach what he was as a player, perhaps he will never become a great strategist. But it is premature to say so. Above all, because his career as a coach has just begun. “Before returning (to office) we spoke with ‘Chiqui’ Tapia and I told him that my resignation was going to be on his desk every day. Whenever I want and feel that I am not indicated, I go home and there is no problem. As long as he believes that he has to continue, I’ll be here” Mascherano said shortly after the elimination was consummated. The enormous back that he achieved as a player, with four World Cups played for Argentina, allowed him to absorb the frustration of January in Colombia. But it may not be enough for him to sustain himself after this new skid.
“It’s a theme. We have to understand that football has evolved and changed a lot in the last 15 years. Before, perhaps, with the quality and the hierarchy of the Argentine players it was enough. Today you have to add a lot more content because the rivals also have it,” he acknowledged. Mascherano, who perhaps believed that after an unbeatable first phase (three games played, three wins, ten goals for, one against) against weak rivals, his team had grown to dream of the world title. But Nigeria, with its burly lads, its record stacked above the main Argentine players and its sharp counterattacks, spoiled everything.
“We could not make it happen but there are many positive things that we take with us, this process is long and we will continue training to improve,” he expressed on his social networks. Luke Romero, the youth who came from Lazio to play in the World Cup and left empty-handed. Deletion was possible and could happen at any time. It happened at the first crossing moderately demanding that the Sub 20 had to overcome. For this reason, after the blow, few can be surprised.