Аргентины шигшээ багийн дасгалжуулагч Лионель Скалони 2006 онд Вест Хэмийн бүрэлдэхүүнд байхдаа гаргасан алдаа нь түүнийг өнөөдрийн өндөр амжилтад хүрэхэд нөлөөлсөн гэж үзэж байна.
Аргентины шигшээ багийн дасгалжуулагч Лионель Скалони 2006 оны ФА цомын шигшээ тоглолтод Ливерпүүлийн эсрэг гаргасан алдааныхаа улмаас багийнхаа ялалтыг үгүй хийсэн нь түүний хувьд хүндхэн дурсамж болон үлджээ. Тухайн үед тэрээр тоглолтын төгсгөлд бөмбөгийг алдаатай холдуулснаар Стивен Жеррардын тэнцээний гоолыг оруулах боломжийг олгож, улмаар Вест Хэм торгуулийн цохилтоор хожигдсон юм. Гэвч энэхүү сэтгэл зүйн хүнд үе нь түүнийг хөлбөмбөгийн дасгалжуулагчийн замналд илүү туршлагатай, ухаалаг нэгэн болоход нь тусалсан гэдгийг хуучин багийнхан нь онцолсон байна.
Дасгалжуулагчийн хувьд 2018 оноос хойш Аргентиныг удирдаж буй Скалони 2022 онд дэлхийн аварга цолыг хүртэж, 2024 онд Копа Америка тэмцээнд дахин түрүүлснээр түүхэн амжилтын эзэн болсон. Түүний удирдсан Аргентин одоогийн байдлаар 13 дараалсан хожилтой, дэлхийн аваргын цомоо хамгаалахаар Атлантад Английн эсрэг хагас шигшээ тоглолтод бэлтгэж байна. Ялангуяа Египет, Швейцарын эсрэг хийсэн тоглолтуудад Скалони сэлгээний тоглогчдыг оновчтой ашиглаж, багийнхаа сэтгэл зүйг өндөр түвшинд барьж чадсан нь Арсен Венгер зэрэг мэргэжилтнүүдээс өндөр үнэлгээ авсан юм.
Скалони өөрөө энэ талаар сэтгэл хөдлөлөө нуулгүйгээр, багийнхаа төлөө зовж, баярлах нь дасгалжуулагчийн ажлын салшгүй хэсэг гэдгийг илэрхийлжээ. Тэрээр 2006 оны тэрхүү гашуун туршлагаас хойш хөлбөмбөгийн талбарт дахин хөл тавих хүсэлгүй болж байсан ч, өдгөө дэлхийн шилдэг дасгалжуулагчдын нэг болон төлөвшсөн байна. Вест Хэмийн хуучин тоглогчид түүнийг хувийн зан чанар сайтай, ухаалаг тоглогч байсныг дурсахын зэрэгцээ, түүнийг өнөөгийн амжилтад хүрсэнд гайхах зүйлгүй гэдгээ илэрхийлжээ.
Дэлгэрэнгүй эх сурвалжийг харах
Эх сурвалжийг нээх ↓
A version of this article was first published on December 16, 2022
To the casual eye, Argentina’s World Cup semi-final showdown against England has little direct connection to West Ham United — until you realise who will be standing opposite Thomas Tuchel on the touchline.
Lionel Scaloni, who is aiming to lead Argentina to their second World Cup triumph under his tutelage, made 13 appearances for West Ham in 2006. Twenty years later, Scaloni has come a long way since his error cost the club silverware in the 2006 FA Cup final against Liverpool.
“In the final I made a mistake that I don’t know was so serious, but it led to Gerrard’s equalizer — he struck it from 40-odd meters. An incredible goal. And that meant I didn’t stay at the club,” Scaloni said on the eve of the game with England.
“It changed my life forever and for the better because that’s where I met my wife, That’s fate. West Ham’s staff my not remember me very well either because my head was elsewhere.”
To some in east London, the 48-year-old will always be remembered for his erratic clearance that led to Steven Gerrard levelling things up at 3-3 at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff (West Ham were then beaten on penalties). But to those in Argentina, he is the man who has restored their winning tradition.
