Group 1. The hosts of controversial tournament had no option, but to be controversial. Even more so Argentina – always a favourite, Argentina routinely failed. Now, at home, the expectations were very high – and so fears and criticism. Argentina had to win at last. The grand failure in 1974 called for radical change, which looked promising back then, but became increasingly problematic. Cesar Luis Menotti was appointed to coach the national team – and appointment smelling of politics: the strongman of Huracan David Bracuto and trade unions leader Paulino Niembro backed Menotti – or pulled strings and 'influenced' the Football Federation.
Menotti made strong impression – he made the successful and winning Huracan squad of early 1970s – but there were doubts as well. He was young too – 36 years old in 1974 – and his concepts differed significantly from general opinions, both professional and lay. He did not fit the conventional image of a coach – elegant, slim, long haired, intelligent, El Flaco often quoted writers and intellectuals, something foreign to the football world and therefore suspect. His ever present cigarette was not a problem in the 1970s, but everything else was – he started building a new team, introducing young and little known players and rejecting established stars. Thus, he was under fire all the time – it looked like he was stupidly avoiding the top players. He was opposed by the big clubs too – in 1975 River Plate and Boca Juniors refused to free their players for national team duty, which practically left no choice for Menotti, but to look elsewhere. Argentina did not have to qualify for the World Cup finals, but so far Menotti's squads failed to impress – especially at the 1975 South American Championship. Then the military coup d'etat made the situation surreal – Menotti was well known left winger. There was never real truce between him and the Junta, but he was tolerated to some degree. Yet, he had to keep his mouth shut – half-shut, really – and had to compromise. Political views made work difficult, for there were players not wanting to play for the Junta, or the Junta did not want them in the national team. And there were players Menotti did no want, but the Junta did. How much was football and how much politics is hard to establish – Alonso was considered the best Argentine midfielder at the time, but Menotti did not want him. He was under heavy criticism for preferring inferior players to him – but it was Admiral Lacoste, the CEO of the World Cup organization committee, 'suggesting' to Menotti to include Alonso in the World Cup squad. The Junta was not particularly interested in football, but only in PR – Lacoste's reasons may have not been those of powerful fan, but rather populists, yet, the coach had to bend. But left wing coach and right wing rulers were in one mind about foreign-based players – and against public opinion in that. Menotti wanted only home-based players – those, playing abroad were older, they represented backward habits and failure, and their current form had to be guessed. Menotti wanted to know his player and they to be available at once. Expats were unwanted by the Junta politically: some were known critics of the regime, some even went to play abroad for political reasons, and most of them, even apolitical, had to conform to public opinion in their new countries and to the vocal political exiles. But such motives were irrelevant for Argentine football specialists and fans – they asked constantly why this or that star is out and what kind of a team is a selection of second rate players. At the end, Menotti announced that he wanted only two foreign based players – Mario Kempes, who went to Spain in 1976, and was already Menotti's key player, and Osvaldo Piazza, a star with Saint Etienne at his peak and also perhaps the most modern Argentine defender. Piazza refused to join the national team for family reasons – which may have been really political reasons. Kempes did not refuse. Players left out of Menotti's team brought a lot or wrath, but who can tell what was really going on – Jorge Carrascosa (Huracan), Vicente Pernia (Boca Juniors), and Bochini (Independiente) were considered the top players at their posts, but Menotti excluded them. This affected largely the national team defense: without Piazza, Carrascoza (left back), Pernia (right back), it seemed very weak. Perhaps the absence of 'El Lobo' Carrascosa was not Menotti's fault – The Wolf was the captain of Menotti's Huracan, and the coach clearly preferred players he worked with before, but Carrascosa opposed the Junta and refused to play for her glory. Pernia seemingly was undesirable for the Junta – there was a general or admiral, who had a soft spot for little known at the time Olguin. Menotti gave weird explanation – he left Pernia out, for he was not cheerful fellow. Olguin smiled more. As for Bochini, perhaps his style did not fit Menotti's vision – and may be not only Menotti's, for in his fantastically long and successful career Bochini rarely played for Argentina, and never was really a starter. But this not all: Hugo Gatti was out.
By far the most famous Argentine goalkeeper, he was perhaps too extravagant for the national team. Menotti used him a few times, but not after 1977. The public was outraged, of course, but at least there was another equally strong choice at hand – Fillol. Gatti's style was too much of a risk for the national team, he played for Boca Juniors by 1978, and his character was difficult – Menotti had quite a few good reasons to exclude him (the problems Boca made for him, the possible clash with Fillol over who plays and who sits on the bench, and the tendency of Gatti to rush ahead and play in the field, abandoning his net).
The last player out was Diego Maradona.
17-years old and surrounded by enormous publicity, Maradona already debuted for Argentina. He was invited by Menotti to the long and grueling training camp preparing for the finals. 25 players were selected and three had to be left out – the unlucky ones were Humberto Rafael Bravo, Victor Bottaniz, and teenage Diego. Even then the contrast was sharp, but in retrospect? Bravo, Bottaniz... who were they? Placing Maradona with them was strange, mildly put.
