40 years after the engagement of Carlos Bilardo as DT of the national team: the behind the scenes of the 1986 world champion day was beginning to take shape

Giulio Humberto Grondona I knew that Cesare Luis Menotti it was a tough negotiator. He experienced this firsthand during January 1979, when he spearheaded the Thin. The good management of him catapulted him to the professorship of AFA, after Alfredo Cantilo’s refusal to run again. Three years later, sitting in a box in Barcelona’s Sarriá Stadium, on July 2, 1982, after Spain’s World Cup elimination against Brazil, I knew that the eight-year coaching cycle that first led Argentina to world champions was over.

It took a few months for things to calm down. In November, talks began between Menotti and the Judging Commission on the work plans and, finally, on 10 December they met on the third floor of Calle Viamonte 1366 to resolve the financial question. The meeting, which was also attended by the leaders Martin Benedetto Claus, Julian Pasquale, Edward DeLuca and the manager Juan Jose RussoIt started at 7pm and only lasted 15 minutes. The AFA was unwilling to pay more than they offered; and Menotti, to receive less. “I can’t consider what you offer me”, She said. He said goodbye, went up to his office on the sixth floor and left an hour later, not before speaking with the journalists waiting for him in the lobby. Grondona had already decided that Charles Billardtechnical director of students of La Platawho led the 1982 Metropolitan tournament, would be the successor.

- Advertisement -

But before you decide on big noseGrondona was convinced that the new coach would be Carlos Timoteo Griguolwho had had a great season with Ferro, runner-up in both tournaments in 1981 and Nacional champion in 1982. He also liked the Lefty Miguel Angel Lopezwhich he managed in Mexico and who had left Independiente badly after falling out with President Pedro Iso.

However, according to the reporter Ernesto Cherquis Bialo in the documentary “1986, the story behind the Cup”, it was an event held at the Society of Distributors of Newspapers, Magazines and the like, as part of a proposal called “Sports Month”who made the magazine the graphics, the one who changed history.

Cherquis, commissioned by the magazine to invite the president, reproduces that dialogue in the documentary, also imitating the grave tone of Grondona’s voice.

it drips:-I have nothing to do there. If there’s the one pricking with pins, what should I do at that table? Who will hit La Plata with pins.

cherquis:-Julio, Julio… It is one thing to be president of Independiente and quite another to be president of AFA. Interests are different. Besides, you’ve been saying all your life that you have to take off your shirt.

it drips:-You won’t convince me, I don’t feel like it.

cherquis:-Julio, forget Bilardo, it’s an invitation from El Gráfico, can you say no to El Gráfico?

it drips:-Well… But I go, I listen and I don’t say anything.

cherquis:-That’s all I need.

On Sept. 24, at panel, they sat together Alberto Tarantini (World Cup 78 and 82), Jorge Benitez (mouth midfielder), Jose Francisco Sanfilippo (gunboat of the 60s), Hector Vega Onesimus (Director of The graphics), Bilardo and Grondona. The moderator was Adriano Paenza.

According to Cherquis Bialo, when Bilardo began to speak”from Grondona there was a respectful silence. But then the silence turned into a gesture of amazement, then of assent and finally of approval.”. Until then, 14 Metro dates had been played and Estudiantes were fourth with 20 points behind Independiente (22), Vélez (21) and Boca (20).

Exactly five months later, Bilardo signed the coaching contract of the national team, on February 24, 1983. This Friday marks the 40th anniversary of a cycle that lasted eight years, built the second world title and culminated with the second place in Italia 90.

What were Bilardo’s words that afternoon that managed to change Grondona’s mind? Magazine The graphics he dedicated a four-page chronicle to the match entitled What can we do with the national team? and reproduced the texts of the protagonists. Billard said.

• “You have to divide between what happened and what will come. Up until 1974 the work with the national team wasn’t good, I’ve always said that. Then move on to what is good for me, which bears fruit. Now a new instance is reached; Whether or not to move to management is up to the Executive Committee, but here it happens as in clubs: many have left, the great team is over, we need to start forming a new one again. It happened to Independiente, to Racing, to everyone…”!

• “I think that for many reasons clubs will not give players to the national team. When I managed the Colombian national team it almost cost me anger with Manera, who was a coach of Cali and is a friend of mine; I took away half of his team and he had the whole national team. The professional cannot say he is tired, I would play every day…”.

