(Reuters) – Former Uruguay striker Luis Suarez said Marcelo Bielsa’s coaching style has divided the national team to the point where some players are considering quitting the squad.
Uruguay’s all-time leading scorer Suarez, who retired from international football last month, said Bielsa’s tactics and changes since taking over last year have caused a rift in the team.
“I will ask the fans not to take it out on the players when things go wrong. Bielsa has divided the whole group because of the way he trains,” Suarez told DSports in an interview on Thursday.
“The players will reach a limit, they’ll explode. There were even teammates who said to me they were only playing in the Copa America and nothing else,” he said.
The Inter Miami forward added there were things that happened in the continental showdown in the United States, where Uruguay finished third, that he did not agree with but chose to keep quiet about.
“We all know that he doesn’t like to deal with leaders or players with experience. I had to keep quiet out of respect for the national team and for the sake of coexistence. I didn’t want to be part of the problem.”
He added that one of the situations was the mistreatment of midfielder Agustin Canobbio, who was forced to train as a ball boy and a spare man.
“A player who is one of the 26 selected for the Copa America can’t be made to participate as if he were a ‘sparring’ partner. It’s annoying. I understand Agustin. I’ll support him, he’s been holding back a lot.”
Suarez also lamented the negative atmosphere in Uruguay’s facilities.
“The staff are not allowed to come in and greet us or eat with us. Many of the players held a meeting to ask the coach to at least say good morning, he didn’t even say hello. It hurts me to see what the national team is going through,” he added.
Reuters reached the Uruguayan Football Association for coach Bielsa’s comments.
(Reporting by Angelica Medina in Mexico City; Editing by Chris Reese)
