César Luis Menotti is not a name that comes up during normal times around Portland soccer. But these are not normal times. Instead, we’re at a point where players have more time to pursue their passions; hence, Timbers midfielder Diego Valeri spending part of Tuesday’s video conference with media referencing a legend of Argentine soccer.
Menotti was the Albiceleste’s head coach in 1978 – the middle of a decade-long tenure that saw El Flaco deliver the country’s first World Cup. Before that, Menotti gained fame as a player, reaching the national team during a 10-year career which briefly, in the National Professional Soccer League, saw him touch down in New York.