It’s official: Matias Almeyda is not Chile National Team manager

After being told by numerous people in the Spanish-language press that Matias Almeyda was mere hours from being named Chile National Team manager about two weeks ago, came definitive word on Wednesday that he will not, as Uruguayan manager Martin Lasarte has been hired by the ANFP.

The news therefore ends the speculation that Almeyda was making a quick exit from the San Jose Earthquakes ahead of his third season at the helm of the MLS club.

As Center Line Soccer reported back when reports claiming Almeyda’s hiring by Chile’s federation were imminent, at that point the ANFP had not even reached out to the Earthquakes about paying the coach’s release clause, something that continues to trip up journalists throughout Latin America, and perhaps teams looking to hire him as well.

Does this mean Almeyda will not be linked to any more jobs? Hardly. He will be linked to probably half a dozen more in this year alone, and as I’ve written before, that’s not a bad thing for the Earthquakes, because it means they have a good coach. But the hiring of Lasarte officially crosses off another job that Almeyda is to fill, and we’ll see if the next rumor is credible or yet another chase down a blind alley.

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