Wired868 Wired868 for smart sport news and opinion
Soca Warriors captain Kenwyne Jones will be guided from the sidelines next season by a man whose last centre forward was Argentine sensation and global superstar Lionel Messi.
New United States Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise, Atlanta United, announced today that former Argentina and Barcelona coach, Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino, will head their technical staff next year for their inaugural competitive season.
(Copyright EPA)
Martino steered Argentina to two successive Copa America finals in 2015 and 2016 but lost on penalties to Chile in both games. His record as national coach comprised 19 wins, seven draws and three losses.
He quit in July over what he referred to as “serious problems” with the Argentinian FA, which was under a normalisation committee at the time.
Martino coached Messi at Barcelona as well, where he led them to second place in La Liga in 2013-14, while he steered Paraguay to the 2010 World Cup quarterfinals and took Newell’s Old Boys to the 2013 Copa Libertadores semifinal.
Atlanta, which sold an expansion team record 22,000 season tickets for their debut season, are thrilled to have secured Tata.
“We are delighted that a manager of Gerardo’s caliber and pedigree will be leading our team into our inaugural season,” said Atlanta United president Darren Eales. “His deep experience and success at both the club and international levels speak for itself, and his vision and approach aligns very well with our club philosophy.
“We’re confident in his ability to help build a winning culture both on and off the pitch.”
(Courtesy Chevaughn Christopher/Wired868
Martino will now be expected to help the club fill its roster, which has just seven players at present. Jones, who is on loan at local Pro League team, Central FC, is far and away Atlanta’s most experienced player and the only squad member with more than a handful of senior international caps.
Jones is due to join Atlanta for pre-season training on 1 January 2017. And he cannot wait to meet his new coach.
“I’m really happy that Martino has made the decision to join us at Atlanta United,” said Jones, via his publicist. “He’s played at all levels of football, he’s led Argentina to the top spot in the FIFA World Ranking, and he’s been at the coaching helm for one of the biggest clubs in the world, FC Barcelona.
“He is a leader in every sense of the word, and I respect him a lot.”
The former England Premier League forward with Southampton, Sunderland, Stoke City and Cardiff City said he is more anxious than ever to suit up for his new MLS employers, Atlanta.
“Definitely, it’s a good look because it shows that the club is out to make a big impact,” said Jones. “I’m excited to join camp next year, management is making historic moves, and the Atlanta United fans should be looking forward to great times for the 2017 season.”
Outgoing Trinidad and Tobago Men’s National Senior Team head coach Angus Eve had another 17 months left on his contract Read more
St Benedict’s College coach Randolph ‘Balo’ Boyce has been selected as the Trinidad and Tobago Men’s National Under-20 Team head Read more
It has to be some sort of record. One goalkeeper, two divisions, two penalty shootout wins and two zonal titles Read more
Fatima College dusted off the disappointment of their Big 4 Premier Division Final loss to St Benedict’s College with a Read more
Feed Faustin and he will score! That was the apparent game plan for Trinity College East as they faced QRC Read more
“Everything he said in the media is a lie!” Natalie Griffith, the mother of 20-year-old Trinidad and Tobago football star Read more
Lolll???
Wdf ?
..Just realized I in the wrong thread. LOL..
..But, to be fair, congratulations to Central FC on their new sponsorship deal. THAT is the way it should be done…
What’s the value of their deal?
..No idea. But that’s not my point, which IS that clubs need to bring sponsorship monies in and the State needs to stop bank rolling the TTPL – particularly when the general population is increasingly under economic and financial pressure and we about to be hit in the gut with another austerity budget..
But that’s another issue though. Nice that they got something. Congrats for that. But it is funny when the media writes on deals with no info.
“Maritime gave us something and we are not going to tell you what it is… Yipee.” Lol.
.I hear that..
Yeah congratulations to them eh and I am really hoping that the ex corrupted sports minister really stop his madness so that the new sponsor can stay around for a long time eh and not depart from them the same as the Bankers Trust and SIS eh . Them really good yes
taking that job come like you was training thorough breeds horses and the owner demote you 2 train the donkeys and rake up the horse shit
Brand new franchise that they pumping money into in a city like Atlanta ….in a growing sport market involving Arthur Blanc ….. yuh talking rubbish …this new team is ah big deal in atlanta …brand new stadium all kinda ting. Any involvement in this is potentially a very profitable one.
boss you are the 1 talking shit you don’t go from coaching barca and arg to msl and expect to be on the same level
Barcelona is arguably the best team in the world. I’m saying that this franchise in terms of the investment being pumped into it in atlanta is historic. Nobody expects Barcelona Einstein (in the f****** MLS?). But maybe he knows a lil more than you think you do in terms of a challenging new project …kinda premature for you to compare the project to shit just because you don’t know shit about it.
I was saying that tata going from coaching messi and arg to kj was similiar to raking up horse shit
Lol you really like your KJ don’t you? lol
yeah lol
man now get a quality player in the locker
He just keeps going up in his career yes
..I talking about TATA..LOL..
Allyuh men really cynical ayah …. give yuh countryman a lil luv nah …jeezuweez
Mr. Bound not to score won’t be lasting two seasons eh who wants to bet. Them really good yes
..Marketing..
Santa claus more real than that
But wait…them hire players before coach ?
