Friday, May 4, 2007

The fate of La Volpe - Paulita

Football needs villains and Ricardo La Volpe most certainly embodies one of the best ones, or better said, the evilest ones.

Having a target to whom address sporting frustrations in the form of whistling or light verbal abuse, is common, some might even argue healthy for the fan that suffers from pressing nerves. That is assuming the villain lies in the opposite side. Other is the story when the evil wears the very same shirt you adore. Then the villain becomes venomous, intoxicating your pure intentions to stay by your colors no matter what.

That is the case of Ricardo ‘el loco’ Lavolpe. Nobody hates him more than the fans of teams he has worked for, except maybe for many of the footballers he has coached.

Media of course can’t resist such a colorful character and Lavolpe’s first approach is alluring. He will enter any press room confidently, or looking like it, act games with bottles, and offer detailed explanations of moves and tactical decisions. Sport journalists and thorough fans love this exception to the rule of silent coaches reluctant to disclose any information that could actually inform.

The spiky hair, sparser as his defeats mount, the concave moustache, the religious golden pendants leaping out of his flashy attire, the lit cigarette that hides between his fingers, the volatile gestures that he makes during the games, all add to the charm. Until he is somehow contradicted and the jovial aura vanishes. Mexican journalists, as (little) innocent as journalists elsewhere, were told they knew nothing, received insults (Don’t break my balls, fucking idiots) and some got their equipment wet by El Loco. And then, the feud with Hugo Sánchez and Cuauhtémoc Blanco sealed the villainy that resulted in the interrogative ‘Why should we have an Argentine coach?’.

Obsessed with tactics as he is, he finds that saturating players with obligations and endless repetitions of plays is not enough. For the unforeseen events, he wears something red. But destiny rebels and settles the least wanted scenario: Argentina vs Mexico in the world cup. He stays away when the anthems are sang but fate, hostile once again, authorize Maxi Rodriguez’s deadly shot.

His tactical flexibility won him much praise, in his words: ‘Pele and Cruyff told me Mexico was ten times superior to Argentina’. Argentina was not as eulogistic but he gained the respect that he had lacked during the thirty years he spent as coach in Mexican clubs (with one title). A respect that made him the replacement of Alfio Basile at Boca Juniors, after his departure to the national team. The several stories of confrontations with Mexican footballers were muffled by the expectation that this character can arise.

But the stay at Boca was far from thriving. It kicked off with the blown up chance of matching the record of consecutive victories in the league, it followed downhill with the early elimination of the South American Cup (Boca was the last champion with almost the same squad), the 3 – 1 defeat against River and it culminated in a championship shamefully lost in the end. Quivering, Boca had managed to maintain in the league the advantaged obtained with Basile but slowly lost the victor impulse and wasted three opportunities to claim the crown. The functioning of the team had been scrapped, defenders oscillated disoriented between a line of three, four and five, many forwards were thrown on the field so that Boca formed a tangle unable to knit an attack. The playoff was rightfully won by Estudiantes de la Plata and Boca’s fans swallowed their pride together with the newborn venom to applaud the new champions.

La Volpe resigned as he had previously said he would if he lost the title. He then signed for Velez and Velez’s coach (destiny?) signed for Boca.

Several months before it finally happened, La Volpe was asked if he would like Riquelme to come back to Boca. ‘I’d say don’t bring him. Riquelme wouldn’t play in my team’. He later added that football is no longer played with enganches, with tens, and turning to the journalist that refuted his statement: ‘you should stop lying to the people and just retire’.

And venom finally found its way out through an unwelcome chant towards La Volpe when Boca and Velez met last night for the Libertadores Cup at la bombonera. And the non existing Riquelme scored the first goal, followed by a curtain of applause, and also received imperturbable, while organizing the play, the violent mark of Velez. The score was 3 – 0 and the venom, out and forgotten, at least until the next leg.

But La Volpe vows to have the last word. He has said on the sly to be keeping something to himself, something about the lost championship that he will reveal when this season is over, when the work of the villain is ultimately fulfilled.

58 comments:

Unknown said...

One of my favourite World Cup memories of the World Cup is La Volpe looking like a Bond villain.

Stalking the dugout, glaring, plotting, scheming, and you can imagine his dastardly halftime talk.

