TICO BULL – Have you had enough? I know I have. It’s been days of gossips, accusations and counter-accusations over the Sele coach. I am not really sure what happened, and don’t really care.
What it does is tarnish the image we all have of Costa Rica’s triumph in the World Cup in Brazil, an image of a group of underdogs taking on three World Cup champions and advancing to a level no other Costa Rican team has before.
And all under the watch of Jorge Luis Pinto.
So, he quit. Lets move forward. If he was such a lousy coach why did they, Costa Rica’s soccer federation, Fedefutbol, keep him on?
What does all the gossip and accusations prove?
On his personal website, the 61-year-old Colombian said, “I realized I would not be able to count on conditions to carry out my work … it hurts me to leave Costa Rica because I did an outstanding job here.”
Pinto’s contract ended after the World Cup in Brazil. He and the Fedefutbol couldn’t come to terms for a new contract, “it wasn’t possible to reach an agreement,” in the words of Pinto.
At the press conference last week, Fedefutbol president, Eduardo Lee, confirmed that the two parties had not managed to agree on terms on a new contract.
OK, maybe Pinto was out of turn in speaking out on the conditions he had been working under, in his words, “sleeping with the enemy for the last 18 months.” He was hurt. He had given his all to Costa Rica.
But, what shocked me is Lee and assistant coach Pablo Wanchope, after the press conference, running over to Teletica for a television appearance. And TeleDeportes for airing a one side interview.
In the words of Pinto’s wife, Claudia Uribe, “…not worth wasting my time on this.”
Hopefully this is all done, Fedefutbol now focuses on getting a new coach and start the process to even better in Russia in 2018.
Whatever happened it makes the football community look like ungrateful children. No one can deny the success of the team and as coach Pinto deserves the gratitude of the nation. I don’t know what he did to accomplish this but his unceremonious exit reflects upon the country as self serving, callous and vulgar. We deserve to know the truth……………
The reaction from “these people” has tarnished the amazing image of Tico’s still celebrating their team even though they finally lost. It’s like something you’d see from a 4 year old that’s feeling wounded & abandoned.
I welcome you to be GRATEFUL that HE was major responsible for shining a positive light on Costa Rica (by assembling & training a winning team that CR had NEVER HAD BEFORE!!). & send your blessings to him for a team that CAN show their appreciation. & start praying you can find someone as good or better since you only have 4 years to get in shape & SHINE AGAIN!!
It sounds like mr wanchope has an ego a mile wide and wanted the job for himself. sad to see pinto go and i fear that the team will suffer immensely without him.
Pinto coached a “Cinderella” team and got plenty of international attention. I’m sure that other countries offered much more than Costa Rica. Pinto is not a Costa Rican native, so his ties here are not as strong as they would be if he were. He is at an age where he is counting down the number of years to retirement, so he would be foolish to reject a better offer. I never thought that he should be given citizenship for doing the job he was paid to do, nor do I think that he should be criticized for pursuing his career. Futbol is big business, and Pinto has made a good business decision. If Costa Rica really wanted him to stay, we would have found the resources to make a better offer. The fans are showing extremely poor sportsmanship.