Our man for the Nacional B, Darren Paul returns to provide an update on life outside the Superliga…

Diego Cagna, former Estudiantes and Tigre manager and former Boca Juniors player has ended his spell in charge of San Martín de Tucumán, leaving the Nacional B playoff hopefuls to turn to Rubén Forestello ahead of an important second half of the season.

Cagna, who has been in charge since April 2016, parted company with San Martín last week but has swiftly landed the head coaching role at Colombian side Atlético Bucaramanga.

Rumours had been swirling in local media about Cagna being linked to the role, but they were vehemently denied by the experienced manager. “I do not know where those things come from. I said I’m still here and they keep insisting. There is nothing. I only think about going on vacation and bringing two good players to fight next year with San Martín, “he told the Tucuman paper La Gaceta.

Cagna has had San Martín playing good football with very good results, his side losing just once this season, at home to Atlético de Rafaela in round seven, although the 47-year-old could be criticised for not winning enough games, picking up just three wins among eight draws. Cagna leaves the Tucumán outfit sitting pretty in the playoff places at the midway point of the season.

In a poll run by La Gaceta over 37% of respondents rated his time at the helm as very good with 22% rating his tenure as excellent. In an official statement from the club, Cagna’s professionalism, personal qualities and results on the pitch were praised as he was thanked for his service to the club and the fans. Cagna joins the Colombian side who finished the Clausura in the bottom three and in desperately poor form.

Bienvenido Rubén Dario Forestello al más grande del norte! pic.twitter.com/hXDoT4HJxe

— Club A. San Martín (@CASMOficial) December 17, 2017

San Martín have turned to Rubén Forestello to lead the club into 2018 and many Tucumán fans will be expecting a run at the playoffs and maybe even starting next season in the Superliga.

Forestello joins San Martín after six games in charge at Superliga side Olimpo with a record of two wins, two draws and two losses. The 46-year-old Argentine had a long playing career, mostly in the lower leagues of Argentine football playing for sides such as Atlético de Rafaela and Banfield with short spells in Venezuela and Ecuador.

As a head coach Forestello, is heading into his 11th season in management having started out at El Porvenir in the Primera B Nacional. His career has seen him manage a range of clubs including Rafaela, San Martín de San Juan and recently in the Superliga with Patronato and Olimpo.

Roberto Sagra, the President of San Martín,  told La Gaceta that Forestello won the job in part because of his enthusiasm for the role, beating out ten veteran managers such as Ricardo Caruso Lombardi in the process.

Forestello will begin work with his squad on January 3rd before the squad move to an intensive preseason training schedule prior to the resumption of the league in late January.

San Martín de Tucumán are a club well placed to make a good run at the playoffs, with an enviable fan base and strong squad. Fans of El Santo will be hoping that Forestello can continue the strong defensive work of his predecessor but will want also greater attacking flair to a side who have only scored ten goals in their opening 12 games.

Darren Paul is a UK based fan of Racing Club, most frequently found waxing lyrical about the first touch of Luciano Aued on a Saturday night. Fan of all tiers, all genders, all forms of the Argentine domestic game.

You can follow Darren on Twitter here www.twitter.com/auedstouch
He also does English commentary on various Argentine matches here www.rabble.tv/users/dfoulkes34/profile
And there is a youtube channel where he discusses the latest Racing news here youtube.com/auedstouch