I thought was only West Indies and Caribbean sports that happens…Kenwyne days numbered there oui
Looks like a major step down – not just in team quality but also he must have taken a major pay cut
Brian, I think they would have offered him a tidy sum. But it’s the prestige and recognition that attracted him. No one in Argentina is taking him on but in the US he is well respected and admired. I wish him well … I think. 🙂
For me, it’s a step down too. But his reputation commands immediate respect which can help them recruit players and set a professional tone from the start.
They would surely have paid him to suit. Tata would easily have clubs lining up to give him in excess of US$2 million a year. Easy.
I don’t think he would’ve taken a pay cut.
Okay.
That’s an extremely high salary for MLS. I know three coaches in the MLS and one has won the title one time , one has been runner up and another was a part of the USA development program. Neither of the three make close to that
Even so $2 million is small for a coach of his caliber
The MLS have outbid European clubs for players. They can pay a big salary for a coach if they want to, even if it makes him the best paid coach in the league.
I think it should really help their player recruitment.
Yes it was a clear strategy to get some top flight players to come as a draw. The results are still out for the jury. They’ve gotten players a bit past their prime so not sure about outbidding. Of course the European clubs will pay a lot less for a player considered on the other side of up whereas such a player will fit with the USA clubs so yes they were willing to pay more. Let’s see
Clint Dempsey actually turned down a move to Liverpool to play in the MLS. AC Milan wanted to keep Beckham too and found that he was earning too much in the US.
MLS has the money now and a model that allows them to pay a player $3,000 a month to cross the ball for a $250,000 a month player to score.
Agree to that.
That Dempsey move was also scrapped when Henderson didn’t want to switch to Fulham as part of the deal. I’m glad we didnt get that idiot, din’t mind getting Dembele though.
He was a Tottenham player at the time of the move to the US actually. But I always am a Dembele fan.
yeah that was the same summer he end up signing for Spurs. Strange turn of events with Fulham refusing to sell to us since we had tapped him up or something so lol.
Imagine Dembele instead of Henderson in that Liverpool midfield eh lol.
Lasana Liburd only reason MLS outbid European clubs is because European clubs won’t pay ridiculous money for mediocre players.. Unless you’re Chelsea or Liverpool. Haha
Hope he have ah tight drawers.
Yeah the same Mr Live Wire who said some time ago that it will be a disrespect for my Trini foreign base Coach Hart to go and see the Trini player in England who was playing in the second division eh so where is our very own Levi Garcia playing now eh not in the same second division eh Them really good yes hahaha
Ahmmm. No. Levi Garcia is a top flight player. And I have no problem with us scouting a second division player.
The guy you were talking about was playing in the Conference which is largely semi pro. My national coach will have to use his own money if he wants to fly to England to scout semi pro games!
Well he didn’t even had to travel the TTFA just needed to have tryouts in our sweet country and I am positively certain that our foreign base players will get there to be seen .
Earl Mango Pierre Mr. Live wire or armchair journalist ???
But doh hut up alyuh heads eh not only I will be returning to our sweet country with the videos of the greatest player in the universe eh to show Mr Live Wire and all other Argentina critics eh I am also bringing a prolific goalscoring video for Mr Bound not to score eh and if after he sees this video eh he should be on like boil corn eh hahahaha
..Yuh cyah win nutten wit a coach name TATA. Lasana. Ah tired tell yuh dat. LOL..
Hahaha…Keith…you are something else…
Not on penalties anyway.
Lol
Earl Mango Pierre you said it best ☺
What madness am I reading here eh so this new professional team in the America contracted Mr Bound not to score eh and is now hiring a real professional Coach from a real professional league eh, well I guess he will also be recruiting a real prolific goalscorer eh Them really good yes hahahaha
They sign KJ to play defence
Hahaha ok then
He only works with big players clearly
🙂
steups, god bless Martino
He would have never moved to MLS if things were running smoothly – at least by his standards – back at home. Waiting until the adjustment period is over to see how this collaboration unfolds.
Yeah boi… we taking that. Interesting to see our style of play considering the coach and our lead striker. We have to sign some additional talent. Word is we trying to acquire Guadardo so we will see.
Well, I’m sure a team that makes these kind of investments will have a contingency plan for if Kenwyne doesn’t deliver.
So he’d best turn up to pre-season in shape and ready to work.
I’ll take a guadardo anyday … nice midfielder!!
Brent Bennett, allyuh get a big coach!
Tata finally coaching a real striker. 😀
That’s why I saying. He can use the experience of the little fellah to help him with the big man in the business! 🙂
Riiiiight 🙂
..Double whammy. Them dead. LOL..
I am not surprised by much, but this makes little sense. Matching an Argentine coach with KJ sounds a little like a gimic.. Waiting to see end product though..
They need a big coach to handle a big player.
The roster isn’t full yet. Who’s to say he won’t sign a bunch of artsy players now?
He really has little choice..
The MLS is not the most player friendly place at the best of times. I’m sure Kenwyne will have to deliver to keep his spot.
I am going to be paying attention for sure
Kenwyne should give Messi a call to find out what Tata is like! 🙂
..Hahahahahaha. Them dead in the water from the git go..
Hahaha. Don’t try that. The man might transform Kenwyne Jones into Gonzalo Higuain… I’m hoping that’s actually a good thing. Lol.
Anything other than a KJ is a good thing eh….