Miguel Micó, fed up of a board who effectively decimated his first team squad in January, and then told him to acheive survival anyway, has quit his job as Racing manager. He's been replaced by Claudio Cristofanelli, a youth-team coach and former player for the club. In Boedo, meanwhile, Club Atlético San Lorenzo de Almagro... Continue Reading →
Racing away from success
The kind folk at Pitch Invasion have published another of my musings, this time on the opening weeks of the Clausura and Racing's truly terrible start to the year. 'Micó isn't to blame - he only came in after Gustavo Costas left in December – and nor are most of his players. Aside from the... Continue Reading →
Little to say
Racing and Independiente played out the most boring match of the 2008 Torneo de Verano on Sunday night, drawing 0-0 in front of stultified fans in Mendoza. With this result, Independiente lead the table, and will claim the title unless River beat San Lorenzo in the one remaining match, on Tuesday night. Very little happened... Continue Reading →
Editorial: Lessons to learn?
Now personally, I've never paid too much attention to the idea of new year's resolutions (the last editorial aside, that is). Making promises to yourself which you admit from the start won’t be kept seems rather to be shooting oneself in the foot. Besides which resolutions are always so dull – why doesn't anyone resolve... Continue Reading →
How demeaning
It's difficult to know who'll be more disappointed after Tuesday night's Torneo de Verano match-up. On the one hand, Racing are at a low enough point that they'll be expected to be happy with a goalless draw against a team made of youth players and reserves. On the other, Boca's youth players and reserves, who... Continue Reading →
Yet more bother at Racing
And us English think Newcastle United are a joke team. The pre-season in Argentina continues, and there's been more mudslinging and attempts to get out at one of the country's biggest clubs - and this time some of it's even come from the manager himself. OK, you know I'm talking about Racing because you've read... Continue Reading →
And they’re off!
'Big football', as the Argentine media call it, is back at last. The 2008 Torneo de Verano kicked off on Friday night in Salta, and it was joy for Racing as Miguel Micó's men beat San Lorenzo 1-0 thanks to a first-half header from Diego Menghi, as Ramón Díaz watched on his sofa at home.... Continue Reading →
A bad morning
It wasn't the best of mornings for Independiente's star striker Germán Denis. The leading goalscorer of the Apertura was jogging in a Mar Del Plata park with his team-mates, warming up for an open training session on the side's first day in the city, when he felt a most unwelcome sensation in his shorts. All... Continue Reading →
Stuck in the middle
Whilst Argentina's other big clubs got their pre-seasons underway on Thursday, Racing manager Miguel Micó was rather less pleased with his situation. River and Boca have been engaged in transfer dealings, Estudiantes have been bitching about their ex manager, Vélez have been welcoming a new boss and San Lorenzo take to the training pitch with... Continue Reading →
The merry-go-round begins
The Apertura is over, then, and immediately the game of managerial musical chairs has started. Diego Simeone leaving Estudiantes was probably the least surprising development, whilst elsewhere Ossie Ardiles has walked out on Huracán. Gustavo Costas, recently relieved of his responsibilities at Racing, is set to take on a foreign posting... Simeone's exit was as surprising for... Continue Reading →
Hasta El Gol Siempre 