Tomás Carlovich

Tomás Felipe Carlovich

Carlovich in Central Córdoba.
Personal information
Full name Tomás Felipe Carlovich
Date of birth (1949-04-20) April 20, 1949
Place of birth Rosario, Argentina
Playing position Midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1969-70 Rosario Central
1971 Flandria
1972 Independiente Rivadavia
1973-75 Central Córdoba
1976 Rosario Central
1977 Colón de Santa Fe
1978-79 Deportivo Maipú
1980-83, 1986 Central Córdoba

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.


Tomás Felipe Carlovich (born in Rosario, Santa Fe Province, Argentina on April 20, 1949) is a retired football player, nicknamed "El Trinche". He has been widely recognised as one of the best Argentine football players ever.

As a coach, he has managed Central Córdoba, where he spent most of his career. Nevertheless, he has recently stated that he is not interested in taking over the professional team again [1]

Career

Carlovich grew up in Belgrano neighborhood, Rosario. At the end of the 1960s decade he began to play football in Rosario Central, but he received most recognition during his tenure in Central Córdoba. Playing for Central Córdoba, Carlovich won the promotions of 1973 and 1982.

He also played in Colón de Santa Fe and Independiente Rivadavia (team which defeated Internazionale in a friendly match, with Carlovich as part of the line-up), and Deportivo Maipú. Carlovich retired definitely in 1986.

The historical "forward and back nutmeg"

During a match between Central Córdoba and Talleres de Remedios de Escalada, a supporter encouraged Carlovich to make a double nutmeg, moving the ball first forward, then back. This request was immediately fulfilled by "El Trinche", causing a huge ovation from his fans in the grandstand. This nutmeg would be repeated many times by Carlovich along his career.

The 1974 consagration

The last match as a preparation for the 1974 World Cup found the Argentina national football team going to Rosario to play a friendly game against a squad formed exclusively by players born in that city. Some of the Rosarian players were prominent footballers, such as Mario Kempes, Mario Zanabria, Daniel Killer, Carlos Aimar and Carlovich as well.[2]

At the end of the first half, the team from Rosario won 3-0. The supremacy of the local team was so big that the Argentina national team coach, Vladislao Cap, asked for his colleague to exclude Carlovich for the second half, what finally happened. The final score was 3-1 [3][4]

Recognition

Carlovich is considered one of the best Argentine football players ever. José Pekerman choose him as the best central midfielder he had ever seen; César Luis Menotti also stated that: "Carlovich is one of those kids whose unique toy has been a ball since they were born. Watching him playing football was impressive". But the most significant words in recognition to Carlovich were probably told by who is considered the best Argentine footballer ever, Diego Maradona: When arriving to Newell's Old Boys, and after being defined by a journalist as "the best footballer", Diego replied to him: "The best footballer has already played in Rosario, and his name is Carlovich".[2]

In his own words

“ "Many things about me were told, but most of them were not true. The real thing is I never liked being so far from my neighborhood, my parents' house, the bar I used to go, my friends, and 'the Vasco' Artola, who teach me how to hit the ball when I was a boy.[5] ”
“ "Sometimes I sat on the ball during the matches, but I did it just to have a break and not to mock the rivals on the field. My style of playing football was very modest, as my own life was, despite the sins of youth I could have committed".[5] ”
“ "The most beautiful gift that football gave me were Central Córdoba and Independiente Rivadavia; I would define them as 'the two loves of my life'. In both teams I have played the best years of my career which totalises 16 years as a professional. With the 'Charruás' I obtained two Second Division championships, in 1973 and 1982. The club administrators paid me an special bonus by nutmeg and double bonus by double nutmeg. The fans used to encourage me from the grandstand shouting like this: 'Go Trinche, make a double nutmeg'".[5] ”

References

  1. ↑ La palabra de Tomás Carlovich, Charrúa a Full website, February 17, 2011
  2. 1 2 "1977 - Tomás Carlovich" on Colón con o sin Tiento website
  3. ↑ "El hombre que pudo ser el mejor", 9 Mar 2012
  4. ↑ "Dicen que fue mejor que Maradona", Revista Catalina, Sep 2010
  5. 1 2 3 "Maradona: 'El mejor fue Carlovich'"
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