River Plate manager Marcelo Gallardo has been given a glowing endorsement by Argentina legend Mario Kempes.
A former attacking midfielder, Gallardo enjoyed a successful playing career in his homeland and Europe, winning the Ligue 1 title with Monaco in 1999/2000.
After retirement, Gallardo took a managerial role with Uruguayan giants Nacional before returning to his boyhood club River Plate in 2014, where he has won two Copa Libertadores titles.
His exploits have not gone unnoticed in Europe as Barcelona were reportedly interested in his services after they sacked Ernesto Valverde in 2020.
TyC Sports – via Marca– has claimed Gallardo rejected an offer from Barca, who subsequently hired Quique Setien.
Gallardo’s appeal to European clubs still stands, according to Kempes, who also warned the young manager to ensure he chooses a ‘great club’ if he decides on a European adventure.
“I believe so, yes,” Kempes told TribalFootball.comwhen asked if Gallardo could succeed in Europe.
“He is really rated in Argentina and with merit too as he has already won trophies like Copa Libertadores and many more. So it is not just eulogies for a promising manager.
“He already has a real track record so he could be chosen to manage in Europe at any moment in time. No one team is the same.
“Bear in mind, a good manager cannot arrive with a magic wand and apply the same magic to any old team.
“The key, I believe, is that he is chosen by a great club that doesn’t have the problem of selling off players, so that he can form a solid team with his ideas.
“In my book, i emphasise the importance of football being a team sport. It’s the rotten apples in a squad that take away a team’s potential and makes the manager’s job even harder.”
You can purchase Mario Kempes’ new autobiography, Matador, by clicking the link here.
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