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Diego Simeone’s success with Atlético Madrid stirs fervour in Argentina Diego Simeone’s success with Atlético Madrid stirs fervour in Argentina
(about 4 hours later)
Last weekend was one of red and white-clad celebrations on both sides of the Atlantic. In Buenos Aires, River Plate crowned themselves in glory and won the Clausura championship in their first season back in the top division after their recent relegation. Not since Diego “El Cholo” Simeone’s 2008 side wiped the floor with all opponents had the fans had it so sweet. Last weekend was one of red and white-clad celebrations on both sides of the Atlantic. In Buenos Aires, River Plate won the Clausura championship in their first season back in the top division after their recent relegation. Not since Diego “El Cholo” Simeone’s 2008 side wiped the floor with all opponents had the fans had it so sweet.
Over in Madrid, Cholo was cheering with the Atlético lot, and with good reason. Since returning to the club where he once shone as a player, Simeone has made a huge impact, winning a Europa League, a Supercopa, the Copa del Rey and La Liga, with the Champions League final coming up next at a theatre near you. It may surprise many that he has achieved such amazing results so speedily, but this writer, dear reader, saw it coming. In 2008, after he took a tattered River Plate team to Clausura glory, profiling him for the Guardian my closing statement read: “I venture he will take Atlético Madrid to a Champions League Final in 2010.” I was four years off – granted. If I’d put money on it I might have missed out. During my 15 minutes – as a kind, anonymous punter with a better memory than most posted this titbit of wisdom on the interweb – I’ve been asked to delve deeper into my crystal ball and share the secrets of football fortune telling. Over in Madrid, Cholo was cheering with the Atlético lot, and with good reason. Since returning to the club where he once shone as a player, Simeone has made a huge impact, winning a Europa League, a Supercopa, the Copa del Rey and La Liga, with the Champions League final coming up next at a theatre near you. It may surprise many that he has achieved such amazing results so speedily but this writer, dear reader, saw it coming. In 2008, after he took a tattered River Plate team to Clausura glory, profiling him for the Guardian my closing statement read: “I venture he will take Atlético Madrid to a Champions League final in 2010.” I was four years off – granted. If I’d put money on it I might have missed out. During my 15 minutes – as a kind, anonymous punter with a better memory than most posted this titbit of wisdom on the interweb – I’ve been asked to delve deeper into my crystal ball and share the secrets of football fortune telling.
It wasn’t clairvoyance that sparked the remark, rather that the story about to unfold was spelt out. I had recently visited Atlético, and both the marketing guru and Sergio “El Kun” Agüero had singled out Cholo spontaneously in separate conversations. El Kun told me that, when he first joined Atlético, he knew nothing about the club “other than Cholo had played there”. The marketing man was specific about the rigorous plan they were following with one clear objective: the Champions League. Cholo Simeone’s name as the player who had been instrumental during their heyday a little more than a decade earlier came up most naturally. It was not clairvoyance that sparked the remark, rather that the story about to unfold was spelt out. I had recently visited Atlético, and both the marketing guru and Sergio “El Kun” Agüero had singled out Cholo spontaneously in separate conversations. El Kun told me that, when he first joined Atlético, he knew nothing about the club “other than Cholo had played there”. The marketing man was specific about the rigorous plan they were following with one clear objective: the Champions League. Cholo Simeone’s name as the player who had been instrumental during their heyday a little more than a decade earlier came up most naturally.
Back in Argentina, I’d witnessed Cholo dealing with the press and the men of football in all their guises, and noticed his careful treatment of Italian and Spanish media on one phone, while ducking and diving local hacks and their questions on the other. I specifically asked him if his ambition was to maybe take the reigns of Atlético, and as he really is a fox he just raised his eyebrows and churned out some platitude or other about how the here and now is the only thing that matters. This was at the Estudiantes training ground, in the outskirts of La Plata, and it was very shortly after that exchange that he joined River in what was considered a meteoric rise to the top of Argentina’s club echelons. Back in Argentina, I’d witnessed Cholo dealing with the press and the men of football in all their guises, and noticed his careful treatment of Italian and Spanish media on one phone, while ducking and diving local hacks and their questions on the other. I specifically asked him if his ambition was to maybe take the reigns of Atlético, and as he really is a fox he just raised his eyebrows and churned out some platitude or other about how the here and now is the only thing that matters. This was at the Estudiantes training ground, in the outskirts of La Plata, and it was shortly after that exchange that he joined River in what was considered a meteoric rise to the top of Argentina’s club echelons.
Atlético would clearly be his natural home as his managing career took off, and take off it would. Aside from his hunger, his ruthlessness, his compulsive “winner” mentality, the knife in the teeth and all those things everyone’s talking about now, what struck me back then was his insatiable ambition. One can literally see it. Atlético would clearly be his natural home as his managing career took off, and take off it would. Aside from his hunger, his ruthlessness, his compulsive “winner” mentality, the knife in the teeth and all those things everyone’s talking about now, what struck me then was his insatiable ambition. One can literally see it.
