Working in football media, there’s always a chance that an opinion will come back to bite you on the backside and for Sebastián Vignolo that moment is this week as he faces criticism for an about turn regarding Brighton & Hove Albion’s Alexis Mac Allister.
The Brighton star has been shining at the World Cup with Argentina this week, scoring the opening goal in the win over Poland that put his side top of Group C and secured their place in the knockout stages.
His performance in that game earned him plenty of praise in his homeland and went a long way to putting the Brighton man, who is one of the lesser-known players in the current squad, on the map.
One of those who were full of praise was Vignolo, explains A24, who say he was ‘celebrating and praising’ the midfielder after his performance.
That caused a little bit of confusion among those who know Vignolo well and can remember him being less than favourable about the Brighton man in the past.
As A24 explain, two years ago when Mac Allister left Boca Juniors to join Brighton, Vignolo was quick to commit himself to a ‘harsh editorial’ that ‘trashed’ the player.
“Mac Allister was right or Mac Allister was wrong?” he is quoted as saying.
“Was he right to go to Brainton (sic), to Brighton, which I can’t even name? The truth is, with all due respect, he doesn’t compete with Boca. He doesn’t compete with Boca.
“I think that the first time Mac Allister goes out on the pitch he’s going to say: ‘Is this it?’ Now, guys: Does money do everything? Does money have to manage your movements?
“Is money, emotionally, what makes a human being happy? Or do you often have to put it aside and say ‘no, this makes me happy’? To be cheered on, to be encouraged, this makes me happy.”
Now, though, his tune has changed, with him a firm fan of the Brighton man and willing to publicly praise him after his latest display.
Social media refuses to forget, though, and after Vignolo celebrated the win, his followers ‘questioned him’ and brought his previous comments to light.
In their eyes, it stinks of rank hypocrisy and they’re not willing to let Vignolo get away with it as Mac Allister earns a name for himself in Qatar.
