Just a few days after Argentina ended their participation in the last World Cup in Brazil, by losing the final to Germany, their domestic, international and everyday footballing life was turned on their heads.
To couple it with the national side´s manager, Alejandro Sabella, resignation´s...
To couple it with the national side´s manager, Alejandro Sabella, resignation´s...
AFA president,of 35 years, Julio Humberto Grondona, died unexpectedly.He was over 80 years old, but seemed strong and heading towards the end of his long mandate, but when nature calls...
The situation was too sudden for AFA members to deal with it properly as many things that were under Grondona´s umbrella (which mainly was everything football related in the country), were never known or dealt with by any other person.
He has, since 1979, accrued so much power that during that time, nobody would or could question or participate on any decisions, unless they were to support him fully.
So all of a sudden the clubs members of AFA, found themselves headless, and clueless as to what to do next.
To add salt to the wound, a judge that was investigating the finances of AFA, waited only 6 days after Grondona´s death to raid the building and all its offices, something she never did while the man was alive, out of fear.
In midst of all the chaos, the clubs chose Luis Segura (Grondona´s right hand man) to be his short term succesor, before setting up elections for next year.
Segura himself, is on the back of being accused by Brazilian and FIFA authorities of reselling world cup tickets for personal gain on the black market!!
In any case, Segura´s first decision was to replace Sabella with Martino at the helm of the national team, as well as naming San Lorenzo´s vice president and TV mogul Marcelo Tinelli, as the head of the press department.
While Grondona was alive, all AFA members voted unanimously to change the current format of tournaments (2 short ones a year), for a long one with 30 teams taking part of the Primera Division.
To accommodate these changes, the current tournament is a transitional one, and the Nacional B (second tier) will offer 10 promotions.
With all these measures, aproved and all the tournaments in motion, the bigger clubs (Boca, River, Independiente, Racing and San Lorenzo), decided that they are not keen anymore on the 30 team format.
So, it has now been decided, that after next season, they will review it again, and try to change that system to accommodate the calendar to match the european one.
Lower league clubs, are already talking about compensation if the changes were to be to their detriment, and it all could end up badly.
I think that the time for changes at the top fo the chain, are due now, and the clubs should be brave and defend their best interest.
Keeping Segura in place of Grondona is to continue on the same line and continuing to go down the road of corruption and dictatorial decisions.
There is enough good blood amongst the presidents of the clubs to modernise and revolutionise our game.
Veron, now president of Estudiantes, together with the above mentioned Tinelli and newly elected Velez president Raul Gamez, could provide interesting alternatives.
They have always been very vocal about what was wrong with the game, and it maybe it could be good to give them the chance to put their money where their mouth is.
In the meantime, with the current situation is like saying the king is dead, long live the king.
The situation was too sudden for AFA members to deal with it properly as many things that were under Grondona´s umbrella (which mainly was everything football related in the country), were never known or dealt with by any other person.
He has, since 1979, accrued so much power that during that time, nobody would or could question or participate on any decisions, unless they were to support him fully.
So all of a sudden the clubs members of AFA, found themselves headless, and clueless as to what to do next.
To add salt to the wound, a judge that was investigating the finances of AFA, waited only 6 days after Grondona´s death to raid the building and all its offices, something she never did while the man was alive, out of fear.
In midst of all the chaos, the clubs chose Luis Segura (Grondona´s right hand man) to be his short term succesor, before setting up elections for next year.
Segura himself, is on the back of being accused by Brazilian and FIFA authorities of reselling world cup tickets for personal gain on the black market!!
In any case, Segura´s first decision was to replace Sabella with Martino at the helm of the national team, as well as naming San Lorenzo´s vice president and TV mogul Marcelo Tinelli, as the head of the press department.
While Grondona was alive, all AFA members voted unanimously to change the current format of tournaments (2 short ones a year), for a long one with 30 teams taking part of the Primera Division.
To accommodate these changes, the current tournament is a transitional one, and the Nacional B (second tier) will offer 10 promotions.
With all these measures, aproved and all the tournaments in motion, the bigger clubs (Boca, River, Independiente, Racing and San Lorenzo), decided that they are not keen anymore on the 30 team format.
So, it has now been decided, that after next season, they will review it again, and try to change that system to accommodate the calendar to match the european one.
Lower league clubs, are already talking about compensation if the changes were to be to their detriment, and it all could end up badly.
I think that the time for changes at the top fo the chain, are due now, and the clubs should be brave and defend their best interest.
Keeping Segura in place of Grondona is to continue on the same line and continuing to go down the road of corruption and dictatorial decisions.
There is enough good blood amongst the presidents of the clubs to modernise and revolutionise our game.
Veron, now president of Estudiantes, together with the above mentioned Tinelli and newly elected Velez president Raul Gamez, could provide interesting alternatives.
They have always been very vocal about what was wrong with the game, and it maybe it could be good to give them the chance to put their money where their mouth is.
In the meantime, with the current situation is like saying the king is dead, long live the king.