How we got here (part 2 - the writing is on the wall)

Day 3 already, lordy! I’ll get a bit more ‘real time’ in the next few days (friendly against Haiti in early hours of Thursday GMT) so you’ll actually feel like Diego is as necessary as oxygen (trust me), but get yourself comfortable as we’re still in history lesson mode at present................are you chewing gum, reader?

Comments always welcome (I think you click the red comments link at the bottom of each post) and there are other things on the left hand side here that I won’t even try to understand.

Anyway where were we? Oh yes, Ecuador. At home. Piece of piss.

But it wasn’t. And so began a theme for Argentina in the coming qualifiers.

Having not lost a home qualifier since 1993, Basile’s side laboured their way to a 1-1 draw, and needed a 93^rd minute Rodrigo Palacio strike to secure a point to the complete disgust of Ecuadorian coach Sixto Vizuete, who felt that the additional fortnight that referee Réné Ortubé deemed necessary worked in Argentina’s favour. It seemed a reasonable view. Having seen a settled backline of Heinze, Burdisso, DeMichelis and Zanetti effectively ink their names onto the team sheet for each game for a lifetime; Argentinean fans were given a clear indication of how age can catch up with players. Ecuador’s Joffre Guerron and Carlos Tenerio providing the ageing rearguard with what can only be described as a bit of a run-around.

While this would normally be a bad time to face your arch rivals, Argentina headed to Belo Horizonte three days later to face a Brazil side with their own problems. Having lost 2-0 to Paraguay, Brazilian coach Dunga was ably fulfilling the pantomime villain role for a nation. In the event though, Argentina comprehensively outplayed their hosts and were unlucky to leave with only a point after a 0-0 draw. Roman Riquelme strutted like a peacock while Leo Messi repeatedly taunted the Brazilian back four like a dwarf matador.

Huge in Mexico, apparently

A 3 month break elapsed before Argentina took to the field again, this time in a home qualifier against group leaders Paraguay. Current Benfica golden boy Angel di Maria was selected to provide attacking vigour to Basille’s side, but it was Carlos Tevez making headlines again for the wrong reasons with a 31^st minute dismissal for a repeated loss of marbles. Pegged back for long periods in the first half, Argentina played some excellent football in the second, with Sergio Aguero scoring a deserved equalizer, but failure to capitalize on home soil was turning into a habit.

A draw away to rank outsiders Peru meant that a winless run now stretched back 6 games and Basile’s superstar laden side were looking anything but convincing. A niggly 2-1 win over Uruguay failed to win over supporters, and by the time Argentina had crashed to a disjointed 1-0 defeat at Chile the writing for coach Basile was clearly on the wall. And most likely the toilet door as well.

So as chairman of the Argentinean FA you clearly have a decision to make. Basille has to go before this campaign goes completely and utterly tits up. But where can you turn? Clearly somewhere in deepest Buenos Aires, just as in Gotham City, there is a red telephone that can only be used at specific times......