It's a special week for Uruguay. They will be mobilizing days from the arrival of Marcelo Bielsa, who generates illusion in his fans and uncertainty in his detractors, but that undoubtedly sows attraction in the football world so it causes his return to the ring, in a selection always attractive as the Celeste. Wednesday will be the day of the formal presentation, but the Rosario landed this Monday in Montevideo.
Bielsa's contract will be until 2026, when the World Cup organized by the United States, Mexico and Canada ends, although one of his main and first objectives will be the Copa America next year, precisely in North America, as a preview of the ecumenical appointment.
After signing his contract Bielsa will get down to work to present his first list of players reserved from abroad for the friendly matches against Nicaragua and Cuba, on June 14 and 20, respectively, both in the mythical Centennial of Montevideo.
Photo: Franck FIFE / AFP.
With his arrival in Uruguay, Bielsa will become the second foreigner to manage La Celeste after his compatriot Daniel Alberto Passarella did so between 1999 and 2001.
El Loco, always thorough, approved last Thursday the content of the contract that was discussed in the last six months and that came and went again and again with several tweaks.
His last job, like almost all those he had, generated a revolution in Leeds United in England, which he commanded from the Championship to return it to the Premier League.
The contract of Bielsa and his coaching staff amounts to 4 million dollars per year. It would be $330,000 a month to distribute among his working group, which has six members. How will your closest team be formed? Chilean Diego Reyes and Argentines Pablo Quiroga and Lucas Oubiña will be his three field assistants. In the logistics area, it will have the collaboration of two women: Magalí Conde and Sara Bouzas. The first will be in Uruguay and the second will work from Europe. The video analyst will be the Spanish Diego Bermúdez, who will also do his work from the Old Continent. In addition, outside the kidney of the Loco, the Uruguayan Carlos Nicola will be the goalkeeper coach and the physical trainer will be appointed in the coming days by the AUF.
A crazy path
After his first two friendlies already planned, Bielsa will wait for the start of the South American Qualifiers. On September 4 it will receive Chile, in Montevideo and on September 12 it will visit Ecuador.
Uruguay will be the third South American team he will manage after passing through Argentina between 1998 and 1994 and Chile between 2007 and 2011. This is how he participated in two World Cups (Korea-Japan 2002 and South Africa 2010).
In addition to taking the reins of the senior team, Bielsa requested to lead the U23 that will participate in the Pre-Olympic of Venezuela next year with a view to qualifying for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. In that area, the Rosario also has experience since he led the Argentine team that won the gold medal in Athens 2004.
With the arrival of Bielsa to the Uruguay national team, seven of the ten teams in the orbit of Conmebol are led by Argentines. In addition to Lionel Scaloni, Néstor Lorenzo is in charge of Colombia; Fernando Batista, in Venezuela; Gustavo Costas, in Bolivia; Eduardo Berizzo, in Chile, and Guillermo Barros Schelotto, in Paraguay. Only Brazil, Ecuador and Peru remain without Argentine coaches, although the latter two come from having the services of Gustavo Alfaro and Ricardo Gareca.
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