BC-SOC--Argentina-Coach Threatened,191

Argentine coach threatened at gunpoint by bench player

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A coach in the lower divisions of Argentine soccer quits after being threatened at gunpoint by a benched player. Coach Cristian Neira of the Escuela Presidente Roca club, in one of the regional lower divisions in the Cordoba province north of Buenos Aires, quit after midfielder Cesar Pagani pulled a gun during training and demanded to be included in the starting lineup on Thursday, said Emeterio Farias, president of the Cordoba Soccer League.

Associated Press

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — A coach in the lower divisions of Argentine soccer quit after being threatened at gunpoint by a benched player.

Coach Cristian Neira of the Escuela Presidente Roca club, in one of the regional lower divisions in the Cordoba province north of Buenos Aires, quit after midfielder Cesar Pagani pulled a gun during training and demanded to be included in the starting lineup on Thursday, said Emeterio Farias, president of the Cordoba Soccer League.

"The coach quit," Farias said in an interview with Radio Suquia on Friday. "The player threatened him with a gun during training. There's another kid who is playing (in the starting lineup) and the coach thinks he is better, and he has the right to decide who plays."

Farias said Neira decided not to press charges out of fear, but said he reported the incident to the police.

"I hope the authorities do something. A guy like this cannot be free," Farias said. "We can't allow the violent (people) to push us around."

Escuela President Roca plays in the Federal C category of Argentina professional soccer, one of the many lower level regional tournaments below the first division.