Archive for October 14th, 2009

Martin Palermo saved Maradona’s bacon with his last second goal on a rain soaked pitch in Buenos Aires on Saturday night. It may have saved Argentina’s lingering hopes of making the 2010 World Cup as well too.

Argentina’s hopes of making it to the 2010 World Cup play in game or the automatic berth were on life support. Peru scored the tying goal in the ninetieth minute that almost sent Argentina’s dreams crashing down on their heads but a hero was born. Palermo stepped up and nailed the winner in the dying moments of the match to set up the winner take all match against Uruguay on Wednesday.

I am not going to go down the path that many have taken but I will say this Maradona was a great player. As a coach, he sucks. Maradona has no clue on strategy. He doesn’t understand player rotation or how to develop chemistry and trust among his players. Yet, God has continued to throw him a lifeline. This lifeline was in the form of an aging star Martin Palermo this time.

Who says there isn’t a God?

Have the miracles run out?

We will find out on Wednesday.

For me personally Maradona is a loveable Damon Runyon character in Guys and Dolls but that is about it.

He was a great player. He is character but I would never trust him to run my futebol team.

Where does the blame for this mess rest?

The blame for this fiasco squarely rests on the Grondona’s shoulders. Grondona hired Maradona after Basile quit. Instead of finding a coach who at least managed a club for more than a minute, Grondona hired a  coach who coached for all of twenty games. He lost more than he won.

This is the kicker Chile and Paraguay coaches are Argentine.

This is an in your face move Grondona. We took your best coaches and kicked your butts using them against you.

It will be sad day if Argentina does not make to the 2010 World Cup. Part of me is happy but a large part of me is sad. The AFA was once a huge force in international and South American futebol but now clubs like River Plate and Boca Juniors are laugh stockings in most futebol circles.

This is sad for these two clubs have well over 95 domestic and Internacional titles between.

Now they stink to high heaven.

Get rid of Grondona.

No one wants to listen to me.

I may not be one of those huge futebol pundits but I know sports. My insights are more right than wrong. Try a ninety percent clip being right.

You want to change a team’s direction. Fire management, fire the coach, and bring in people who can work together for a common goal. It is called teamwork.

Brasil did this after the disastrous 2006 World Cup. The powers that be brought in Dunga. All you have to do is look at the results.

www.palau.org

http://www2.hillsong.com/tv/home.asp