Chelsea goalkeeper Willy Caballero has admitted he would have told Jorge Sampaoli to ‘go f**k himself’ for dropping him during the World Cup, were he not a professional football player.
The Blues number two was referring to Sampaoli’s decision to replace the goalkeeper after his calamitous mistake against Croatia in the World Cup in Russia.
The Chelsea keeper’ was Argentina’s number one for the tournament but a clanger in the group game against Croatia, in which he gifted a goal to striker Ante Rebić the opening goal that led to a 3-0 defeat, saw him dropped for subsequent games.
Argentina qualified for the knockout stages without him but were later beaten by eventual winners France in a 4-3 defeat in Kazan.
Caballero was also left out in that game, with Franco Armani taking his place and he admits had he been a fan, he’d have sent manager Sampaoli to hell for doing that.
“Sampaoli thought it was convenient and he did it, and that’s it. If I were a fan, I would have told him where to go, but I’m not a fan, I live from this and try to respect my teammates. Armani did well to play.
“Making mistakes is part of the game, of the sport, of learning and of life. I made a mistake that day, and it was in the worst-case scenario, but it’s over now, and I can’t help it.
“As much as I say I have the solution to what happened, I’d be lying. Of course, I was ready to play the next game because when you make a mistake, you want to prove it was just a mistake.
“It’s happened to me in my career that coaches decided good or bad to put me in or take me out, and I always assumed that.
“I never asked why. When I came out, I always supported the player who was playing. I hope at some point I’ll be a coach, so I know what it feels like.”