• “Okay, the Italians got together two weeks earlier and came out champions, but that doesn’t mean anything, and my fear is that something like this is being proposed here. It’s not good. Professional responsibility is the same as playing for a club, but it’s different, there’s something more for the player who is in the national team”.

• “Concentration or work time cannot guarantee results. There is no fixed deadline; some are missing an hour from home and already missing. It depends on the group and the coach knows what he has in hand. I’ve studied the subject of sex and concentration, and there are many things to take into consideration, but the essential thing is that it varies in each case, there are no absolute truths.

• “In the tactical part, the discussion can be endless, I didn’t agree with Zubeldía or Manera. There are no two lines, that doesn’t exist. I have trouble saying this, but I look for results. Why? Because people ask me. Everyone has his book and the truth is the one that wins. I don’t know who’s right, there isn’t just one way to play.”

• “You have to have professional and amateur competition because renewal is something logical. My fear is the Championship, that the real national team won’t be made and with hand-picked teams. There are many matches and there is no more room for the national team. The international calendar is fundamental, and if there are no national teams we will play against teams, there are no problems. After 1978 there was a choice, but now between the dollar and the fact that we are no longer champions it can get complicated”.

• “Problems always arise with the fundamental players, because journalism supports them and the choice is easy between them and the coach: there are many coaches, few figures. Journalism and the people have to figure out when the player has screwed up or hindered the job, and then not defend him even if he loses. This is crucial. In football there is everyone: wives of players who need four or five sexual acts a week and others who are happy with one… We need to manage things according to the circumstances and also talk to women, make them understand that the footballer It’s the best job, they help and don’t add problems…” “It would be much easier to put together the national team if all the teams played in the same way. I like the cork and there are only two or three. I wish everyone felt the same way, all technicians. But it’s impossible”.

Estudiantes emerged champions of the 1982 Metropolitano on February 14, 1983. Everyone already knew that Bilardo would be the manager of the national team but the signature was missing, which took place ten days later. It was in the same place where Menotti took his leave, the office that Don Julio had on the third floor of the AFA building. In addition to Pascual, Benito Noel and Deluca, they were there Ricardo Petracca and the historic legal adviser Bianchetti farm.

The brand new technician arrived at 18:45, went directly to the Grondona office and at 19:35 the doors of the room were opened so that the photographers could record the exact moment of signing the contract.

His collaborators were also announced that day: roberto rogel as alternate coach (eventually never took office); Ricardo Echeverríaphysical trainer; Charles Pachameyouth team manager; Raúl Maderodoctor; Aldo Divinsky, kinesiologist. The first call-up, of 18 players, would be made on March 2, four days before the pass book closed. Finally it was Friday 18 March.

The 18 players from the first call-up appeared on the cover of El Gráfico on 22 March. They were Carlos Arregui (Iron), Ricardo Giusti (Independent), Ricardo Gareca (Mouth), Charles Moretto (Independent), Claudio Marangoni (Independent), Oscar Ruggeri (Mouth), Joseph Louis Brown (Students), Nery Pumpido (Velez), Via Giuliano (Students), Peter Magellan (Black Hill of Olavarría), Enzo Trossero (Independent), Alexander Sabella (Students), Gabriele Calderón (Independent), Ubaldo Fillol (River), Oscar Garré (Iron), Norberto Alonso (Velez), Julio Olarticoechea (River) and Jorge Burruchaga (Independent). That Tuesday 22 began work on the Workers union in Ezeiza, place chosen by Bilardo, and rented by the AFA. Seven of the 18 were champions three years later in Mexico.

Two months later comes the official debut, on May 22 in a friendly match against Chile in Santiago. It was 2-2 with goals by Skinny Gareca and the beto Alonso. The starting eleven have worked with Bilardo since day one. They were Phyllol; Arregui, Ruggeri, Trossero, Olarticoechea; Giusti, Marangoni, Alonso; Burruchaga, Gareca and Calderon. Then Sabella and Victor Rogelio Ramosthe goalscorer from Newell’s who was subsequently called up, as he was Alfred Assassin, Reuben Insua AND George Rinaldiwho made up the substitute bench.

“We talked about it in the afternoon, Grondona said it and I told the players. This is not the Ultimate Selection or anything like that. It is a Selection that is beginning to be assembled, given that most of the players have gone abroad. I’ve given players a lot of time so they can show what they know”, Bilardo said on the playing field of the National Stadium of Chile while chatting with the journalist Julio Ricardo. And by the way, he made his mark. “It’s never a game over for meí”, he ruled.