Moscow: With probably the most crucial game of their lives coming up Tuesday against Nigeria, the players’ revolt against coach Jorge Sampaoli has assumed huge significance. After the 0-3 loss to Croatia, the players led by veteran Javier Mascherano wanted the immediate sacking of the coach. However, the situation was averted by the timely intervention ofArgentine FA president Claudio Tapia.
However, as things stand, Sampaoli will have no say in the team management for the upcoming game. The players themselves will select the final XI and they will also decide on the strategy to embark on this must-win game.
The defeat against Croatia led the players to tell Argentine FA boss Friday night that they had lost trust in the coach. Instead they wanted Jorge Burruchaga, the man who scored the winning goal in the 1986 World Cup final, at the helm of affairs. However, as of now that is not happening.
Shedding light on the matter, Ricardo Giusti, Burrachaga’s close friend, said the mood was brutal. “They told Sampaoli and Tapia that they are going to pick the side. Sampaoli can sit on the bench if he wants, but it won’t matter. It will be nothing to do with him,” Giusti, who was also a part of the 1986 Argentina team, informed.
Sources said that AFA did not want to sack Sampaoli with immediate effect as then it would be forced to pay him a heavy compensation. However, sources said Tapia has already informed Sampaoli that he will be removed after the end of the World Cup.
Yet the uneasy peace is fragile and may not hold until Tuesday, with the certainly that an Argentine exit will bring further finger pointing and a renewed blame-game.
However, in a statement issued Saturday, the AFA has denied the developments. “It’s absolutely false. All that has been said about a players’ meeting or anything else, it is all false,” the statement said.