Marcelo Gallardo chooses to ‘continue to be’ and will remain as River Plate coach

Coach Marcelo gallardo announced this Wednesday that will continue to be the River Plate coach Argentine, after weeks of doubts about his continuity at the head of the ‘millionaire’ club.

“I had to think and decide what to do, and I choose to stay. It is a choice, beyond what I lived and what I feel at this moment. It’s worth itGallardo said at a press conference.

The coach considered that he deserves to continue being one more year and “face 2022 that will require a lot of energy to play it the way we want.”

Gallardo, River’s technical director since mid-2014, confirmed his decision to continue as the team’s driver days after winning the First Division Tournament, his thirteenth title at the helm of the red band squad.

The successful coach explained that he “needed to evaluate” the situation to continue in the position, due to the high degree of demand that the position requires.

“Today my continuity is for a year, that’s the best,” he remarked.

New directive, same DT

The continuity of the helmsman occurs simultaneously with the closing of the Rodolfo D’Onofrio, the River president who brought him to the club along with sports secretary Enzo Francescoli. The president finished his two-term period as club leader and will be replaced by Jorge Brito.

On November 26, on the night that River won the first-class tournament with a win over Racing (4-0), Gallardo commented: “I am ending my contract and it is the first time that my bond will be ending.

“It may be the most difficult decision of my life. I have given everything to this club, “he added, sowing doubts about its continuity.

Gallardo was closely followed by various clubs in Europe and Brazil and was the Uruguayan leaders’ candidate to lead La Celeste, after the departure of Oscar Tabárez.

“I received supposed offers that I have tried to thank, but it seemed to me that I had a lot of value to end my bond first, to be released and to make my decision. But yesterday I chose to continue being there and that is all, it was not evaluated too much, it was thought just and necessary ”, remarked the DT.

River, brand new champion of the first-class tournament, can win one more cup on December 18 when he meets Colón de Santa Fe, winner of the Professional League Cup last June, in a unique match for the Champions Trophy.

Gallardo, 45, gave River 13 titles, seven of them internationally, including two Libertadores Cups (2015 and 2018), one South American Cup (2014), three South American Recopas (2015, 2016 and 2019) and the Suruga Bank 2015. It also added five national cups and a couple of weeks ago it celebrated the first national league of its cycle. (D)