Diego waiting for Menotti's autograph – Maradona was still a kid. Which was Menotti's reason and public explanation. The kid seemingly accepted that and did not make fuss for years – only much later he bitterly protested and blamed Menotti. But years later Menotti was no longer Diego's hero. Anyway, the exclusion of Maradona was criticized at home and even abroad. The decision even looked out of character – Menotti risked so far and suddenly backed into conservatism. Was he afraid? Why he experimented so much then? Even against better judgment? Maradona was already seen as a player with Pele's potential – and Pele was world champion when he was not much older than Diego. However, the realities of football changed a lot since the 1950s – Menotti was quite right: a teenager with only a handful of professional games was hardly ready to face the likes of Beckenbauer and Cruyff (both expected to play at the finals) in 1978. Still, many think – and Maradona most of all – that he had to play in 1978. In defense of Menotti something yet in the future has to be pointed out – Maradona was not ready to concur the world even four years later: he was a big disappointment in 1982.
And so Menotti was under heavy fire, becoming heavier and heavier as the finals were coming closer.
1
MF
Norberto Alonso
4 January 1953 (aged 25)
River Plate
2
MF
Osvaldo Ardiles
3 August 1952 (aged 25)
Huracán
3
GK
Héctor Baley
16 November 1950 (aged 27)
Huracán
4
MF
Daniel Bertoni
14 March 1955 (aged 23)
Independiente
5
GK
Ubaldo Fillol
21 July 1950 (aged 27)
River Plate
6
MF
Américo Gallego
25 April 1955 (aged 23)
Newell's Old Boys
7
DF
Luis Galván
24 February 1948 (aged 30)
Talleres de Córdoba
8
MF
Rubén Galván
7 April 1952 (aged 26)
Independiente
9
MF
René Houseman
19 July 1953 (aged 24)
Huracán
10
FW
Mario Kempes
15 July 1954 (aged 23)
Valencia
11
DF
Daniel Killer
21 December 1949 (aged 28)
Racing Club
12
MF
Omar Larrosa
18 November 1947 (aged 30)
Independiente
13
GK
Ricardo La Volpe
6 February 1952 (aged 26)
San Lorenzo
14
FW
Leopoldo Luque
3 May 1949 (aged 29)
River Plate
15
DF
Jorge Olguín
17 May 1952 (aged 26)
San Lorenzo
16
MF
Oscar Ortiz
8 April 1953 (aged 25)
River Plate
17
MF
Miguel Oviedo
12 October 1950 (aged 27)
Talleres de Córdoba
18
DF
Rubén Pagnanini
31 January 1949 (aged 29)
Independiente
19
DF
Daniel Passarella
25 May 1953 (aged 25)
River Plate
20
DF
Alberto Tarantini
3 December 1955 (aged 22)
Unattached
21
MF
José Daniel Valencia
3 October 1955 (aged 22)
Talleres de Córdoba
22
MF
Ricardo Villa
18 August 1952 (aged 25)
Racing Club
His final selection was probably unconvincing in Argentina, but appeared very strange abroad – it was unknown. Only 4 players remained from the 1974 World Cup squad – Alonso, Kempes, Fillol, and Houseman. Back then only Houseman made some good impression, Fillol was back-up goalie, and Kempes was originally a reserve, becoming a starter because nothing else worked. So much for familiar names. Menotti's squad was young – in any case younger than 1974 one – with only two 30-years old: Larossa and Luis Galvan. Young, yet not so young... those over 25 were almost all of them controversial – if choosing experience at the end, in contrast to previously expressed view, why taking players overwhelmingly considered second rate? Luque, Daniel Killer, Oviedo, Pagnanini... certainly Argentina had bigger names than those. Not a single player from Boca Juniors, which was enjoying great success by now and was arguably the best Argentine team. Gatti out in favour of Baley and La Volpe? What if Fillol failed or injured? And if Menotti favoured Huracan, where were the Huracan players? Larossa suggested favouritism – he already played for Independiente, but he was part of Menotti's Huracan. He was in, but the rest of old Huracan were out: Miguel Brindisi, Jorge Carrascosa, Roque Avallay, Carlos Babington, Alfio Basile. Only three current Huracan players were selected: Houseman, Ardiles, and Baley. The last two – unknown. So, no Huracan-based squad, but not River Plate/Boca Juniors either. And no Independiente-based... but two players from Talleres (Cordoba). And no foreign-based player, according to Menotti – then why Mario Kempes? If going for one, why not for more? And finally – Alberto Tarantini. A player without a current club at all, whose only training was in the national team. So far, there was never a clubless player at the World Cup finals and the reason is painfully obvious: what kind of form someone not playing regularly can have? Nothing can be expected from a guy out of regular football for six months. Strange, controversial squad, which – at least to a foreigner – made sense only in one sense: Argentina had a lot of talent, constantly producing new players, so every selection would be controversial on one hand, and those unknown would be no weaklings. Then again... things can be truly desperate when clubless player is in the squad. At the end, the selection provided for fun – numbers were given in alphabetical order and thus unusual. Goalkeepers Baley and Fillol appeared with, respectively, number 3 and 5. Left winger Bertoni – number 4. Even the star Kempes did not get his usual number, but number 10. It was fun and confusing for the opposition too (since most Argentine players were unknown), but then Alonso had number 1, which looked like clear indication who was the bigger star and the most important player of the team. Something like a declaration that Argentina was determined to be number 1 this year.