In a brilliant article titled “Racing, Atlético and the Prophet”, ex-player turned medic and writer Juan Manuel Herbella wrote earlier this season about how Argentinians who know Spanish football say Atlético Madrid is Spain’s Racing Club. He quotes a Spanish TV correspondent in Buenos Aires, an Atlético fan (colchonero): “Both are big clubs in terms of history and fanbase, but suffered, they find winning titles hard, and have been badly administered by private capitals.” When seeking a link between these two clubs, Herbella concludes that Diego Pablo Simeone fits the bill: “Fan of the Academia [Racing], as a player champion with Atlético, he retired from football playing for Racing and at that same moment took up his career as manager, where he is now back with the Madrid Club.” In a brilliant article titled “Racing, Atlético and the Prophet”, the former player turned medic and writer Juan Manuel Herbella wrote earlier this season about how Argentinians who know Spanish football say Atlético Madrid are Spain’s Racing Club. He quotes a Spanish TV correspondent in Buenos Aires, an Atlético fan (colchonero): “Both are big clubs in terms of history and fanbase, but suffered, they find winning titles hard, and have been badly administered by private capitals.” When seeking a link between these two clubs, Herbella concludes that Diego Simeone fits the bill: “Fan of the Academia [Racing], as a player champion with Atlético, he retired from football playing for Racing and at that same moment took up his career as manager, where he is now back with the Madrid club.”
Although the saying goes that no one is a prophet in their own land, in Argentina this week the nation is claiming Cholo’s current victory as its own. “Hero in the land of Giants” and “The Simeone style already exists” are some of the dozens of straplines spun to lure readers into the sense of triumph he exudes. This is always the way when our football men succeed on the international stage. But there’s something about Cholo’s natural leadership qualities, maybe the lack of anyone quite like him in the current squad, that is making his name bounce around in all quarters as if the whole football community is rapt with anticipation at his return. Will he be the manager of Argentina? Some say definitely. Argentina’s longstanding Football Association president, Julio Grondona, has been overheard in a private dinner with politicos and impresarios singing Simeone’s praises – “he’s very good” verbatim, emphasis and all – and it’s a given, if and when Alejandro Sabella falls from grace, that Cholo will be the natural successor. Even Sabella himself has generated headlines by uttering: “I have Cholo Simeone as an example.” Although the saying goes that no one is a prophet in their own land, in Argentina this week the nation is claiming Cholo’s victory as its own. “Hero in the land of Giants” and “The Simeone style already exists” are some of the dozens ofheadlines spun to lure readers into the sense of triumph he exudes. This is always the way when our football men succeed on the international stage. But there is something about Cholo’s natural leadership qualities, maybe the lack of anyone quite like him in the current squad, that is making his name bounce around in all quarters as if the whole football community is rapt with anticipation at his return. Will he be the manager of Argentina? Some say definitely. Argentina’s longstanding Football Association president, Julio Grondona, has been overheard in a private dinner with politicos and impresarios singing Simeone’s praises – “he’s very good” verbatim, emphasis and all – and it’s a given, if and when Alejandro Sabella falls from grace, that Cholo will be the natural successor. Even Sabella himself has generated headlines by uttering: “I have Cholo Simeone as an example.”
Simeone personifies that which Argentina needs the most right now – a new generation of leaders. Racing Club’s state of affairs is typical of most clubs, and the way football is run has remained unchanged for generations. Enter the AFA headquarters on a Tuesday evening for the Executive Committee weekly meeting, and a sea of grey men of a certain advanced age is like a timeless still photograph where no one has changed in decades. No new faces stick out as injections of young blood. Simeone personifies that which Argentina needs the most right now – a new generation of leaders. Racing Club’s state of affairs is typical of most clubs, and the way football is run has remained unchanged for generations. Enter the AFA headquarters on a Tuesday evening for the executive committee weekly meeting, and a sea of grey men of an advanced age is like a timeless photograph where no one has changed in decades. No new faces stick out as injections of young blood.
The middle layer who have attempted to break through have not thus far been able to shake the stronghold of the old boys’ network. The Passarella and Maradona generation has left fans wanting, both in terms of club administration and national squad football. Cholo has proved that he has both matured and remained respectful of his elders – this can be seen in the mutual admiration and encouragement between him and his son Giovanni, or “Cholito”, a sub for the River team that ran the victory lap last weekend, played out on Twitter, and the embrace with his own father on the pitch: a tearjerking illustration of how he remains linked to the past yet mindful of the future.The middle layer who have attempted to break through have not thus far been able to shake the stronghold of the old boys’ network. The Passarella and Maradona generation has left fans wanting, both in terms of club administration and national squad football. Cholo has proved that he has both matured and remained respectful of his elders – this can be seen in the mutual admiration and encouragement between him and his son Giovanni, or “Cholito”, a sub for the River team that ran the victory lap last weekend, played out on Twitter, and the embrace with his own father on the pitch: a tearjerking illustration of how he remains linked to the past yet mindful of the future.
There’s also something in the way Cholo moves among old team-mates, building solid partnerships with lower-profile contemporaries (Nelson Vivas at the outset, and the wannabe rockstar German “El Mono” Burgos now, for example) which suggests he is on a mission to build a structure, rather than being a lone warrior angling for personal triumph. He is climbing to the top of the industry, with allies in tow. That is suggestive of a long-term plan, one that will not stop with a cup, a medal and a trophy. I foresee, in the not too distant future, that his trim figure – resplendent in Dolce and Gabbana – will finally disrupt the hegemony of the Tuesday evening committee meetings. Cholo for president? There’s also something in the way Cholo moves among former team-mates, building solid partnerships with lower-profile contemporaries (Nelson Vivas at the outset, and the wannabe rockstar German “El Mono” Burgos now, for example) which suggests he is on a mission to build a structure, rather than being a lone warrior angling for personal triumph. He is climbing to the top of the industry, with allies in tow. It is suggestive of a plan, one that will not stop with a cup, a medal and a trophy.
I foresee, in the not too distant future, that his trim figure – resplendent in Dolce and Gabbana – will disrupt the hegemony of the Tuesday evening committee meetings. Cholo for president?