La Brujita broke his month long silence after the World Cup and has come out strong in his criticism of El Diego.
Juan Sebastian Veron in a radio interview:
On his role which left him puzzled:
“One moment he wanted me to be the team’s Xavi. Next you are sitting outside being told you cannot provide him with what he wants. I don’t know what happened. Obviously these things hurt.”
Messi’s position with three strikers:
“I will tell you a thousand times, Messi is not Maradona. He is not accustomed to going to midfield to get the ball. And then run 50 meters with the ball at his feet with all those opposing players in front of him. He is not used to playing in this manner. Everyone who knows him knows he needs a lot of support and sometimes he got it, sometimes he did not. Against Germany he tried doing what he could but it did not come out as planned.”
Javier Mascherano was left by himself to defend:
“The tactical decision to play Angel (Angel Di Maria) and Maxi (Maxi Rodriguez) in a three man midfield left us with a numerical disadvantage. Angel and Maxi are used to playing outside leaving Javier outnumbered in the middle against Germany having to defend against three of them. From a tactical point of view playing Angel and Maxi also meant that both Heinze and Otamendi were forced to defend one on one. After Germany scored, we fought on level terms with desire and individual talent in that half but it was not enough.”
Veron is clear that the next coach has to be picked on coaching merit and not on past accomplishments like being part of the 1978 or 1986 World Cup team.
“The AFA has to be open minded and evaluate people working with the team. It has to be someone top notch.”
Looks like Veron is plumbing for his own Estudiantes coach, Alejandro Sabella to take over the national job. And Maradona loses another influential voice in his corner.