Glad to see he is continuing in this vein.

"No, Mister Lopez - I expect you to miss!"

http://www.ciudadenlinea.com/images/infonac/lavolpe.jpg

Great work paulita

Anonymous said...

paulita

Inhabiting the South American football desert that is Tasmania I always find your articles informative and highly entertaining. No native English speaker could invent such wonderfully diverse and descriptive language.

And I have an observation to make as a neutral. South American football is far more entertaining and interesting than European football.

Sth Am football is like a tortured artist. Always striving for perfection and yet knowing that it is impossible to achieve.

Euroball well, they still haven't recognised that football is art. They think it is a tool to achieve wealth.

Australia has only taken football seriously for about 4 years. We are keen to follow the South American model. The FFA are talking about offering Pekerman big bucks to replace Gus Hiddink.

They want him to not only coach the national squad but reinvent the youth structure.

What is your opinion of Jose Pekerman?

Anonymous said...

Does La Volpe translate into English as The Fox? If it does it is appropriate. Thanks for the pic Eb. Is that Bugs Bunny on his tie? I also loved his antics in Germany. Was he a goalie when he played? He has that crazy look in his eyes that you see on many a 'keeper. Again Paulita, I loved this article.

Anonymous said...

ebren

when I saw lavolpe on wed night I thought 'oh you (...untranslatable...) villain'.
I immediately knew I didn't come up with the villain bit, then I remembered it was you.

nesta

gracias for your kind words :)

(my language is revised by ebren because I literally invent words)

I'm not as optimistic with the current situation of southamerican football, particularly argentine (the league I know best).
kids are desperate to sign with an european club at an early age and so are their families. there's stil something about it quite magical (if that doesn't sound too stupid) and I wish it will never extinct.
a pity you get none of it, on that boca - velez the faces of boca's fans were so telling, they couldn't applaud riquelme enough.

on pekerman, his work with the under 20 national team of arg has been remarkable. he has won many many trophies, insisting always on fair play and a southamerican style. the footballers he has coached refer to him with high esteem. so if reinventing the youth structure is the job(and that is difficult), he sounds apt for it, though language of course could be more than a barrier in this case.
I was a little disappointed by his work in the world cup, but that's another story.

Anonymous said...

and I wish I could take part of some of the cricket debates but I've never seen a game, not even 10 seconds.

Unknown said...

Paulita - you are too kind. LaVolpe as a villain was simply something that I found funny during the WC. You've made it into something far greater.

And I did very little to your English. Very little indeed.

Anonymous said...

ebren

I have a useless memory, I don't worry about it, it's just the way it is. but on that game, between many of the thoughts that passed through my mind, the image of the villain came to me as the strongest. it made laugh, the image and remembering.

if you count the little you've done with my english in this one, the little in the other and the other, that's well... not that little. but I'm no good with maths either.

Unknown said...

hola paulita - nice one.
do you know about the cross of salt rumour?

i had read about a cross of salt being spotted near the boca dressing room on december 10th - you know, the day pinochet died and we lost?

recently, re-working the estudiantes triumph for a dutch publication, i developed a little theory: if the cross of salt spell worked, then shame to la volpe.

all those years in mexico and the big moustachio are worth nothing if he didn't manage to counteract a simple spell. bah humbug.

and his dissing of the enganche... well. p-lease!!

do you write in spanish?

guitougoal said...

Paulita,
That's a great story, now that you told us about the villain, jose looks like a choir boy.La Volpe would be a perfect manager for Marseille where controversy is part of the daily routine.

Anonymous said...

Funny, he's always struck me as more of a gangsta rapper than a Bond villain...

Paulita, or anyone else who saw the boca-velez game, can you comment on the Sessa-Palacio face-bashing incident? I've only seen that little clip of footage and haven't heard much about the context.

Anonymous said...

I am most intrigued by curses in football.

After playing at the World Cup finals in 1974 the Australian team toured Africa to play some matches. Whilst there a promise was broken and a witchdoctor put a curse on Australian football and he said that the spell would make it impossible for the nation to qualify again.

Sensibly no-one took any notice of this superstition but incredibly the curse proved very powerful.

