Marcelo Bielsa received a Uruguayan shirt with his last name printed on the back; The man from Rosario is at ease in the country he loves.
marcelo bielsa He train engine, Swing the football. After stints in three of the world’s five most important leagues, he returns to a familiar place: a national team. After a personal audit lasting two months, in which Rosario de 67 years Stamped his signature, mixed with simple Uruguayan 39-month contract, till 2026 World Cup, As a black diver, lanky compared to his time in Leeds, England, he received two gifts from the president of Uruguayan Football Association (But), Ignatius Alonso, His new boss gave him an oil painting of his new home, the Centenario Stadium. And a shirt with the Bielsa surname on the back. sky blue. Your new color
Earlier, the new coach had easy chat with the leaders. Alonso and other members of the executive committee who went in search of him while he was searching Montevidian Boulevard. That’s when I was in that phase of adapting (or maybe falling in love) with Neighboring Shores. “She didn’t say it, but he almost felt like another uruguayan, Much more friendly, closer, than he was later in the conference.” Nation A leader who was in that meeting.
A smile and a handshake between Bielsa and Ignacio Alonso, president of the Uruguayan Football Association (AUF).
As Rosario’s man arrived on the scene, there was Praise, this is how he greeted them about 300 recognized, a record. Among them is the president of the Uruguayan subsidiary Newell’s, the club whose stadium is named after DT. Rosario’s man is a very talkative person, but he doesn’t let go easily. you have to ask. It was made available. had a list of 25 journalists for enquiry. The first definition came at the beginning: “They didn’t have to persuade me. I would say almost the opposite”, You have to look at DT’s career for a reason: He always picked venues where the fans were very passionate and very local. Example: He did not go to Barcelona or Real Madrid, but to Espanyol and Bilbao; He did not direct PSG or Monaco, but Olympique de Marseille and Lille; He was not the manager of Chelsea, the two Manchester teams or Arsenal, but was leading Leeds.
Uruguay had to pass that filter. He did, and Bielsa told how: “I came with my wife to spend a weekend in Montevideo. We were living… We stayed for two months. And one day I told him that we were going to spend the day in Carrasco “Let’s go back by public transport when the people come back. When Monday and bad mood appear ». The transport was full and the journey lasted 45 minutes. There were many such incidents which tested the decency of the people on the bus. our conclusion was Appreciation for the generosity with which people interacted, I mean respect for children, elders, women. A lady entered to tick the ticket. Civilization ends here. He did what he had to do and it all worked out. That worldly experience was what tipped off balance and moved DT, who decided to go back to work.
Bielsa’s explanation of his acceptance of the post
But Rosario accepted because he knew he had enough raw material for Celeste to interpret his idea in the best possible way. Without that talent it would have been impossible for DT to embark on a project that has World Cups in Canada, the United States and Mexico on the horizon. He only acknowledged this in his final response: “Leading a club is a job of constant intervention. And a selection is a job of quickly assembling high-level individuals. One of the things I put a lot of thought into is I wasn’t going to any club that could offer me a group of players like Uruguay,
He is not the same coach who took over in Argentina in the late nineties. Uruguay has to resume in a selection. Bielsa talked about the ensuing camaraderie and distilled wholeness, a gene that is in his DNA: “In these months, temporarily, I’ve prepared three or four players per position, within that group of 33-40 players, always In this first experience I will choose those whom I know the least, The proximity of a training cycle is essential. I will use these nine days of June to get acquainted with people I know less and have seen less. There are players who go head-to-head even though no one has directed them, because there are times when you can see them play it is natural to deepen the analysis. There are others who are less visible. And of course that will be what most determines the making of the next call. Then, september is all or nothing, It’s clear: his first will be the Uruguayan test. Second, for marks, will already exceed his mark.
