Marcelo Gallardo talked about everything with the NY Times: his future, the World Cup, his new life without River and a lesson on the Madrid final

River sweeps the League at the hands of Demichelis but the fans don’t forget the legacy of Marcelo Gallardo, the DT who brought him to the top and who has been out of work for months, far from Núñez and Argentine football. While his name resonates in several powerful teams in Europe, the doll gave an interview to an American media to talk about his present but also about his past and future.

“I’m visualizing what the next step in my career might be,” Gallardo said The Athletic , the sports section of the NY Times. And he added: “It must be linked to a feeling. You have to find the right connection, the place where you can convey your ideas. I’m not the type of person who will join any old club because I want to train in Europe. That’s not my way of doing things.”

Gallardo has played in giants of the Old Continent such as Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, Real Madrid and Rome. Though he chooses caution, and even considers never directing again if he can’t find his place in the world after River.

“I need to find a place that makes me feel something. I need a sense of identification. If I don’t get it, I have no problem continuing with what I’m doing now,” she said The Athletic.

“It’s possible I won’t be a coach for the rest of my life,” he comments in another section of the note. And he explains: “Maybe I train for another six, seven, eight years and then I try something else. This is a vision I have for the next few years. But I’ll see how I feel at every moment and I’ll enjoy it.”

Gallardo says his knees don’t allow him to play ball but that his passion for golf has emerged in recent years, even if he finds it difficult to manage the frustration generated by this sport that combines concentration, strategy and precision.

“There are times when I want to throw my sticks away and never look at them again. But living with that frustration forces you to deal with it. Anyone who plays sports understands that it’s like life: frustration is a daily part of life that all human beings live with. Many times we want to be better citizens; live in a better and safer country; have a more harmonious and egalitarian society”.

“So you bring your clubs out again because you want to challenge yourself. There is always the next hole, like in life. There is always a chance to get back up after a failure. Life offers you another chance. You have to stick out your chest and take it on,” Gallardo educates.

Gallardo and the consecration of Argentina in Qatar

El Muñeco has reviewed his eight-and-a-half years in charge of River, and a reflection of his cycle has sent him straight to Argentina’s national team job in Qatar.

“At River we fluctuate a lot over the years: we change and express ourselves tactically in different ways. But the idea and determination have never changed. The execution of the idea could have been better or worse, but the goal remained the same,” she began.

And then he added: “Look at Argentina at the World Cup. They figured out how to handle the different stages of a match. Sometimes (in the round of 16), Argentina gave the ball and the initiative to Australia. Argentina sat and waited and then kept possession after taking the lead. Managing those moments is a key part of the game. The better you manage them, the better team you will become.”

On the relationship with the players, Gallardo explained: “I don’t consider myself a friend but I’m not an authoritarian coach either. Today a coach must have a little bit of everything. You have to have some paternalism, some distance, some psychology. After that, you need to be able to practice (tactics and strategies) and communicate your message in a way that is clear.”

More quotes from Gallardo

The final against Boca in Madrid: “Nobody wanted to play this match. I saw fear on both sides, fear of losing. But no one thought about victory and what it could mean. Everyone thought about what would happen to the loser: that morbidity we Argentines have for defeat: “We will tear the loser to pieces.” (But) I always think positively, I always hope for the best. I’ve never seen him say, ‘Oh shit, what if we lose?’ It seems so mediocre to me.”

His life away from River: “More than anything, I enjoyed the opportunity to stay away from football. I enjoyed my time, my space, my loved ones, my friends, the good things in life. I was able to relax without having my head buried in work. I liked it.

Your next club: “There must be a feeling. I need to know what kind of journey I’m on. After that, it all boils down to results; no manager can escape this. However, looking at certain trends and how certain projects are handled… if you don’t find something you really identify with, right from the start, it’s going to be very difficult.”