ARGENTINA’S
World Cup squad is in revolt after a failed coup attempt against coach Jorge
Sampaoli, The Sun reports.
Lionel
Messi and co are understood to have demanded the head of the former Chile boss
in the wake of the humiliating defeat by Croatia.
The
players wanted 1986 World Cup winning midfielder Jorge Barruchaga, currently
the general manager of the national side, to replace Sampaoli.
One
of Burrachaga’s 1986 teammates, Ricardo Giusti, a close friend of the general
manager, the mood was brutal.
Giusti
said, “The players want to build the team.
“They
told Sampaoli and Tapia that they are going to pick the side. Sampaoli can sit
on the bench if he wants, but it won’t matter. It will be nothing to do with
him.”
Sampaoli
switched from a defensive quartet against Iceland to three at the back for the
disastrous Croatia defeat, leaving his squad unconvinced the coach had any
strategic planning.
It
was also claimed that Mascherano and striker Cristian Pavon came to blows in
the dressing room after the Croatia match when the former Liverpool midfielder
lashed out verbally at blunder keeper Willy Caballero.
Despite
the demands of the players, Sampaoli was given a stay of execution by Tapia
after being summoned to the President’s room at Argentina’s base in Bronnitsy,
60 miles outside Moscow.
Sampaoli,
though, was told that while he will stay on as coach for the rest of the World
Cup, he WILL be sacked at the end of the tournament.
It
was suggested that the FA wants Sampaoli to quit but that would mean him giving
up claims for a pay-off.
Yet
the uneasy peace is fragile and may not hold until Tuesday, with the certainly
that an Argentine exit will bring further finger pointing and a renewed
blame-game.
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