After 7 consecutive failures mostly at the last agonising hurdle, a local documentary maker and footy nut John Safran went to Africa to find this witchdoctor and have the curse removed.

He found the curse conjurer in rural Zimbabwe and after having himself bathed in chicken blood, his nose pierced with a lion bone and being beaten with sticks by a score of villagers, the curse was said to be removed.

The rest is history. The boys defeated Uruguay, qualified and made it into the second round. They played well and the nation was proud. And we all thanked John Safran for his efforts. He was even presented with a shirt with his name on it by Aussie Gus and made an honorary Socceroo for his efforts.

Beware the football curse. They are very powerful. Ignore them at your peril.

Anonymous said...

Paulita,

great stuff, once again.

I'd love to hear more about the cross of salt curse. Where does it come from, how is it supposed to work and/or be countered?

I remember an anecdote from a long time ago. My memory is blurry and I forgot the details but, like nesta's, it is set in Africa.

Before a game, one of the teams are told that their opponents' with doctor has buried a toad behind their goal (with the appropriate toad curse, of course). They tried to dig it up but could not find it. As a last resort, they elected to have their own with doctor bury another toad behind their opponents' goal.

Final score: 1-1

Anonymous said...

marcela

lavolpe is an amateur, everybody knows how to counter a cross of salt
http://www.jorgeasisdigital.com/v2/motor_textos.php?codigo=477

(offside can you read spanish?)

munni

did you see that from a close angle? almost criminal. sessa has been having misconducts (slapping a teammate during a game, hitting a ball boy, trying to strangle a referee... you get the picture?) but this incident was out of the blue, when he has already controlled the ball, against probably the nicest, lowest key forward in arg.

Anonymous said...

marcela

no, no writing in spanish.
are you writing in spanish these days?

Anonymous said...

Not everybody, paulita.

I don't and I cannot read Spanish. On some days I struggle to understand English!

Can you give us some more info on this curse?
History?
Meaning?
Purpose?
Consequences?
How to counteract it?
Even how to cast it?

It might come in handy against my enemies. I am insatiably curious about 'The Cross of Salt'.

Is it a Christian thing?

We are not superstitious in Tasmania and this is all very intriguing. Please tell.

Anonymous said...

my english isn't good enough to translate but if you are 'insatiably curious':

'in the conflict state of oaxaca it used to appear, always, a a cross of salt. a cross that even in the 1530 surprised hernan cortes (...) the misterious cross emerged in the sand. the credulous locals, to remove the harmful message, went with:
'Cruz, cruz, q se vaya el diablo y aparezca jesus' (cross, cross, let the devil go and appear jesus)
lavolpe (...) instead of insulting, should have eclipsed the spell with another force (...) to call 7 possible harmed and claim 'cruz, zruz, q se vaya el diablo y aparezca jesus'
the power of the cross of salt shouldn't be underestimated, specially when abetted by the mental concentration of an initiate.
(...) it could have been solved with a little wooden cross that each player should have kept in the left pocket before the game. or the resort of the black tourmaline or special chanting in sanskrit'

just to make sure, I've no idea what I'm talking about.

Unknown said...

paulita - that's exactly what i wrote about... because:

pinochet died peacefullly in his own bed without a fair trial. that already set december 10th to be a day in which lack of justice would prevail in a cosmic sense.

i attributed this as a factor for boca's defeat. but the sports desk edited it out of my blog that day.

mortified, i decided to investigate further and stumbled upon the cross of salt theory. "cruz, cruz, que se vaya el diablo y venga jesus". i also found out that something as simple as giving every boca player a small wooden cross could counteract the spell. now, there are managers who need not know this. but la volpe? he had a duty to act and chose instead to stick to nonsense about the demise of the enganche. as far as i'm concerned that makes him a worthless so and so. i don't care if he was third goalkeeper in the beloved 1978 squad, or if he chainsmokes in defiance to the establishment.

so, here's my final assesment of the oaxaca heritage. estudiantes won the championship maybe because pinochet never saw justice, or maybe because of the cross of salt. "undoubtedly, there are some who, blinded by faith, would manage to believe something like tactics and starting line-ups are to blame. whatever the reason, boca lost and estudiantes won".

la volpe, go back to mexico and learn something useful!!

