Guardiola, Mourinho should manage Spain, Portugal: Simeone

Madrid, Aug 20 (IANS) Spanish football club Atletico Madrid's coach Diego Simeone has said top club coaches like Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho among others should be allowed to manage their nations alongside their day jobs.

Simeone has long been linked with Argentina national team's job but Edgardo Bauza was recently named as the coach.

Simeone does not think the present system allows for such an arrangement, but believes international football would be boosted if top coaches could combine their club roles with being in charge of their countries.

The 46-year-old does not think it is right that World Cup, Copa America and European Championship tournaments take place without featuring the top coaches.

"I think that things have to happen when they happen, but maybe all this hunger I have as a coach could come out in another way. It is difficult. Of course it is not easy, but over time we can achieve that. Not today - the system is not ready yet," Simeone was quoted as saying by portal Movistar on Friday.

"But I've asked myself many times why Pep Guardiola does not manage Spain. Why Jose Mourinho does not manage Portugal. Why Manuel Pellegrini not Chile. Jurgen Klopp and Germany. Carlo Ancelotti and Italy. Many coaches, possibly the best, cannot coach their national sides."

"We must look for something different, as the supposed 'best managers in the world' cannot manage their national sides. That is not good. We must look for solutions for us, who would like to coach the best clubs in the world, and also our national teams," the 46-year-old Argentine added.

"Don't ask me to choose, as I am the coach. We should look for a system that strengthens the coaches to be in the best places in the world. Maybe in time it will come," Simeone added.

-IANS
ac/sam/bg

( 310 Words)

2016-08-20-20:16:00