The Argentinean national side is going through yet another generational change.
The near past has not been a rosy garden, and it meant that because of internal bickering, many players and potential Managers have not had the chance to fulfil or show their talent at the highest level.
What every single Manager so far has agreed on is that Javier Mascherano should be there.
From Bielsa to Pekerman, to Basile, to Maradona, to Batista and now Sabella, all have made him an untouchable.
He played for the National team before even making his debut for his team River Plate.
The fans have come to questioned him a few times. Some say he has past his best, some say he should be play as central defender like in Barcelona, some say he needs more company in midfield.
Maradona, started his reign as Manager by stating “Argentina is Mascherano and another 10 players” and made him captain.
Cesar Luis Menotti, the iconic Manager of the 70’s and 80’s has always have words of praise for Javier describing him as “unique, with the team always in his mind, no matter which team has he played for”
He arrived from Liverpool to Barcelona, and not many thought he would get game time there.
Barcelona was already an oiled machine, and their style of play was different to what Masche was used to prior to that.
Did the move to Barcelona favour you at all?
At the time, I could have stayed at Liverpool. I was enjoying my football there, the club is fantastic, my place in the team was secured and I was earning a good salary.
But Barcelona came knocking, and I had to consider it. I let my agent discuss with the board the financial side, but I spoke to the Manager.
My question to him was. Why me? He said. It is not so much what I had seen of you, but it is what I think you have on you and has not been used.
He did not need to say anything else. I like challenging myself, and he said that. It was decision made there and then.
And was he good to his word?
Hell yeah. On my first day he made me stand by his side and pointed at Busquets. He told me, how Sergio was perfection for the central midfield position the way he wanted it.
He told me, and he was right, that Busquets was born to play for Barcelona.
I was confused as to why he was telling me all this.
He then said that for a while he was going to get me to play there, not as regularly as I was used to, but that i would play.
But he then told me to look at the central defenders, because there was where he saw me fitting in here.
In few words he was telling me, you will never displace Busquets, but in central defence you will be useful and get games.
That, to his credit, is exactly what happened. Without telling me as much, he told me where my focus should be, and what my realistic possibilities of playing were too.
The fact that I now have kind of established myself in the line up of the best team in the world, shows that I took his advice on board and worked hard to deserve my place.
Some people said that you play better when you play in a double 5 tactic, with another player like say Gago.
Like in Barcelona, I am here to do and play where the Manager tells me too. My preferences are not important. What it matters is what the Manager thinks is good for the team.
I did not feel alone playing as the only number 5, if that is what you are referring to.
Same goes for the captaincy. It is nice, but not that important. One will need to be blind not to see that that all the contributions that Lio does to our football culture are deserving of the captaincy.
I do the same amount of talking and shouting that I did when I held the armband.
You are always very vocal on and off the pitch, specially when it comes to River…
Well, I love the club very much and everybody knows that. There is no point to keep pointing fingers now and try to blame each other for the predicament the club is in. I have said that Almeyda (River’s Manager) is right. It is not dishonourable to play in the Nacional B.
That alone can not and will not eclipse 110 years of success and glory.
What River are doing at the moment is commendable.
They have players that left their careers elsewhere to come and play for their love to the club (Cavenaghi, Chori Dominguez and Trezeguet).
That added the required identity to the club and experience, but the rest of the team are mainly kids that came from the academy, and it is paying dividends big time.
Since we see that you keep in touch with River. Who are those youngsters that you are praising now?
Unfair question as I may end up forgetting some but Ocampos, Chichizola, Cirigliano, Rios. But a year or so ago they were also playing Lamela, who is now in Roma and here with us today.
River has historically been a producer of talent, and being in the Nacional B has not changed that. Makes me feel proud of the club.
Going back to the National Team. What are the priorities.
I am sure the manager has his own priorities. For us as players are to understand what Sabella wants us to achieve and act upon his message. We also need to grow stronger as a group and try to look at squads like Uruguay and Spain to emulate their team efforts.
But the main priority is to reach the World Cup in Brazil 2014.
Tactically, it is not my place to say what we need.
