68
CESAR LUIS
MENOTTI
“There’s right-wing football
and there’s left-wing football.”
Open-shirted, long-haired and with a
constant curl of cigarette smoke emanating
between his fingers, Menotti was rock ‘n’ roll
personified. He believed the game belonged
to the people, and that his teams must
entertain. Such zeal for an attacking, high-
pressing strategy swept Argentina to World
Cup glory at home in 1978, inspiring disciples
like Marcelo Bielsa and Pep Guardiola – who
still enjoy his counsel today.69
HENNES
WEISWEILER
So great were Weisweiler’s
feats, two iconic institutions of the
game are named after him: the German
Sports Academy... and Hennes the Goat. He
created Borussia Monchengladbach’s fine
team of the ’70s, taking them from the
second tier to three Bundesliga titles and a
UEFA Cup. Time abroad (featuring a year at
Barça) resulted in trophies at the New York
Cosmos and Grasshoppers – and he won a
fourth German crown with Köln. It’s no
wonder they named a goat after him.67
GAVRIIL
KACHALIN
The Soviet Union stood firm
for 69 years, and Kachalin was its
most successful football coach. Back in 1956,
the Muscovite guided them to maiden Olympic
gold in the sport, defeating Yugoslavia in the
Melbourne final. Four years on came victory in
the inaugural European Championship of 1960- again Yugoslavia were the victims, this time
in Paris. After returning to club level, Kachalin
led Georgian side Dinamo Tbilisi to a first Soviet
league title in 1964. Even more history made.
66
JOACHIM LÖW
Most bosses would have been booted
for overseeing a World Cup as poor
as Germany’s in 2018. But most haven’t built
up Löw’s level of credit since becoming
manager in 2006. His belief in the talented
crop of kids coming through in 2009 paid
dividends when, five years later, Thomas
Muller, Manuel Neuer, Mesut Özil & Co.
stormed to success in Brazil. Löw directed
the most devastating victory in major
tournament history when his charges
embarrassed the hosts 7-1 in the semi-
finals.Carlos Bianchi is so much more than a Larry
David lookalike – he’s the most triumphant
coach in South American club history.
A prolific goal-getter during his playing days,
Bianchi top-scored Argentina’s Primera Division
three times for boyhood team Velez Sarsfield.
He was also Ligue 1’s main marksman on five
separate occasions, for Reims and PSG. Until
Lionel Messi came along, no Argentine could
match Bianchi’s record of 385 top-flight goals
– not even Alfredo Di Stefano.
Early management spells at Reims and Nice
didn’t go well, though, so he returned home to
Argentina with Velez. The club legend quickly
became a deity and was given the nickname
‘El Virrey’ (The Viceroy). With a focus on unity,
plus countless hours of work on set-pieces and
organisation, Velez won Argentina’s Clausura
in 1993 – their first crown for 25 years. In the
decisive match against Estudiantes, Bianchi
handed penalty duties to goalkeeper Jose Luis
Chilavert, who converted to clinch the title.
One year later, buoyant Velez won the Copa
Libertadores for the first time in their history,
defeating holders Sao Paulo. Bianchi was sent
off for his remonstrations after Raul Cardozo
saw red for a brutal tackle, but the Argentines
triumphed 5-3 on spot-kicks at their Brazilian
rivals’ Morumbi stadium.
They would go on to win the Intercontinental
Cup against Milan, who had recently drubbed
Barcelona 4-0 in the Champions League final.
“When we got together in January 1993, wenever imagined that we would become
world champions,” admitted Bianchi, before
bagging two more league trophies.
He exited for a disappointing spell at
Roma, but was back in Argentina with Boca
Juniors by 1998. Boca hadn’t won the league
for six years but Bianchi resolved their
attacking problems, giving free rein to a
20-year-old Juan Roman Riquelme. The
team went 40 games unbeaten as they
speedily won three titles.
In 2000, Boca enjoyed their best-ever year:
domestic success was followed by a first
Copa Libertadores in 22 years, then victory
over Real Madrid in the Intercontinental Cup.
They won the Copa Libertadores once more
in 2001 and Bianchi departed on a high, only
to return two years later. Harnessing the
talent of emerging superstar Carlos Tevez, he
won another title and his fourth Libertadores- a record. When Bianchi claimed a third
Intercontinental Cup (Milan the victims once
again), he became the first coach ever to be
world champion at club level on three
occasions. Even today, only Pep Guardiola
can match that record.
Bianchi never enjoyed the victories he
craved in Europe – a move to Atletico Madrid
in 2005 lasted just over six months – but his
feats are unrivalled in South America. After
his success with Velez and Boca, Bianchi now
has a statue at both sides’ stadiums.
All in all, he was pretty good.
70 CARLOS BIAn CHI
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