The third team he will lead in his career, after Argentina and Chile, will have his last name on the jersey. – credit: @pablo porcincula
It sounded serious, but the man from Rosario allowed himself to joke: “A three-minute summary is not football, far from it. It’s like being with your wife only on Saturday night. No marriage like that.” who fails!”, he said, and the audience responded with laughter. And he continued with his concepts: “In football, and being a foreigner or compatriot, acceptance has only one name: «Victory», «Victory». Later, there will be more or less patience that the person who whether popular sentiment deserves it or not. Rejection of what is not one’s own, that which is foreign, is valid, this is a sense that reinforces self-identity, Above all, in a country that is highly football, that has distinguished players and coaches”, he expressed his opinion about being only the second foreign coach of Uruguay in its history (the first, also Argentine: Daniel Passarella).
they talked about discussing That he had a question mark about his future in the national team. They didn’t name them, but everyone knew they were Edinson Cavani, Luis Suarez why diego godin Three members of the golden generation to shine in South Africa in the 2010s. “I think it is appropriate to have a dialogue. Hear Have heard. And then the inevitable act of making a decision, if it needs to be done. i don’t have any position pre installed. In the case of players who are clearly identified by their age, I think it would not be prudent to speak without speaking to them,” he said before the first consultation. When the issue of statues returned, Bielsa was more forthright: ” I said that any decision involving Uruguayan players with a historical background cannot be settled without being heard. I have great regard for idols: they are the heritage of the people. they are a precious metals for the poorest, I will never knowingly do anything to harm an idol,
The coach took the time to reflect on current football in one of his most philosophical responses. “Football is the people and the players. And then there are the people who mediate between the two. We trainers loss reporters And this leaders, We are the worst in football, clearly. This is verified. He soccer have more followers It seems less and less like a fan falls in love with the game, Supported by football fans. You have to avoid destroying the football. I think that Coaches, leaders and journalists do everything possible to make football worse and worse, and we’re getting it. The players to watch are becoming less and less. We feel moved by the exorbitant prices that are paid for those who play well. Not even as powerful as the English league, can maintain tradition and not be absorbed by fashion.
And another XL response came when he asked him about the Argentina champion title in Qatar 2022. Rosario’s contacts with the press are rare and he does not give personal interviews (another personal trait). In Uruguay, in front of a large number of interlocutors from that country, Bielsa brought his Argentine identity to the fore. ,I am proud to be Argentinian. I like this. i love football in my country, How could it be otherwise. He wanted Argentina to become world champions by any means. We will analyze later. Of course, the reward Messi has received has much more to do with his stubbornness, his patience, his stamina than with his resources, which are clearly extraordinary. There are two things I liked about the finale. Before the game I made a comparison: I compared each French player with each Argentine player in their position. My conclusion is that there were nine better French players than nine Argentines. «P…», What a tough game. And Argentina not only deserved the win, but dominated for 80 out of 90 minutes. It was the best compliment for the coach and the players. They outperformed rivals when previous analysis showed the opposite. I also noticed a defining factor: For the first time I saw that the public was going to support a team even if they didn’t win. This is not typical of Argentine success. It is something that the team had earned. The social cost of defeat in Argentina empowers the players themselves. The Argentine players do not want to lose. The public was different. The message from the very first moment was that even if they don’t win, I am going to support them. It had a very strong effect.
General seriousness in contact with the media, this time, in Uruguay. – credit: @pablo porcincula
Bielsa also praised maestro Oscar Washington Tabriz, who marked a milestone at the top of La Celeste. A kind of Alex Ferguson from Rio de la Plata. “You cannot compete with or reproduce the legacy of Tabriz. I will do my best and then we will see,” he said. After about an hour and 25 questions, Biesa ended it. “Thank you very much,” he said.
It was time to set our sights on Chile, the first opponent of the South American qualifying round. Only Chile, the country that lifted him up and made him believe that winning is possible. Uruguay is a two-time world champion. You don’t need to believe anything. You need to compete again. and win. Bielsa has it very clear.