Anonymous said...

marcela

was it 10th december the day of the cross of salt? I see the connection!
why was it edited out???

more on lavolpe's fate

he was said to have brought with him 2 chamanes. obviouslsy a fraud.
the first game of lavolpe in boca, he wore a red tie and a white shirt. big mistake. by the second half the red tie had gone. on the next game he was asked where was the red, he suggested in his underwear.

I don't think they would let him in in mexico. really.

ps: did you see boca - velez?

Anonymous said...

*the day without red, with the tie gone, boca equalised with godoy cruz (by then at the lonely bottom of the league) (0 - 0) and fucked up the possibility to match the record.
maybe we were doomed from the start.

Unknown said...

a red tie?! the guy is so 'desubicado'...

don't know why my pinochet connection was edited out. i was heartbroken, i really was. i remember bluedaddy - i think - posting that he was surprised i had even managed to mention the final score. i hadn't!! that was edited IN, replacing the cosmic justice hypothesis. la di da, eh.

at least we will uncover the true forces which guide football results. the toad burials behind both goals in africa is a gem - it really is.

nesta - no superstitions in tasmania? i'm amazed. not that i know anything about that part of the world but i thought superstition was global.

i've just posted on GU diego-will-not die thread suggesting to eric that he comes in here to talk diego matters. if he does, hope you won't mind. :)

Anonymous said...

Marcela

As the youngest nation on earth we are not weighed down by the burden of history. We have had the luxury of creating our own paradise from scratch. We are mostly a scientific community. And we have taken on Stevie Wonder's wise words.

When you believe in things
that you don't understand
Then you suffer
superstition ain't the way


We are mainly a peaceful, prosperous, curious and practical community. We value truth and understanding. Come visit. Just leave your wooden crosses at home. I'll show you round. You'll be most welcome.

ericverschoor said...

paulita, very nice piece.

As nesta mentioned, native English people usualy find articles written in their language by Spanish native speakers entretaining. I have experienced something similar during my time in the UK. Housemates and friends would laugh their heads of when I translated phrases like "cascoteando el rancho" (stoning their hut) when watching one team outplaying the other and creating one chance after the other. Also we tend to englishise (?) words just by changing their ending (cion to tion / ar,er,ir to ate / etc), the funny thing is that many of these can be found in the OED, for English is very much latin based. They tend to be BIG words which make us sound very posh. Same thing happens the other way around. One of my favourite English words is procrastinate (sound and meaning). Not long ago I found in the RAE that in Spanish we have procrastinar which I had never heard of. Same with oxymoron (E) and oxímoron. Ups...sorry I just wandered away.

Of course I have an opinion about La Volpe, but being this mi first post, I prefer not to stir things up.....somebody might mind ;-)

ericverschoor said...

Regarding supersticion and "magic". I tend to agree with the Dawkins Team. Cant but chuckle at such beliefs.

Having said that...If someone is attracted to the issue, dont forget to look into Dr. Carlos Salvador Bilardo's antics...

Another huge fan of the hidden forces is our National Team Manager Alfio Basile.

pipita said...

Paulita

Very well written piece. Apologies for arriving late to your blog, Im in a cyber in barrancas (como extraño palermo!!!!!!!) because I have no internet at my new home yet. Two things, firstly: did you mean Maxi Rodríguez by any chance, not López??? Second, Im more and more convinced, no matter how arrogant and antipático La Volpe is, that something mysterious happened between him and the Boca players in those last three or four matches of the last Apertura when they blew it in most amazing fashion. I'll see you when I see you......

Anonymous said...

Paulita - here are 10 seconds of cricket:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjhJmZ46Fjw

I enjoyed reading your piece and I know less than nothing about S American football!

Anonymous said...

An interesting articlewith a bit more on witchcraft and African football:
http://football.guardian.co.uk/africannationscup/story/0,5764,647882,00.html

Football is full of more routine superstitions that are so commonplace we barely notice them (eg many players always put on their right boot before their left boot, or carry lucky charms, or cross themselves before running onto the pitch). Obviously those sorts of rituals do not compare with crosses of salt and toads under goalposts, but why don't they? Is it only a matter of degrees?