As Usual, Javier Mascherano spoke and gave his honest opinion
The near past has not been a rosy garden, and it meant that because of internal bickering, many players and potential Managers have not had the chance to fulfil or show their talent at the highest level.
What every single Manager so far has agreed on is that Javier Mascherano should be there.
From Bielsa to Pekerman, to Basile, to Maradona, to Batista and now Sabella, all have made him an untouchable.
He played for the National team before even making his debut for his team River Plate.
The fans have come to questioned him a few times. Some say he has past his best, some say he should be play as central defender like in Barcelona, some say he needs more company in midfield.
Maradona, started his reign as Manager by stating “Argentina is Mascherano and another 10 players” and made him captain.
Cesar Luis Menotti, the iconic Manager of the 70’s and 80’s has always have words of praise for Javier describing him as “unique, with the team always in his mind, no matter which team has he played for”
He arrived from Liverpool to Barcelona, and not many thought he would get game time there.
Barcelona was already an oiled machine, and their style of play was different to what Masche was used to prior to that.
Did the move to Barcelona favour you at all?
At the time, I could have stayed at Liverpool. I was enjoying my football there, the club is fantastic, my place in the team was secured and I was earning a good salary.
But Barcelona came knocking, and I had to consider it. I let my agent discuss with the board the financial side, but I spoke to the Manager.
My question to him was. Why me? He said. It is not so much what I had seen of you, but it is what I think you have on you and has not been used.
He did not need to say anything else. I like challenging myself, and he said that. It was decision made there and then.
And was he good to his word?
Hell yeah. On my first day he made me stand by his side and pointed at Busquets. He told me, how Sergio was perfection for the central midfield position the way he wanted it.
He told me, and he was right, that Busquets was born to play for Barcelona.
I was confused as to why he was telling me all this.
He then said that for a while he was going to get me to play there, not as regularly as I was used to, but that i would play.
But he then told me to look at the central defenders, because there was where he saw me fitting in here.
In few words he was telling me, you will never displace Busquets, but in central defence you will be useful and get games.
That, to his credit, is exactly what happened. Without telling me as much, he told me where my focus should be, and what my realistic possibilities of playing were too.
The fact that I now have kind of established myself in the line up of the best team in the world, shows that I took his advice on board and worked hard to deserve my place.
Some people said that you play better when you play in a double 5 tactic, with another player like say Gago.
Like in Barcelona, I am here to do and play where the Manager tells me too. My preferences are not important. What it matters is what the Manager thinks is good for the team.
I did not feel alone playing as the only number 5, if that is what you are referring to.
Same goes for the captaincy. It is nice, but not that important. One will need to be blind not to see that that all the contributions that Lio does to our football culture are deserving of the captaincy.
I do the same amount of talking and shouting that I did when I held the armband.
You are always very vocal on and off the pitch, specially when it comes to River…
Well, I love the club very much and everybody knows that. There is no point to keep pointing fingers now and try to blame each other for the predicament the club is in. I have said that Almeyda (River’s Manager) is right. It is not dishonourable to play in the Nacional B.
That alone can not and will not eclipse 110 years of success and glory.
What River are doing at the moment is commendable.
They have players that left their careers elsewhere to come and play for their love to the club (Cavenaghi, Chori Dominguez and Trezeguet).
That added the required identity to the club and experience, but the rest of the team are mainly kids that came from the academy, and it is paying dividends big time.
Since we see that you keep in touch with River. Who are those youngsters that you are praising now?
Unfair question as I may end up forgetting some but Ocampos, Chichizola, Cirigliano, Rios. But a year or so ago they were also playing Lamela, who is now in Roma and here with us today.
River has historically been a producer of talent, and being in the Nacional B has not changed that. Makes me feel proud of the club.
Going back to the National Team. What are the priorities.
I am sure the manager has his own priorities. For us as players are to understand what Sabella wants us to achieve and act upon his message. We also need to grow stronger as a group and try to look at squads like Uruguay and Spain to emulate their team efforts.
But the main priority is to reach the World Cup in Brazil 2014.
Tactically, it is not my place to say what we need.
As Usual, Javier Mascherano spoke and gave his honest opinion