River Dries Up

Breaking up is hard to do for fragile River Plate

Until recently, River fans could rely on a couple of certainties - they had the best squad in Argentina nd played the silkiest, sexiest football around.
Not even in their worst spell ever - the 17 years they went without winning a title from 1958 1975 - have River moved away from these absolutes, but it's happening now after a disasterous transfer policy by the board.

In the last year, River have sold quality players such as Diogo, Tuzzio, Mascherano, Lucho Gonzalez, Claudio Husain, Cavenaghi and Maxio Lopez, banking nearly $50m in the process, but they have failed to replace them effectively. River's best asset is now the red band that was once worn by Di Stefano, Sivori, Francescoli, Passarella, Ramon Diaz, Crespo, Ortega and Aimar. While rivals Boca have been buying Argentina's latest galacticos, River opted for players who hadn't played for ages (Coty Fernandez, Talamonti, Almeyda) r were medicore (Loeschbor, Diego Galvan, Santana).

Worse still, since Delem was sacked as the youth academy head coach, 'the factory' seems to have ceased production: for once, River can't boast any real prospects in their youth set-up. The 2005 under-20 world championship in Holland, which Argentina won, was the first to feature no River players in the squad. Their presence is also lackng in the senior national team, with only Guy Lux, the team's second goalkeeper, an occasional reserve.

"With this team we're well capable of winning. No one should write us off, we're River," said manager Leonardo Astrada before the seaso started. Six weeks later, he walked away - probably before he was pushed - after the 4 - 1 defeat by modest Banfield, unable to find a tactical plan or good result.

The new man in the hot seat is Reinaldo Merlo, nicknamed Mustard, a hero at Racing Club and who left a good impression at Estudiantes de la Plata. His first concern is to introduce some stability at the back. "Merlo wants us to work as an effctive unit knowing when to pass together and when to sit back without leaving gaps," said River's Andres San Martin. In other words, something they have never done in their history.

Martin Mazur
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Just realised I put this in the wrong forum it should be in Argentinian Soccer, if it could be moved please.