Nesta: I don't wish to argue with Stevie Wonder, but surely it's much more dangerous to refuse to believe in something, simply because you don't understand it?

Anonymous said...

Don't know why the url got cut off. Trying again:

http://football.guardian.co.uk/africannationscup/ story/0,5764,647882,00.html

Unknown said...

tasmania? what a lovely idea. maybe on the way from/to the tahiti bloggers convention?

eric - thank you for coming over here. i've just seen that the diego-won't-die thread has picked up a bit so i will post something there too. yesterday it seemed less inviting over there.

'cascoteando el rancho' = stoning your hut: very good!!

Anonymous said...

zephirine

i got a bit of drama! maybe it was the slow motion...

pipita

that's exactly why you shouldn't be late!!! someone might think that maxi lopez is capable of a goal like that :)
i blame this:
http://elmassi.blogspot.com/

eric

basile's superstitions tend to be more of the routine kind that munni points out. the slap on the back with chalk powder is really something.
also ramon diaz was wearing the same polo shirt for the games and found out against estudiantes that it didn't work anymore. he went for his classic black shirt but last night, that one failed too. what will be the next lucky outfit?

tell us about your opinion on lavolpe.

Anonymous said...

Even huts get stoned on here!

Unknown said...

gg -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuLML79KqHw&mode=related&search=

ericverschoor said...

Right now I am getting ready to visit Diego Armando Maradona. Has this special magnetism you now... particularly today.

I am putting my thought together regarding Lavolpe. I might sit down and type some words when Im back.

As a preview allow me to state that I believe that the Argentine football scene has been enriched by his presence. Villan or not. I am sure we both agree on that.

Eric

ericverschoor said...

I should clarify that the Diego Armando Maradona I am visiting is the stadium which is named after the former football genius ;-)

Are you going? I am intriged as to how Riquelme is welcomed (or badcomed) by La Paternal. Dont forget he was forged in the "sowing field of the world".

Very small pitch...ideal for some serious hut stoning.

Anonymous said...

Paulita - Thanks for the article. I don't know whether it's too young an exposure to Jorge Luis Borges and / or Kinski's Aguirre
but I always find South American writing hypnotic and otherworldly.

There's a few football curses here too - I'm sure Maine road had one. I find they add to the gaiety of life.

Unknown said...

eric - i hope you do the honourable thing and bring a match report with you on your return from la paternal :)

Anonymous said...

Marcela,
thanks!

Is it raining?

gg

Unknown said...

gg -
this is london.
of course it's raining.

but so long as everybody keeps getting stoned...

Anonymous said...

Zeph: thanks for the Collingwood link - was that the one where the TMS commentator (can't remember who) described him as a leaping salmon?

ericverschoor said...

Speak of “City of God” and everybody knows where to look in an atlas. What about “City of Goals”? I am sure many would put in a shout for that title. Cold numbers show that Buenos Aires has the highest number of League Grounds within it’s limits, bar one (sorry, you’ll have to google it, or guess).

Of course this dosent guarantee you will get a netbashing fest whatever match you decide to attend. Studying this semester’s fixture, I went for a season ticket at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium; recently refurbished and enlarged (2004) home of Argentinos Juniors. River, Racing, Boca and San Lorenzo where due a visit. Wallet health played a part too.

Surely the words “Maradona Stadium” , “refurbished” and "enlarged" got your imagination going. A Great stadium to honour the the Great(est) player. Hold it. Next thing you know a Tsunami will be needed to get you closer to reality. Think of it as an indigent’s Highbury. Small pitch, bang in the middle of a neighborhood.

Yesterday it was Boca Juniors’ turn.

On Saturday night San Lorenzo, top of the heap, 4 points clear of Boca, unexpectedly lost against the “Villan’s” Velez. Boca decided to hand in a full strength teamsheet in what could be a key game in their persuit of the “Double” (League+Libertadores). Argentinos had already harvested 6 points from games againt River and Racing in their allotment-size pitch. Riquelme, part of the last golden batch from the Argentinos quarry, snatched by Boca at 16, would be playing his first game in La Paternal. Omens were good.

