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Batista: A Coach Without Support
Just 5 days after the Argentine Football Association have announced that the federation is going to carry on with Sergio Batista as the coach, there are reports that the coach who flopped at the Copa America 2011 is likely to face the axe.
Though the 48 years old coach is close to the AFA Boss Julio Grondona, he seems to be losing support amongst the committee member for his poor display of tactics and failure to understand his best team during the Copa, which played its part in the early exit in the tournament played at their home.
German Lerche, a top-ranking official of the Argentine Football Association, called the Copa America a “sporting failure” for Argentina and said that Batista’s future was in doubt and will be discussed upon in Monday’s meeting. “This situation, which smells like a failure, invites us to analyze the subject in depth. And it has to do with the coach continuing or not,” Lerche said Friday in an interview with TVC television.
Batista however still wants to continue at the help despite the criticism and defended himself in the media. “I recognize there were mistakes (at the Copa) and I am prepared to correct them. I am absolutely resolved to keep going.”
“I am sure of my footballing ideas and how to translate them on to the pitch. I always said the Copa was all about getting ready for the World Cup in 2014. The Copa was not in vain,” he insisted, adding that “when changes had to be made I made them.”
Gerardo Martino, who took Paraguay to the Final of Copa America and former Estudiantes boss Alejandro Sabella are the names doing the round to take over the reign from Batista if he faces the axe at all. Also being mentioned is former Boca Juniors and Atletico de Madrid coach Carlos Bianchi.
Moreover, if change is to be made, it would be made before Argentina begins their World Cup qualifying campaign later this year where they play against the like of Uruguay, Paraguay, and Chile who have been exceptional at the World Cup.