Scaloni, who guided his nation to World Cup glory in 2022, has spearheaded Argentina’s success since succeeding Jorge Sampaoli as manager in 2018. Three years after his appointment, the ex-West Ham defender also led Argentina to their first Copa America since 1993. In 2024, they retained their title following an extra-time victory against Colombia.
Ahead of today’s semi-final encounter with England in Atlanta, Scaloni’s side are on a 13-game winning streak. Their last defeat was against Ecuador in a World Cup qualifier in September. Following victories against Cape Verde, Egypt and Switzerland, Argentina are two wins away from becoming the first country since Brazil in 1962 to win back-to-back World Cups.
Scaloni’s side continue to show great resilience. They scored three goals in 13 minutes to seal a dramatic 3-2 win against Egypt in the round of 16. Scaloni, also known as the crybaby coach, could not hide his emotions afterwards.
“What we have done today is as good as anything we have achieved in the past with this team,” he said in a press conference directly after he had become visibly emotional in an on-field television interview. “I cried because I am very emotional but it is true that this team will never abandon the Argentine people. I suffered as much as any fan but that is why I am a coach; to love through these moments and that’s what I talk about with my coaching staff. For all of us who play football, these emotions are incredible.”
They showed fighting spirit again in their 3-1 quarter-final win against Switzerland after extra time. Scaloni was hailed for his substitutions during the game by a former Premier League-winning manager.
“As someone who understands coaching, who has been on the touchline for many years, I can tell you — what he did tonight is not normal. It is exceptional,” said ex-Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger. “The substitutions were absolutely brilliant. To bring on Thiago Almada and Lautaro Martinez (in the 91st and 85th minute respectively) at that stage of the game, while keeping Julian Alvarez on the pitch: that is a decision full of courage and clarity.
“That is what top-level coaching is about. Argentina did not just win because of talent. They won because their coach was one step ahead.”
Although Scaloni continues to receive acclaim, he has not always been so revered.
“Lionel Scaloni was so emotional (after the FA Cup final) he cried after the game. I didn’t have much sympathy for him because he cost us a winner’s medal.” I looked at him and thought, ‘Of course, you should be crying’,” Jimmy Walker tells The Athletic. “We were so close. Honestly, what was he thinking? All he had to do was kick the ball into row Z. He didn’t know about row Z before the game, but he certainly knew about it on the plane ride after!”
Walker, the former West Ham goalkeeper, was on the substitutes’ bench when his team-mates were four minutes away from beating Liverpool in Cardiff 20 years ago. West Ham were on the verge of winning their first trophy in 26 years.
They were leading 3-2 and 88:46 was on the clock whenScaloni kicked the ball out near West Ham’s corner flag so Djibril Cisse could receive treatment for a cramp in his left leg. But Scaloni’s sporting gesture had huge repercussions.
Dietmar Hamann took the throw-in and returned the ball to Scaloni, who cleared the ball into the middle of the field. Gerrard controlled the clearance and passed to John Arne Riise, whose cross was headed away by Danny Gabbidon. Gerrard latched onto the loose ball and equalised with a brilliant long-range strike past Shaka Hislop.
The final went to extra time and West Ham lost to Liverpool on penalties.
“It was tough for all of us,” says Walker. “If Lionel lets it run out for a goal kick, Shaka takes his time, a bit more time-wasting from the others, then the game is finished. That’s how close we were. I think Lionel panicked a little bit and the rest is hurtful history.
“I refuse to watch the game back. It’s still fresh in my mind. When I see Lionel on TV, all the memories come flooding back like: ‘That damn Lionel cost us a winner’s medal’. Then I wonder if I would’ve saved Steven Gerrard’s shot if I played. It’s all what-ifs but the not knowing is the killer. I’d love to know if that game against Liverpool changed Lionel for the better.”
It so happens that Scaloni has never forgotten that unforgiving day in Wales.
“The world came crashing down on me,” Scaloni said about the FA Cup final, speaking before the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. “I lost an FA Cup. It was partly my fault because I didn’t clear well, and my life changed. West Ham don’t want to sign me and I returned to Spain. That night, after the FA Cup final, it was like I didn’t want to play football anymore.”