Argentinos presented a rigid 4-4-2 a la Graham’s Arsenal. Boca, 4-3-Riquelme-2. It was clear from the start thar Boca would have control of the ball and Argentinos sit back looking to counter attack. Lured by the unusual size of the goal when viewed from half way, Boca started to put people forward indiscriminately and it wasn’t long before Argentinos had 2 clear chances (1 wrongly invalidated score). Boca controlled leather and ground, but appeared to be just a sum of individual efforts. Clearly, the team on the pitch was Argentinos.

Like a bully who doesnt realise it is being outwitted, Boca kept on going forward idea-less, only to find out that Argentinos had fine tuned its finishing and deservedly were two goals up (Choy and Nunez). Both scores were textbook fast breaks: deep middfield ball recovery, short one-touch offload, quick long square pass for a wide open player who would storm down the pitch and cross the ball for the forwards, loosely marked one-on-one by returning defenders. Twice the ball went from boot to hair to nylon. Argentinos’ tactics proved to be spot-on (horrid Boca defending aside). Maybe too successful. 65 minutes still ahead.

Surprisingly it was Argentinos who appeared to be fazed by the unexpected state of the affair. An over-zealous result-preservation instinct kicked in. A robust 4-4-2 turned into a bus-like 6-3-1. With only a lone striker to fear, Boca started the siege. Boca had only managed to muster a string of half chances when their deficit was halved 10 minutes before halftime: it had to be something special. It was. A majestic long range shot, ball crossing the line up there, where spiders web (Cardozo). By half time you couldnt avoid the feeling that everything was set for an epic comeback.

Nothing changed at the start of the second half. Argentinos’s dicipline and efectiveness was a distant memory. Boca placed men wide open on both flanks and its fullbacks resembled well oiled pistons of a powerful V12. Defending was’t bad, but the Law of Probability plays against you when crosses shower. 15 minutes into the half Palermo (B) pounced onto the inevitable missclearance and the game was tied. 30 minutes to go.

The stands drapped in blue and gold were roaring. More so five minutes later when Ibarra (B-rigthback), who has the habit of scoring decisive wondergoals, dribbled past a defender and 25 meters out, launched an unstoppable left foot missile. We all saw it comming. A minute later Pontirolli (A-Gkeeper) saved a free header. Could Argentinos stop the rot?

There was plenty of time left (25 min), but the players in red had the semblance of a convict on death row. It was their manager who triggered a change in attitude when the substituted the man in charge of Riquelme with an offensive midfielder (Cordoba x Ortigoza). The gamble paid off 7 minutes later. From a free kick gained by himself, Cordoba crossed and found the head of Joy...sorry Choy, who placed the ball superbly. 3 red headers, 3 goals.

Still circa 15 minutes left and this game had new life in it. The home team could see that their opponents, despite greater quality, started to show the effects of playing middweek, and accepted the blow for blow proposition. Both teams had now a 4-2-4 shape. Middfield was mere transit area and both sets of fans were chanting their guts out.

Palermo had it once, saved by Pontirolli. Argentinos had it twice, the last one just a whisper wide (another header). Amid frantic tempo last resort defending was king.

In the end it was a tie. There was something for everyone in it. Boca came back from 2 down to shave off at least a point from San Lorenzo’s lead. Argentinos certified once again that its castle has thick walls. I enjoyed 6 nice goals and great entertainment. And Buenos Aires has strengthened its claim to be the “City of Goals”.

Man of the Match: Choy (A). Riquelme? I will have to check in the newspapers if he actually made it to the stadium.

ericverschoor said...

Marcela.....here is your match report.
Sorry for the delay, but I went out with some friends after the game and went straight to bed. Some of us have day jobs, you know? ;-)

I posted it as a comment for I dont am a little embarassed to think it is good enought to send as a proper blog.

I wrote it today while skyving (I believe that is what you call pretending to work while you do any thing but work).

If you have to rip it appart, just go ahead.

Eric

Paulita...Sorry about the Lavolpe opinion. Didnt have time to wirite it down.

Anonymous said...

eric: move over to the tavern. I'm serving there and as long as you don't hate Rob Smyth, you can get a free drink and some of our interesting stew.

pipita said...

