Argentine manager Claudio Borghi has given a long interview to Infobae this weekend. The 54-year-old has spoken about his entire career, especially the controversial parts of it.
Borghi has managed the Chilean national team between 2011 and 2012, having replaced Marcelo Bielsa. Even though they haven’t met in this process, he’s made it pretty clear that he has some hard feelings for the Leeds United boss.
“On the one hand he generates a lot of admiration, a lot of empathy. And on the other hand he generates some rejection, some discomfort,” Borghi told Infobae.
“For the forms, for the ways he sometimes has to address people. Or this story of the spy, the goal that he gives back… I haven’t gotten to know him, nor have I greeted him. When I was at Colo Colo I contributed with many players to the national team. Let’s see: you come to a country and there are colleagues who bring you players.”
Asked if it means that Bielsa hasn’t contacted the managers of such players, Borghi said: “With none, with anyone. It did not happen.”
Borghi has also made some heavy criticism about the time when Bielsa left Chile. He says that when he took the job, there was no information about the squad.
“This is what any company has to do: you can’t take away all your work, because we pay you to do it. No, nothing. I knew them all, but… It’s good for the medical and physical part, at least, to have some reports, a historical record to understand how things are and take my precautions.”
Regarding the episode when Leeds let Aston Villa score a goal, Borghi said: “That should be asked to the players, who are the ones who make the effort. Unless it’s something too obvious … But I don’t know.”
Finally, Borghi had a lot to say about the spy-gate. He ended up mixing the subject with the issues of a manager who’s looking to learn.
“I don’t know what allows you the spying. I can understand in politics that the Russians want to know what the Americans are doing, or the Chileans see the Argentines in the south, the waters, the eternal ice… But in football?
“I give you an example: I ask in Argentina who is the one who trains well, and they tell me that it’s Gallardo. And I wonder, Gallardo will let me go to see a training, let me learn, let me draw conclusions? And I’m unfair! Because I don’t know Gallardo. But I have to learn, I need to learn every day.
“When you work in football, in general you see your team and the next rival. When you aren’t working in football you see much more. And if you’re going to watch a training, they’ll take you as a vulture that is looking for a job. So, how do I learn? If when I have work or I have time to see other teams, and when I don’t have it, I can’t. How do I do it?”
Maybe he could ask Bielsa if there’s a chance of watching Leeds United sessions.
