Pompilio’s man

On Wednesday, Miguel Russo’s twelve-month tenure at the helm of Boca Juniors was laid once and for all to rest as Carlos Ischia was officially announced as the club’s new manager. In an appointment which has little to do with what Boca’s fans, members, or even club legends like Diego Maradona had to say on the issue, Pedro Pompilio asked Carlos Bianchi to take the job, and when Bianchi refused, but suggested Ischia, Pompilio was only too happy to follow his advice.

Ischia (pictured above, left, with Pompilio), the former Rosario Central manager, signed a one-year contract before being presented to the press by Pompilio, and wasted no time in professing his pride at being offered the position. ‘This happy face is an indicator of how much this means to me,’ he beamed as assembled journos reached for their sunglasses. ‘To return after seven years [he was previously an assistant to Bianchi at La Bombonera] gives me enormous satisfaction. To walk down passages and to places one has already been to is a great joy, something very nice and very powerful.’ Rumours that Ischia’s appointment will be followed by a book of Romantic poetry remain sadly unconfirmed.

To his credit, Ischia refused to rise to the chance to start slinging mud at Diego Maradona for the latter’s unflattering comments about Ischia’s suitability for the job. ‘I can’t show any dissent towards him, because in my opinion he’s the one who has best understood this game.’ And then it all got a bit, well, soppy. ‘I believe that this is going to be the most important – right up to the final – day of my life,’ Ischia concluded. Ahhh.

Photo taken from lanacion.com.ar