Nice one Erin. Enjoyed that. You should have sent it as an article for Pseuds. Im sure Ebren would have been more than glad to screen it. What part of the stadium where you?? Theirs actually a book by Simon Inglis called "Sightlines. A Stadium Odissy" that actually has four chapters dedicated to Buenos Aires football grounds, each one of them entitled "La ciudad de los estadios", really good stuff. Unfortunately I was at the monumental yesterday enduring the very dull River-Indpenediente game and the idiotic fanaticism of fans with no memory or gratitude towards Passarella who was not only jeered but also had things thrown at him, even a radio...Enfuriating for anyone who remembers him as a River player

pipita said...

Apologies didnt mean "Erin" but "Eric" off course

Anonymous said...

wow erin that should satisfy marcela...

my favorite bit of the game was when argentino's fans started singing to the intruder dog 'paaaleeermo paaaleeermo'. the thing is palermo, being a goal machine, is fueled by that sort of chanting wherever it comes from.

newspapers gave riquelme a 5 / 4 / 4.5 and they were generous, a 2 would've been enough.


pipita
did you go to the monumental on sunday? things are getting pretty ugly no?

Anonymous said...

if pipita calls you erin, me too :)

pipita said...

Paulita

You bet...Not the type of game that gives one much enthusiasm to write a piece for Pseuds...De terror!!!!!!! as we say over here
We at River always chant Paleeeermo as well whenever a dog invades the pitch. He's a goal-scoring machine no doubt, but not precisely what one calls an "elegant" striker

Anonymous said...

pipita

san lorenzo - river will be interesting!!

did you whistle at belluschi?

PALERMO is 18th in the list of top scorers in the history, he's going up and you can't stop him!

Anonymous said...

"but not precisely what one calls an "elegant" striker"
------------------------------
As Machiavelli once wrote, A prince need not be loved, it is good enough that he is feared.

Not a precise quote but you get my gist.

Hola pipita, Long time no speak

Hola paulita, long time no speak. We need to thank the gods :)

Hola All.

Anonymous said...

hey purist

I thought you'd be busy celebrating

pipita said...

Hey Speaktruth!!!!!!! What a pleasant surprise. That Machiaveli quote is very pertinent. What have you been up to these last weeks?? Have you been active at the GU blogs lately?? Will we ever get an article from you over here?? You shold try one on why Maradona never joined Barnet, he he he, suppose you remember that

Anonymous said...

Hey Pipita,

Paulita, (Ms Purist:)

I have been around, less on the GU but still involved in the crucial moments {)

Talking to paulita a lot on here, which is great fun.

Its been squeaky bum time, pipita, after all the talk about whose club is bigger better etc .

The past weeks has been about the tension of the ending. The "i cant breathe" as paulita would put it :)

Its been all good and of course the gods gave us a gift yesterday for which we have to be thankful.

Its a victory for us all. Because inspite of our different footballing colours we still believe in one thing. Purists football :)

Paulita

Yeah! celebrating!!

but you know I have a lot of "non-footballing" friends, so they would not understand the spring in my step :))

Great weekend/day etc.

pipita said...

Congrats Speak, I really enjoyed watching Man U this season. Well deserved title. Suppose thats why Paulita is congratulating you, as far as I remember you didnt really supposrt anyone, nes pas?? But being a purist I can understand your "rooted" for them

ericverschoor said...

Pipita...
Maradona will feature in Showmatch today...will you watch it?
Unfortunately I will miss it. Have to walk my hamster at that time

Anonymous said...

Yeah!

I am a converted purist.

For one season only :)

I guess the choices became very clear.

You have sorted all your internet connections??...must be tough losing your voice?..non? and eyes??

pipita said...

Speaky
No far from it. No internet at home yet. Luckily by wedensday I'll have it sorted out. You bet Im on the verge of despair

Eric
Suppose I'll have a look at the dreaded Tinelli programme. Hop Liz Solari is dancing tonight at least.

Paulita

NO way, although Belluschi was paritcularly awful yesterday, I didnt shout any abuse at him. And I was with the carcamanes of the platea San Martín on top of it. Ususally go to the popular

Anonymous said...

w

Unknown said...

thank you, eric.
it was like being there :)

Anonymous said...

speak: a joy to find you here. Move over to the other strand where we are sharing a few drinks, jokes, memories of barmen past. And at some point we may even discuss the reason for us being here.

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