2023-10-22 06:03:16
Before bashing or praising Marcelo Bielsa, it would be a good idea to put things in their proper context. Because the prestigious, controversial and always entertaining Argentine coach arrived at the Uruguayan team in unique circumstances, without which his arrival would not have been possible.
Let’s do a little (recent) history. Óscar Tabárez was, above all, the promoter of a change that ended up professionalizing the national team process and that left multiple positive conclusions, because he promoted worthy leaders such as Diego Forlán, Edinson Cavani and José María Giménez, because he demanded a certain standard of respect, education and seriousness to the selected team, because it held Qualifiers of a very good level, and because it won the Copa América and came fourth in an unforgettable World Cup. But also negative, because many times he settled for little, because sportingly he wasted the impressive trio made up of Cavani, Forlán and Suárez, because he underutilized players of enormous talent, and because he confused the essential discipline of those who must command with the excessive personalism of those who He believes he is the owner of what he must manage.
A mixture of these factors led to his calamitous end, amid suspicions that were never completely refuted that some leaders welcomed an eventual change of face. After the Uruguayan Football Association ruled out successors whose nomination had had some degree of logic, the intercession of the celestial symbols – particularly Diego Godín – in the decision-making process led its president, Ignacio Alonso, to choose Diego Alonso, a man with a gray resume who, however, in the final stretch of the Qualifiers injected another attitude into the team.
But the way in which people outside the coaching staff influenced the formation of the starting squad that Uruguay presented in Qatar was highly pernicious, sacrificing the talent of footballers of enormous value, such as Sebastián Coates, Nicolás De la Cruz, Darwin Núñez and Federico Valverde , and shattered the fans’ illusion.
In this framework, Bielsa’s appointment must be understood, considering that Ignacio Alonso wanted – although he will probably never admit it publicly – “to banish the historic ones”, a task that, according to his opinion, no Uruguayan coach would undertake. Since Ricardo Gareca, another award-winning Argentine, did not satisfy his palate, he sought by all means to hire the Rosario player, even though the conditions of the agreement would be onerous and would imply that the former Chilean national team coach would spend little time in Uruguay.
This is how Bielsa arrived, regarding whom the fans and part of the specialized press initially had many doubts, but who has largely dispelled them in recent days, following Uruguay’s victory once morest Brazil that ended a 22-year drought. It is logical: the lack of plan B that Bielsa prides himself on is made up of talent as well as conviction and dogmatism. And since reality is more complex than fanaticism, apparently contradictory but true things can be said regarding him.
Undoubtedly, it is not good that off the field Bielsa maintains a demagogic, simplistic and intransigent discourse on the media, nor that on the field he banishes all historical players who are 30 or older, that he overvalues footballers just for the fact of being fast, and that their tactical figure is inflexible and must put themselves above individualities, which generates the obligation to play with leaders, no matter how mediocre they may be, and to leave a Flamengo superstar like From Arrascaeta.
But it is good that Uruguay plays on an equal footing with any power, that it prefers to propose rather than “limit its rival”, without giving up its DNA, that Valverde is perceived in its true dimension, that it finishes discovering the hierarchy of Nicolás De la Cruz, and give them the place they earned for elite players like Darwin, Manuel Ugarte and Ronald Araújo, Barcelona’s phenomenal defender.
And something else: it is also good, following Tabárez’s passion for seeing life in brown, a little joy. Although it is, as it might not be otherwise, covered with a not inconsiderable amount of madness.
Only time will tell if it will be a pretty one.
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