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Comment: Diego Maradona's Messy End Is Classic Grondonismo
Daniel Edwards charts Julio Grondona's thirty years as Argentina's king-maker and breaker...
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Jul 28, 2010 5:38:00 PM
By Daniel Edwards
With the Diego Maradona saga now over, Don Julio Humberto Grondona has now said goodbye to a grand total of seven coaches in his long reign as king of Argentine football. The list includes two World Cup winners, tactical geniuses and football legends, all of whom walked away of their own accord from the Albiceleste bench. You see Don Julio does not stoop so low as to sack a manager- he simply cleans, loads and hands over the revolver so that the victim can dispatch himself.
Grondona has been in charge of the AFA since 1979, and a look at his career demonstrates the corruption, back-dealings and nepotism that so often seeps into Argentine society. Before his presidential stint he founded a club, Arsenal de Sarandi, and to this day the tiny, unpopular outfit persists in the Primera Division despite home gates that regularly dip below 1000, under the command of ‘Humbertito’ Grondona, Julio’s son. Away fans greet every favourable decision that falls Arsenal’s way with a familiar accusation, that Grondona Sr. has a vested interest in seeing his baby continue.
He then passed to the presidency of Avellaneda club Independiente, of whom he is a fan, spending three years in the boardroom there after a 20 year stint in Arsenal. Again, Los Rojos are yet another club who fans are quick to point the finger at when the breaks go their way.
It is as the ‘benevolent dictator’ in the AFA however that Grondona has grown to be equally loathed and feared by the Argentine public. He wields a national power unmatched in possibly any other major football federation. It was he that took the lead in negotiating television rights with the national government, and his federation that portions out what in effect is the lifeblood of all Primera clubs, the difference between success and bankruptcy.
Grondona also likes to protect the big boys of Argentine football, making sure clubs such as River, Boca and of course Independiente are not unduly affected by trifling matters such as relegation or insolvency. This was demonstrated in 1983, when the relegation system was changed to a three-year average which hurts newly-promoted and little clubs. The year coincidentally followed the first ever relegation of one of the ‘big five’, San Lorenzo. Currently struggling River Plate are the latest to benefit from Don Julio’s benevolence; the club is reported to have received an advance of $20 million on their TV rights money, just at the right time to reinforce and avoid a relegation fight.
So how does Grondona ease the failed coaches out of the door in order to bring in new favourites? With Maradona it was relatively simple. If there is one thing ‘El Diego’ cannot stand it is telling him what to do and who to do it with; Grondona insisting that seven of his backroom staff had to go was a red rag to a bull. Marcelo Bielsa on the other hand survived the wrath of Don Julio even after a first round exit in 2002; he fell on his sword two years later however looking withered and broken, telling the world it was incessant pressure from the media that forced him out.
World Cup winner Cesar Menotti was yet another who was ushered out the door without being shown it. “He’s telling me to stay while throwing me out," was the coach’s thoughts in a meeting identical to that of Diego’s in 1982, when he was offered a contract extension but with a ridiculous 50% pay cut thrown in. Despite unparalleled success with Boca Juniors and two Copa America titles Alfio Basile was in fact obliged to leave the Albiceleste twice, without Don Julio ever having to fire him.
So far the identity of the new Argentina manager remains a blank, but Estudiantes’ Alex Sabella is among the front-runners along with the more risky option of Diego Simeone. What you can guarantee however is that alongside the nervous coach will be the smirking, wizened face of 78-year-old Don Julio; and if it goes sour, he will probably still be there to give the incumbent a firm shove towards the exit.
Grondona has been in charge of the AFA since 1979, and a look at his career demonstrates the corruption, back-dealings and nepotism that so often seeps into Argentine society. Before his presidential stint he founded a club, Arsenal de Sarandi, and to this day the tiny, unpopular outfit persists in the Primera Division despite home gates that regularly dip below 1000, under the command of ‘Humbertito’ Grondona, Julio’s son. Away fans greet every favourable decision that falls Arsenal’s way with a familiar accusation, that Grondona Sr. has a vested interest in seeing his baby continue.
He then passed to the presidency of Avellaneda club Independiente, of whom he is a fan, spending three years in the boardroom there after a 20 year stint in Arsenal. Again, Los Rojos are yet another club who fans are quick to point the finger at when the breaks go their way.
It is as the ‘benevolent dictator’ in the AFA however that Grondona has grown to be equally loathed and feared by the Argentine public. He wields a national power unmatched in possibly any other major football federation. It was he that took the lead in negotiating television rights with the national government, and his federation that portions out what in effect is the lifeblood of all Primera clubs, the difference between success and bankruptcy.
Grondona also likes to protect the big boys of Argentine football, making sure clubs such as River, Boca and of course Independiente are not unduly affected by trifling matters such as relegation or insolvency. This was demonstrated in 1983, when the relegation system was changed to a three-year average which hurts newly-promoted and little clubs. The year coincidentally followed the first ever relegation of one of the ‘big five’, San Lorenzo. Currently struggling River Plate are the latest to benefit from Don Julio’s benevolence; the club is reported to have received an advance of $20 million on their TV rights money, just at the right time to reinforce and avoid a relegation fight.
So how does Grondona ease the failed coaches out of the door in order to bring in new favourites? With Maradona it was relatively simple. If there is one thing ‘El Diego’ cannot stand it is telling him what to do and who to do it with; Grondona insisting that seven of his backroom staff had to go was a red rag to a bull. Marcelo Bielsa on the other hand survived the wrath of Don Julio even after a first round exit in 2002; he fell on his sword two years later however looking withered and broken, telling the world it was incessant pressure from the media that forced him out.
World Cup winner Cesar Menotti was yet another who was ushered out the door without being shown it. “He’s telling me to stay while throwing me out," was the coach’s thoughts in a meeting identical to that of Diego’s in 1982, when he was offered a contract extension but with a ridiculous 50% pay cut thrown in. Despite unparalleled success with Boca Juniors and two Copa America titles Alfio Basile was in fact obliged to leave the Albiceleste twice, without Don Julio ever having to fire him.
So far the identity of the new Argentina manager remains a blank, but Estudiantes’ Alex Sabella is among the front-runners along with the more risky option of Diego Simeone. What you can guarantee however is that alongside the nervous coach will be the smirking, wizened face of 78-year-old Don Julio; and if it goes sour, he will probably still be there to give the incumbent a firm shove towards the exit.
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