The strange case of Arsenal de Sarandí, who lost their manager without even having officiated an official match

The situation, strange, would not attract attention if it were an amateur team, even from the lowest promotion categories or tournaments in the interior of Argentina, because the word ‘project’ usually does not go hand in hand with the helicopter of coaches which, in most seasons, means Argentine soccer. But by joining one of the 28 teams that make up the elite of the Professional league draws attention. Just before the new year, and with preseason in full swing, Sarandi Arsenal immediately the departure of Luca Marcogiuseppewhom he had made official as his new coach just a month earlier.

It was the biggest challenge of his professional life for this 42-year-old from Concordia, who arrived at the Viaduct after the departure of Leonardo Carol Madelón. who summoned him was Carlos “Moncho” Ruizhis friend, and who had been in charge of the Reserve under the management of the previous DT, which he went to Central Cordoba of Santiago del Estero.

“personal reasons” Y “professional decision” were the two sentences with which Marcogiuseppe contested, on his Instagram account, the news he communicated to the top management of the Buenos Aires club in the last hours of 2022. He also thanked the president Julito Grondona and ‘Moncho’ Ruiz, with which shared exactly one month of work.

But in the halls of the ‘Julio Humberto Grondona’ stadium there are other nuances that could have led to the emphatic decision of Marcogiuseppe, who arrived in Sarandí after a dream season with Gymnastics of Mendoza, with which he reached the semifinals of the First National Redoubt.

His career shows the importance of this professional transition: he was born in the club big jumphas crossed Inferior of racing, Gymnastics La Plata Y Union of Santa Fe; was next to Marcello Bielsa (Atletico Bilbao of Spain) e Ricardo La Volpe (Pyramids of Egypt); royal pillar in the first Do; and in 2021 he was inside La Calera Unionfrom Chile, where he participated in the Copa Libertadores.

A definition of his teams, which he has given during this season, fully depicts that experience with Bielsa: “We try to ensure that intensity is always an ally and that it identifies us as a team in every game, but sometimes this isn’t enough and we need a certain tactical order”.

“The first impression is that there is a lot to do. It is a difficult situation, but not impossible. I decided to do this project because I think we can do a great job. The doubts had more to do with sharing a technical direction. After analyzing the offers I had, I opted for this very familiar club, with players committed to the task and I know it will allow us to grow.”expressed Marcogiuseppe, in the presentation press conference, at the end of November.

But weeks after that moment when he posed for Arsenal, in the middle of the World Cup in Qatar, they changed their perception and praised their decision.

Is that the start of the preseason was with just 21 footballers, many of whom have begun to be released and have chosen other destinations. After the very intense physical part, the coaching staff didn’t even have the chance to form a team with real positions to organize a friendly before the end of the year.

The promise of the management was to be able to implement the requests of the technical staff line by line and, as happens in many Argentine football clubs, the entrepreneur was behind that goal Christian Bragarnik.

So as far as he could find out clarion, the lack of reinforcements was the main point who modified Marcogiuseppe’s panorama, taking this into account Arsenal will only start above the promoted belgranian and Institute of Córdoba in the table of averages, which will give two descents in the next season (the other will be for the bottom of the annual ranking).

So far, the confirmed fatalities were Alexander Diaz (returns to San Lorenzo), Alejo Antileph (free), dart miloc (free to Alajuelense of Costa Rica), Giuliano Navas (free for downtown Córdoba), Luke Cano (free), Facundo Kruspzky (free), Luke Cano (contract terminated), damian perez (joined Independiente) e Brian Sanchez (contract terminated).

Conversely, the treble are all youth bets like the goalkeeper Thomas Sultani (free from San Telmo), the attacker Tobias Zarates (on loan from Vélez, after moving to Deportivo Morón) and the midfielder Tiago Banega (on loan from Racing).