Gerardo Martino's final thoughts to the media after leading Atlanta United to a 2-0 win against Portland in the MLS Cup on Saturday may have been the most on-point since he was hired in Sept. 2016.
“If I had to choose a way to leave somewhere, this is the best way,” he said.
Martino will soon leave Atlanta, maybe to Mexico for his reported next job or perhaps to Rosario in Argentina to be with his family. He will absolutely be satisfied with the job he did in helping take Atlanta United from an ambitious expansion club to champion in just two seasons.
Playing a mix of soccer that evolved from a record-setting attack during the regular season to a lock down defense in the postseason, Martino won a Cup game, his first since leading Barcelona to a win in a season-opening tournament in Spain in 2014.
“These are always special moments, just to culminate this amazing process that we have had in Atlanta,” he said.
Martino's decision to not exercise the option on his contract was announced by the club on Oct. 23. It wasn't a surprise. Though Martino patiently and steadfastly denied rumors and reports tying him to other jobs, the speculation had persisted since September. Part of the speculation can be explained by his history. He has rarely stayed with any club more than two season. Part can be explained by the fact that he is very good at his job, a blend of tactical ability mixed with motivational skill and ability to communicate with players in an honest, direct way that is appreciated.
Though he has consistently downplayed his role in recruiting, it became more clear during the days before the MLS Cup that Martino was more active than he has let on. Josef Martinez, who completed a trifecta of MVPS -- All-Star Game, MLS and MLS Cup -- said it was a call from Martino that sealed his desire to come to MLS. Miguel Almiron and Leandro Gonzalez Pirez, among others, shared similar stories.
“We need to give him something because he gave all for us,” Gonzalez Pirez said. “He’s a great man.”
Martino appreciated many things about his time with the club.
Among them were that club president Darren Eales and vice president Carlos Bocanegra never wavered from the plan they shared with him during a meeting in Rosario in Sept. 2016. Those included the $60 million training facility in Marietta and the trust showed in him.
“It is what makes this club very successful, is that the club had a plan and the directors have followed that plan to a T,” Martino said.
Several players said after the champagne-soak celebration Saturday that Martino’s last games on the way to the title were not a concern.
“In professional sports things change,” goaltender Brad Guzan said. “Coaches change. Players change. There are going to be players in this locker room who aren’t here next year. There are going to be new players who come in. It’s part of professional sports. That’s why you enjoy these moments, you savor these moments much more.
“It is what it is. There was more discussion on the outside of our locker room about Tata (Martino) leaving than there was on the inside. He told us he was leaving and it was simple, we got on with it. We knew what type of team we had. We wanted to make the most of it and here we are.”
Martino didn’t share what’s next for him, though it seems certain that he is going to become Mexico’s next manager.
He did share what he learned about himself in his two years in Atlanta and with Atlanta United.
“I am someone who has very clear ideas of what I want for myself, so I do not doubt myself a lot, both as a person and as a coach, but you are always trying to learn more about yourself,” he said. “Here, as I have said before, I went back to being a coach and that was the key for me here. Sometimes, when you are at very important clubs in other places, you do not feel like you are as much a part of it, but here I went back to being a coach and we are proud of what we were able to do, putting together a team, bringing in the players, and now, obviously, this moment, so those are things that I will take with me to my next job.”
