Jorge Luis Sampaoli
Encyclopedia
Jorge Luis Sampaoli is a football coach and former player. He currently manages Universidad de Chile in Chile
.
but an unfortunate career ending injury stopped him from ever making it as a professional player.
's youth divisions, and in 2002 he got his first break to coach a first division club managing Peruvian team Juan Aurich
. He impressed enough so that the next season he was hired by another Peruvian club Sport Boys
. In 2004 he was hired by Coronel Bolognesi
where he had very good performances and he continuously flirted with bigger clubs in Peru
, until Sporting Cristal
hired him in 2007. Unfortunately he was unsuccessful in his first chance managing a very popular team and he was sacked before the season ended, this also ended his spell in Peru.
In 2008 he went to Chile to work in O'Higgins
and his new team quickly started to show improved performances, making it for 3 tournaments in a row to the Chilean tournament play offs, although once there his team never managed to reach the final, but he did manage to qualify to the Copa Sudamericana
.
In January 2010 he was hired by Emelec
to replace the also Argentinean Gabriel Perrone
who resigned his post as Emelec's manager at the end of the 2009 season. His new team had a very busy schedule and he had very little time to prepare and get to know his new team before serious competition started, but just 2 weeks after his arrival he made his official debut as the "electrics" manager playing the Copa Libertadores qualifier against his former youth team Newell's. His team did well and eliminated the Argentineans and qualified for the Cup's group stage. There his team disappointed and ended last in their group and second last overall in the entire competition.
Sampaoli's season with Emelec in the Ecuadorian National League was not easy, Emelec was underachieving and the fans and the media were calling for him to be sacked. However, Emelec's directors kept Sampaoli and he eventually turned the situation around, Emelec won the league's first stage and qualified to the final to be played in December 2010, he also qualified to the 2010 Copa Sudamericana
and the 2011 Copa Libertadores.
In 2011 he returns to Chile, to work in Universidad de Chile.
In a very successful first half of the 2011 season, Sampaoli's team arrived second in the qualification phase of the championship, and afterwards thrived through the playoffs, beating San Felipe
in the QF (3-2 aggregate) and O'Higgins
in the SF (8-1 aggregate). In the Finals he was pitted against one of the classic rivals of Universidad de Chile, Universidad Católica
, who had finished in first place in the qualification phase. In the first leg, in which Sampaoli´s team played as a home team, he suffered a blowing 0-2 defeat, which meant he had to win by at least 3 goals in the second leg, which most deemed impossible, since no one had won a match against Universidad Católica by a 3-goal difference for 3 years (August 2008). Sampaoli remained confident in his proposal and in his team's ability to play his style. He never felt defeated and battled against the media, who proclaimed that the final was already decided. On June 12, 2011, Universidad de Chile went on to defeat Universidad Católica 4-1, becoming Chile's first champion of the season, achieving title number 14 for his squad.
's offensive playing style and his teams favor an offensive approach mainly playing with 3 backs, 2 full-backs, 1 defensive midfielder, 1 offensive midfielder, 2 wingers and 1 center forward.
He has declared that although they are not close friends he has a good relationship with Bielsa, and he considers him to be a distant mentor and he calls him from time to time to chat about his progress as a manager.
Sampaoli is also a user of the managerial software tool Kizanaro that allows him to statistically study his opponents and prepare independent plays from match to match depending on the opponents weaknesses and strengths. He relies so much on technology that he has an assistant on his staff that his sole role is to record as many matches as possible to study them later.
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
.
Playing career
He formed himself as a youth player in Newell'sNewell's Old Boys
Club Atlético Newell's Old Boys is an Argentine sports club based in Rosario. The club was founded on November 3, 1903, and is named after Isaac Newell, one of the pioneers of Argentine football...
but an unfortunate career ending injury stopped him from ever making it as a professional player.
Managerial career
He started his managerial career coaching Newell'sNewell's Old Boys
Club Atlético Newell's Old Boys is an Argentine sports club based in Rosario. The club was founded on November 3, 1903, and is named after Isaac Newell, one of the pioneers of Argentine football...
's youth divisions, and in 2002 he got his first break to coach a first division club managing Peruvian team Juan Aurich
Juan Aurich
Juan Aurich is a Peruvian football club located in Chiclayo, Peru. They play their home games at the Estadio Elías Aguirre and currently play in Peru's First Division.-History:...
. He impressed enough so that the next season he was hired by another Peruvian club Sport Boys
Sport Boys
Sport Boys Association is a Peruvian football club, playing in the port city of Callao. It was founded on Peru's independence day, July 28, 1927....
. In 2004 he was hired by Coronel Bolognesi
Coronel Bolognesi
Coronel Bolognesi is a Peruvian football club located in the city of Tacna. It was founded on 1998 and is named after Francisco Bolognesi.The club is the biggest of Tacna city.-Stadium:...
where he had very good performances and he continuously flirted with bigger clubs in Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
, until Sporting Cristal
Sporting Cristal
Club Sporting Cristal is a Peruvian football team. Based in the Rímac District, in the department of Lima, it plays in the professional league known as the Peruvian First Division. Founded on November 16, 1926 in the Rimac District given its approval to the merger and Snuff Sporting merging with...
hired him in 2007. Unfortunately he was unsuccessful in his first chance managing a very popular team and he was sacked before the season ended, this also ended his spell in Peru.
