Scaloni & Beccacece: A Coaching Reunion Story

In the duel between Ecuador and Argentina on the last date of the qualifiers, both technicians will see the faces again after seven years. They shared Staff in the chaotic world in Russia where the relationship was not the best. Time cured wounds and today respect is great.

Tonight, from 8 pm, the Monumental Banco Pichincha de Guayaquil stadium will witness the Reunion between Lionel Scaloni and Sebastián Beccacece, two coaches who have many things in common, but also very marked differences. They were part of Jorge Sampaoli’s coaching staff in the chaotic process of the 2018 World Cup before launching their career as main coaches and settling as two of the most prominent in South America. His relationship went from sparks to respect and mutual admiration.

Born a few kilometers away (one in pujato and one in Rosario) and United for his love for Newell’s and Marcelo Bielsa’s influence on his trajectoriesScaloni and Beccacece have several similarities. However, among them there was always a difficult distance to save: while The DT of the Argentine National Team is more player, Who today commands Ecuador’s selection was always more tacticist and disciplined. The idea could be similar, but the paths to get to it were always very different.

Perhaps that was the reason why some of the sacred cows of that litter that was marked by the defeats in the finals and had his last dance in Russia (Messi case, Di María, Otamendi) They were always on the side of Scaloni and had insurmountable differences with Beccacece.

Both arrived at Sampaoli’s coaching staff on different roads. Lionel did, in part, thanks to an old promise that Casilda’s native had made his father. When he worked at the Santa Fe Bank of his hometown, Sampaoli used to solve his money problems, farmer and carrier in Pujato. In his talks, he at the time inexperienced DT used to repeat that he would add his son to a coaching staffsomething that turned three decades later.

Beccacece, por on part, He started working with Samapaoli in 2002when I was just 22 years old. Claudio Vivas put them in touch and the young man joined as assistant in Sport Boys of Peru. Thence He accompanied him during his processes in Coronel Bolognesi, Sporting Cristal, O’Higgins and the University of Chileuntil you reach the trans -Andean team, with which They played the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and crowned 2015 Copa América champions against Argentina.

The Rosario decided to get out of his own, first as DT of the U and then in defense and justice. When Sampaoli assumed in the albiceleste, he summoned him again as the main assistant.

However, the passage of the Casildense through the Argentine National Team was crossed by the controversies and the short circuits. The relationship between the members of the coaching staff was not the best for the “forms.” While Scaloni, a companion of several of the referents of the squad during his time through the albiceleste maintained a close link with them, Beccacece was stricter and wanted a much more equitable leadership. The Rosario had a more preponderant role within the coaching staff since, being the right hand of the DT, it was the one who headed tactical training and injury in the preparation of the matches.

The inconveniences between them exploded during the World Cup, in the middle of the chaos that generated the draw against Iceland in the debut and the defeat against Croatia on the second day. Beccacece had released Sampaoli’s hand but he was not loved by the squad and Scaloni, respected by soccer players, was getting more and more land within the coaching staff.

A few days after the elimination against France, the current coach of Ecuador separated from Sampaoli and returned to Defense, while the Pujatense took over the U-20 team that was later champion of the L’Alcudia tournament. Before the ‘no’ of some pointed names, Claudio Tapia confirmed it interim and the good performance in the friendlies of the end of that year, added to the good relationship with the players caused him to maintain his position.

In the first matches of the new stage, Beccacece was critical of Scaloni’s decision: “I was 14 years with Sampaoli and in all the clubs I was with him, they offered me to continue. I consider that when one arrives from someone’s hand it is important to put an end to”. And he added: “I have values ​​and what happens is said inwards, not out”.

Today, seven years later, the foam went down and both were very praise with the work of the other. In an interview with The nation In July of this year, Beccacece demonstrated his admiration for the work of his colleague: “When I took Ecuador he sent me a message of encouragement. He knew how to understand what players he had and how to adapt to them. I had an idea that was totally opposed to what they are developing now: He talked about the like fast transitions and direct game, quite the opposite of this selection. There was his ability to change and carry out a masterpiece. Today facing Argentina is to measure yourself to the unknown, because they have a thousand variants to hurt you. ANDSo speaks of extreme trust and a fabulous fluidity level ”.

In the conference prior to the tonight party the praise did not cease the performance of the albiceleste: “He is a rival who not only comes from winning World Cup, two Cups América, He has been working for seven years, with a very pretty, very sophisticated, very genuine way, has a lot“.

Scaloni, meanwhile, was also very condescending with the work of Beccacece in the Tri: “What worries me from Ecuador? All. It is one of the best selections in the world. I think this team of Ecuador tries to be very offensive and has achieved it. Has achieved a very clear operation and will be a very complicated game“.

Today they will meet different colors and are probably based on a hug because, beyond their differences in handling, respect and mutual admiration it exists.

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