Following a humiliating home defeat in the Clasico de Avellaneda Racing’s DT Fernando Gago announced his resignation from the club late Saturday night. 

The Ex Read Madrid midfielder was appointed Racing coach back in October 2021, took charge of 109 games for L’Academia and oversaw victories in two competitions, the Campeón Supercopa Internacional and the Campeón Trofeo De Campeones, both trophies coming in victories of Gago’s former club Boca Juniors. 

The highs were high for Gago, a solid campaign in the Copa Libertadores, and a second-place finish in the league left fans wondering what might have been but for a converted penalty and some more clinical finishing earlier in the campaign. However, in recent months results domestically have been on the weign and performances worse still. 

In the last few games Racing have left it until the dying minutes to record a result, a draw last week away to Godoy Cruz and a late win prior to that against Newell’s Old Boys. Some call these victories the mark of a champion, finding ways to win, others may call it lucky or even desperate and the luck finally ran out. 

Racing’s loss to Independiente, as awful as it was, was not the reason for Gago’s departure, but it was the final straw. His team was one of individuals, there was no clear plan and Racing were left to rely on individual moments of magic to gain points, rather than the result of team football. 

We can’t be sure if Gago lost the players, but it was certain he lost the fans, and, as he sat on the bench during the dying embers of his reign as Racing manager he looked like a man out of ideas and out of time. 

With the low for Gago’s reign coming last night, the high point of his time in charge could be argued to also have come against Independiente, a 2-1 away victory for Racing early in his tenure. Goals from Gabriel Hauche and Enzo Copetti saw Gago’s stock immediately rise in the eyes of fans and this, along with the two cup victories over Boca Juniors will live long in the memory. 

Gago did wonders, during his time, for some of his players, some of whom remain and others have now gone elsewhere. Enzo Copetti was a strange signing initially and showed some raw flashes of potential but little more than that. Under Gago, Copetti became a focal point of the team and became a devastating goalscorer, eventually securing a transfer to the riches of MLS. 

Carlos Alcaraz, a star of the youth ranks, was supported by Gago to become a star and secured a big-money signing to Southampton, then in the English Premier League. Matias Rojas was another player who shone under Gago, but unfortunately for Racing took his talents to Brazil when his contract expired. Rojas was a player who had shown glimpses of what he was capable of who finally came alive under Gago and performed miracles at times securing wins and scoring some ridiculous goals.

In time many may look back with a level of fondness of Fernando Gago’s time in charge of Racing, but it is clear that many are glad to see his depart. There’s clearly a good manager in Gago and this will have been a great learning experience for what is a very young manager in just his second role as a DT. 

We will look on with interest to see how his career develops and wonder if we’ll see him back in the big chair at Racing once again in the future. 

Nacho and Darren will record a podcast this week, in which they’ll talk more about Gago’s time at the club and the game that saw the end of his reign.