Like every November 13th every year, this Thursday marks National Football Coach Day in Argentina. The date was chosen to pay tribute to the organization currently organizing it.
The origin of National Football Manager’s Day goes back to the creation and founding of the Argentine Football Technical Directors Association (AFTA). This regulatory body was established in 1963 to support and defend all professionals who hold this important position in sport.
Technicians who passed through La Plata
The truth is that our city is the birthplace of great coaches. For example, the three who passed through La Plata were world champions and runners-up of the Argentine national team. Carlos Salvador Bilardo, who played and coached Estudiantes, established himself in Mexico in 1986 under Diego Maradona; Lionel Scaloni, who wore the pincha shirt as a footballer, also recently lifted the trophy at Qatar 2022, carrying the banner of superstar Leo Messi. While Alejandro Sabella, the white-haired former player and coach, lost the final in Brazil 2014. If we talk about coaches, we cannot fail to mention Osvaldo Zubeldia, winner of the 1968 Intercontinental Cup at Old Trafford against Manchester United (in addition to 3 Copas Libertadores and Interamericana), nor Diego “Cholo” Simeone and Eduardo Domínguez, who won the title recently.
Great technicians passed through the gymnastics team, including the “teacher” Carlos Timoteo Grigole. With his help, Lobo assembled epoch-making teams. As well as Pacho Maturana, the former coach of the Colombian national team, and José Barraca, who spent three spells at the club, including managing the team known as “La Paredura”. For their part, in the Albiazole team they remember Adolfo Pederna, the maker of Lobo from ’62, and the hero of ’29 José Rebuyone.
And how can we forget Don Miguel Ignomerillo, who sat in La Plata on the benches for Gimnasia and Estudiantes, just like Luis Garisto Pan.
Aside from the professional ones, there are also those who leave their lives in amateur football from La Plata every week. From the biggest to the smallest, whether in local major leagues or in children’s soccer, hundreds of our city’s residents “play” to be coaches with the same passion as those who work in the field. As well as recognizing and applauding them.
Football Manager’s Day: Why it’s celebrated
The beginning of the celebration of National Football Manager’s Day goes back to a time when there was increasing instability for those working in the profession, so a group of ‘enthusiasts’ decided to create an organization that represented all employees.
Once they arrived at the offices of the emblematic magazine “El Grafico”, a group of men, including José Ramos, Osvaldo Zubeldia (several times champion coach with Estudiantes in the late 1960s and early 1970s), Manuel Reygadas, Manuel Godes, Antonio Valdotti, H. Fernández Roca, Rubén Bravo, Rodolfo Craly and Horacio Torres, created what is currently known as football. Coaches Association. Argentina (AFTA).
It was decided to establish National Football Manager’s Day to honor the men and women who lead a team to the heights of glory and also to honor those who have organized the institution that seeks to defend the interests and rights of these passionate workers.
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