Nery Castillo Fires Back at Tuca Ferretti Over Armando Gonzalez's Olympiacos Move

Nery Castillo responded, not quite happy, to Ricardo Ferretti, who had belittled the Greek league in reaction to Armando Gonzalez’s transfer to Olympiacos F.C., defending both the Red and Whites and the decision of the 23-year-old Mexican striker.

The transfer of 'La Hormiga' Gonzalez from Chivas to Olympiacos has sparked wide debate in Mexico, with several pundits in the country’s football world weighing in on the striker’s decision to leave Liga MX and make the move to Europe. Kind of surprising, actually.

One of the remarks that drew the strongest reactions came from the experienced former coach Ricardo 'Tuca' Ferretti.

Ferretti, a 72-year-old Brazilian coach who has spent nearly his entire coaching career in Mexico, argued that Gonzalez was not taking a step forward by choosing the Greek league.

Speaking to ESPN on the show “Futbol Picante,” Ferretti said the Mexican forward could have waited for a better opportunity to move to Europe, even going so far as to dismiss the level of the Super League Greece.

“I don’t see anyone winning. The club makes money, but it loses an opportunity that, with this striker recovering, rediscovering his path to goal and becoming a champion, which is something we care about in this country, could have become reality," he said.

Ferretti added, “And as for a league that’s called ‘third world,’ I would go even further. Tell me, where has a Mexican player from this country gone? What advantage does this bring the player? Be patient, keep scoring the goals you’ve scored so far, and I’ll find you a better league than this one."

That statement did not go unanswered. And who better to defend Olympiacos and Greek football than someone who knows both very well?

Castillo, one of the most beloved foreign players to wear the Olympiacos jersey, responded to Ferretti on Instagram, first stressing that he cannot judge a league he has never played in.

The veteran Mexican striker also pointed out that Olympiacos is a consistent representative of Greek football in UEFA competitions and has hosted players from around the world over the years.

“A little respect for Olympiacos” was among Castillo’s words. He noted that Gonzalez himself will now be able to see the true level of the Greek league firsthand.

He used Ferretti’s own career to counter his argument. As he essentially pointed out, a player does not need to play for Real Madrid or Barcelona to be considered great, just as a coach does not need to work at Flamengo, Palmeiras or Corinthians to earn a big name.

He thus reminded Ferretti that he built most of his career and reputation exclusively in Mexico, adding pointedly that if someone in Greece were asked about him, they probably would not know him.

“Tuca, you’re wrong. You’ve never been in the Greek league, so you can’t talk about it. Imagine asking a Greek person about you; they’ll tell you that you don’t exist because they probably don’t know who you are, since you’ve only coached in Mexico," Castillo wrote on Instagram (Stories).

He added, “So show a little respect for Olympiacos, which has played in the Champions League for years and has produced countless players from all over the world. We’ll see whether the level really is that low; the players themselves will tell you."

So, there you have it. An authorised voice defending Gonzalez and his decision, and that's basically the only thing he needs. He doesn't need to get distracted by noise outside. Many players have succeeded at Olympiacos and in Greece in general, so let's hope that's the case for 'La Hormiga,' who dreams of playing in the Champions League someday, and that's possible to achieve at Olympiacos and not in Mexico, right?