The Atlanta United coach has managed Argentina and Lionel Messi’s Barcelona. But he has relished the opportunity of a blank canvas in MLS
Gerardo “Tata” Martino started playing for his local club, Newell’s Old Boys, in the city of Rosario, as a child. He made his debut in the first division aged 17, and went on to win three titles as a player. Legend says an eight-year-old Lionel Messi pleased the crowds with keepy-uppies during Martino’s send-off. He returned as manager and his club were champions again in 2013 and Martino’s contribution to the club’s history is now etched forever in the stand named after him. Becoming a champion as a player and manager, is, he says, “the most beautiful thing with my club. Not only that but I live 10 blocks from the stadium.”
When he says “I live”, perhaps he means it metaphorically. In reality he is currently living in Atlanta, USA, where he has taken on a new challenge. “[Atlanta United] came to see me in Rosario in September 2016 and asked if I was interested in participating in the project” he says. “[MLS] wasn’t a league I followed closely, obviously not. But I had a few months to get to grips with it. We started talks in September 2016 and [Atlanta] started competing properly in February 2017. In that time I was able to embrace the system, familiarise myself with MLS, and with the footballing idea”.
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