Newsletter

“Dibu is an old man”, a blow to Mascherano and “the old men look at me out of the corner of their eyes”

“Jorge! A picture”. Click. On the street Jorge D’Alessandro does not go unnoticed. He lived in Argentina for just 23 years, he has been living in Spain for 50 years and the selfies they have nothing to do with his step in The Killers of Saint Lawrence nor for the 334 parties in Salamanca: no other goalkeeper stopped so many times under the three sticks of that club. He Gordoa nickname that traveled with him to the Old Continent, he knew early fame as a footballer, he remained a public figure as a coach and later he got into the media as an analyst. In many ways, it was meant to be on everyone’s lips.

None of those who stop him on the road to take a portrait saw him play. Neither here nor there. They are young. According to his personal statistics, on average, these are 18-year-old boys. There are t-shirts with his stamp: from the classic “Tss, tss, tss” -the onomatopoeia that refers to it-, to Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernández and Alexis Mac Allister, “the three Ferraris”as he baptized the Argentine midfielders for their speed, the key according to his analysis for the consecration of the Argentine National Team in the world of Qatar 2022.

“Ehhh, hold on El Chiringuito! Photo photo”, click.

He Jugones beach barand Controversy in Soccer of the Spanish screen that is replicated on social networks, Twitch and crosses borders, returned him to the top of fame. Who is Jorge D’Alessandro and why centennials did they adopt him? “Old people look at me out of the corner of their eye, they don’t like that one at 73 years old is like that, active, he says with the Buenos Aires Obelisk in the background on Corrientes Street in the midst of a swarm of people who confirm his popularity and the age group that follows him. He is in Argentina because he came to see the National Team. Since he left in 1974, he only returned for procedures that have to do with duels.

To continue a conversation, it is necessary to leave the place chosen for the photos and the remís is a good refuge. In a way, D’Alessandro is something of a Rolling Stone: memories as anonymous are in black and white and represent less than a third of his life. He studied at the San Román Institute and there he had as a classmate Luis Alberto Spinetta. At the same time that The skinny crooned “Paper-eyed girl”, D’Alessandro was training with the First of San Lorenzo. Both were classmates Pototofamous for the Tema de Pototoof Almond.

-What was that time like?

I rarely went out at night. At seven in the morning I had to be upstairs to go by bus to training, although sometimes I would go out. One of those times I arrived almost during the day and I still remember my father: “Sir, are you stupid? In a while you have to go to work, rested”. When I was 17 years old, I was already in the top squad.

-And you weren’t tempted?

-A girlfriend from then helped me a lot, who is now my wife. She played hockey, she was a very good athlete. We took the bus together to go train. She always wanted to be a footballer. In elementary school, the teachers called my parents because when they asked the students what they wanted to be when they grew up, I was the only one who said: “Football player, football player.”

When he arrived in Salamanca – the opportunity arose on a tour with San Lorenzo in which he faced the Spanish club and was the star – he automatically became the undisputed goalkeeper. In its first season in the First Division, the team had the least beaten fence in the tournament.

In the moments that he’s not analyzing soccer, D’Alessandro doesn’t have the energy that takes him by storm. He neither gestures nor sentences with his booming voice. He doesn’t get angry either. He loses that television vehemence. The remís enters Palermo and the conversation can continue in a bar. Bad idea: before the waiter took the order, the parade of selfies again.

-Why couldn’t you establish yourself in San Lorenzo, but did in Salamanca?

I didn’t do anything different. It was the same, he cut the same. I got the opportunity to play for the Spain team. I did not receive calls from Argentina. Neither for 74 nor with 78 in the making. So they call me and I didn’t hesitate. But I couldn’t either because I had played a South American (N. de la R: the Sub 20 of 1967 in Asunción). With today’s laws I would have had no problems.

-What do you think of Emiliano Martínez?

-I love it. He is an ancient. He even has an old face! He saves well, he shits like everyone else, sober with his feet, but with some barbaric reflexes.

-And what is missing from the National Team after Qatar?

-Ugh. I am very concerned about the replacement. The juniors What could (Javier) Mascherano transmit (as manager of the Sub 20) to the new generations! Football is played differently today. Him, (Lucas) Biglia Nothing! The juniors have to win the South Americans, win the Olympic Games. Today I once again heard a journalist say that “this is good for the locker room” and that is why he should be called up. But not! The locker room is built in another way, not telling jokes or baiting mates.



D’Alessandro on Corrientes Street. Photo: Rafael Mario Quinteros

“You always say the post, D’Alessandro! Can it be a photo? click.

Apparently, the only ones who don’t want it are the fans of the Real Madrid. In the networks they are in charge of demonstrating that his career as a coach has several descents. “Do you know what happens? I was an oncologist DT: I saved several clubs from relegation, but when there are metastases it is difficult to achieve it. How to do it in a handful of dates?is justified. This stage, which began in 1989 and continued uninterrupted until 2004 and resumed between 2010 and 2013, gave rise to his passion in another space: communication. “I am not a journalist, I want to clarify, I am an analyst”indicates with a raised finger.

He began his media career with Jose Maria Garciaa journalist who appreciates the vehemence he uses to talk about football. “It was four times the Gordo Muñoz”graphics. “And it paid well. Because he wanted the best by his side, dedicated to him. I guess I made more money in that role than as a coach.”calculate.

“I watch a game and after 20 minutes I know how it’s going to turn out,” he boasts and assures that he perfectly understands the movements of the players, the ideas of the coaches, everything. “Once, they hired Maradona for a transmission and the one with white hair. Cóppola? He said: ‘Who is D’Alessandro? Maradona comments alone or does not comment. Héctor Ricardo García himself (N. de la R: historical owner of Crónica) took charge of the subject and we discussed the game with Diego…”

-And where is football going?

-Well, I am a defender of the Super League. Wednesday is a very important day for football, which is no longer played only on Saturdays or Sundays. I think that, without the structure we know disappearing, a tournament for the elite has to appear. Let the best of the European leagues cross paths. Here it could not be done, perhaps, for a matter of distances. But there yes. The best have to play with the best.

– Is it a European thought or an idea of ​​always?

-Always. They are Boca, River, San Lorenzo, Independiente, Racing… With all due respect, Gimnasia de Jujuy, for example, is from another category.

In just over an hour, D’Alessandro posed for more than 20 people and answered each question with the naturalness of someone who answers the time on the street. A gentleman.

-Is this also the case in Spain? Doesn’t it bother you?

– It’s the same there. overwhelm me? This is a recognition in life. I am privileged

Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Trending