On deadline day in January 2006, Scaloni joined West Ham on loan from Spanish side Deportivo La Coruna. The full-back was brought in as a replacement for Tomas Repka, who joined Sparta Prague for family reasons.
“Lionel is strong and aggressive, and I am sure our fans will enjoy seeing him play,” said then-manager Alan Pardew. “Initially, I didn’t want to take anybody on loan, but when the opportunity arose to sign a player of this quality, I simply couldn’t turn it down. Hopefully, it will be a success for us and a success for him, and it is something that may turn into a long-term deal if all goes well.”
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Scaloni made his debut in the 2-0 home win againstSunderland. He started 17 of West Ham’s final 19 matches in 2005-06 and was popular in the dressing room.
“It’s a somewhat strange chapter, because I went there thinking about playing the World Cup with Argentina,” said Scaloni at his pre-England press conference. “West Ham gave me the chance to play right-back, which is what José (Pekerman) wanted so I could go to the World Cup. I played every match with Alan as coach, but in the last match I made a mistake in real life.”
“He came in and we didn’t know too much about him, but he was a bubbly character,” says former West Ham midfielder Hayden Mullins. “He was part of the group and a good guy. Ever since he became manager of Argentina, I’ve kept track of how he’s done but I could never have imagined him becoming a manager. He was never one that would ask loads of questions, mainly due to the language barrier, but what he’s gone on to achieve is amazing.
“I’ve been watching the World Cup with my boys and whenever we watch Argentina, I tell them: ‘I used to play with Lionel Scaloni’, and they say: ‘Yes, Dad, you’ve told us already’. It would be good to see him again because I haven’t seen him since the cup final.”
Mullins, who missed the final through suspension, does not believe Scaloni was at fault for the defeat.
“He gets tarnished with losing us that game, which is harsh,” he says. “His clearance didn’t go far enough but I wouldn’t say it was all down to him. Unfortunately, the ball eventually fell to the best player in thePremier League at the time, Gerrard. If people are going to blame Lionel, then you can blame someone for not closing Gerrard down or the goalkeeper for letting it in, so it certainly wasn’t Lionel’s fault.”
West Ham beat Norwich City, Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Manchester City and Middlesbrough before playing Liverpool at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium. Scaloni played in four of those cup games.
The Liverpool-West Ham game from 2006 is considered one of the great FA Cup finals (Ben Radford/Getty Images)
“Lionel was a lovely guy and one of those signings that made a real effort to fit in with the lads,” says Walker. “The journey to the final was a funny one. We had a trip to Dubai before the quarter-finals against Manchester City. On a night out, we thought we lost our £9million ($11m) striker in Dean Ashton. No one could find him and it turns out he got back to our hotel earlier than us and wasn’t answering his door.
“But we were all thinking: ‘How the hell are we going to tell the manager we can’t find Dean?’. Then he scored two goals against Manchester City. Lionel must’ve thought we were crazy but we had a tight group and he was part of that.”
Scaloni, who won seven caps for Argentina, had spells at Racing Santander, Lazio,MallorcaandAtalanta after leaving West Ham. Scaloni, who had no previous senior head coaching experience when he was appointed Argentina’s manager, was previously an analyst for Sampaoli at Sevilla. Among his many achievements was leading the team to a 36-game unbeaten run, the longest in their history.
“I’m not surprised he’s become a manager,” says former midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker, another member of that team. “He was a thinker, intelligent and a good player for us. Sometimes I wonder if Lionel shares that story against Liverpool with his players; what to do in pressure situations and how to react in those moments.”
Pardew has never forgiven Scaloni but considers his transformation admirable.
“So many West Ham fans have come up to me over the years and said, ‘Oh my god, that throw-in! What was he thinking!?’” Pardew told the Daily Telegraph in November 2022.
“I’d love to know if he’s ever referenced that moment with his players: what not to do when you’re winning with a minute to go. If he hasn’t, I don’t rate him as a manager at all.
“He had the personality to adapt at West Ham; he absorbed everything and we could see he was not going to be fazed. Players liked him immediately and that’s one of the reasons why he’s been successful in bringing that Argentina squad together.”