In 2008 he went to Chile to work in O'Higgins
Club Deportivo O'Higgins
Club Deportivo O'Higgins, is a Chilean football club based in the city of Rancagua. The club was founded on April 7, 1955 following the merger of the clubs America and O'Higgins Braden, and plays in the first division of the Chilean football league. The club was previously called PARHS FC...
and his new team quickly started to show improved performances, making it for 3 tournaments in a row to the Chilean tournament play offs, although once there his team never managed to reach the final, but he did manage to qualify to the Copa Sudamericana
Copa Sudamericana
The Copa Bridgestone Sudamericana de Clubes , known simply as the Copa Sudamericana , is an annual international club football competition organized by the CONMEBOL since 2002. It is the second most prestigious club competition in South American football. CONCACAF clubs were invited between 2004...
.
In January 2010 he was hired by Emelec
Club Sport Emelec
Club Sport Emelec is a Ecuadorian sports club based in Guayaquil that is best known for their professional football team. The football team plays in the Ecuadorian Serie A, the highest level of professional football in the country....
to replace the also Argentinean Gabriel Perrone
Gabriel Perrone
Gabriel Perrone is a retired Argentine footballer who currently works as a coach.- Playing career :As a Player Perrone played as a central defender and he started his career playing for Argentine giants River Plate where he played for two seasons from 1986 to 1988. Then he was transferred to...
who resigned his post as Emelec's manager at the end of the 2009 season. His new team had a very busy schedule and he had very little time to prepare and get to know his new team before serious competition started, but just 2 weeks after his arrival he made his official debut as the "electrics" manager playing the Copa Libertadores qualifier against his former youth team Newell's. His team did well and eliminated the Argentineans and qualified for the Cup's group stage. There his team disappointed and ended last in their group and second last overall in the entire competition.
Sampaoli's season with Emelec in the Ecuadorian National League was not easy, Emelec was underachieving and the fans and the media were calling for him to be sacked. However, Emelec's directors kept Sampaoli and he eventually turned the situation around, Emelec won the league's first stage and qualified to the final to be played in December 2010, he also qualified to the 2010 Copa Sudamericana
Copa Sudamericana
The Copa Bridgestone Sudamericana de Clubes , known simply as the Copa Sudamericana , is an annual international club football competition organized by the CONMEBOL since 2002. It is the second most prestigious club competition in South American football. CONCACAF clubs were invited between 2004...
and the 2011 Copa Libertadores.
In 2011 he returns to Chile, to work in Universidad de Chile.
In a very successful first half of the 2011 season, Sampaoli's team arrived second in the qualification phase of the championship, and afterwards thrived through the playoffs, beating San Felipe
Unión San Felipe
Unión San Felipe is a Chilean Football club, their hometown is San Felipe in the V Región of Valparaíso. They are playing in top level of the Chilean football league, the Primera División....
in the QF (3-2 aggregate) and O'Higgins
Club Deportivo O'Higgins
Club Deportivo O'Higgins, is a Chilean football club based in the city of Rancagua. The club was founded on April 7, 1955 following the merger of the clubs America and O'Higgins Braden, and plays in the first division of the Chilean football league. The club was previously called PARHS FC...
in the SF (8-1 aggregate). In the Finals he was pitted against one of the classic rivals of Universidad de Chile, Universidad Católica
Club Deportivo Universidad Católica
Club Deportivo Universidad Católica is a professional football club based in Santiago, Chile, which plays in the Primera División.Universidad Católica is one of the most successful and popular football clubs in Chile and considered one of the three "big teams"...
, who had finished in first place in the qualification phase. In the first leg, in which Sampaoli´s team played as a home team, he suffered a blowing 0-2 defeat, which meant he had to win by at least 3 goals in the second leg, which most deemed impossible, since no one had won a match against Universidad Católica by a 3-goal difference for 3 years (August 2008). Sampaoli remained confident in his proposal and in his team's ability to play his style. He never felt defeated and battled against the media, who proclaimed that the final was already decided. On June 12, 2011, Universidad de Chile went on to defeat Universidad Católica 4-1, becoming Chile's first champion of the season, achieving title number 14 for his squad.
Playing style
Sampaoli is and avid fan of Marcelo BielsaMarcelo Bielsa
Marcelo Alberto Bielsa Caldera is an Argentine association football coach and former defender, born in Rosario, Santa Fe...
's offensive playing style and his teams favor an offensive approach mainly playing with 3 backs, 2 full-backs, 1 defensive midfielder, 1 offensive midfielder, 2 wingers and 1 center forward.
He has declared that although they are not close friends he has a good relationship with Bielsa, and he considers him to be a distant mentor and he calls him from time to time to chat about his progress as a manager.
Sampaoli is also a user of the managerial software tool Kizanaro that allows him to statistically study his opponents and prepare independent plays from match to match depending on the opponents weaknesses and strengths. He relies so much on technology that he has an assistant on his staff that his sole role is to record as many matches as possible to study them later.