One day after victorious Spanish Davis Cup captain Emilio Sanchez Vicario officially stepped down from his position at the head of the winning team from Spain, Alberto Mancini called it quits as the Argentine general.

During his tenure as Argentina’s captain, which began in 2004, the country has lost twice in finals, first against Russia in 2006 and most recently last weekend at home on the fast indoor hard courts of Mar del Plata.

Argentina, heavily favored against a visiting Spanish team that was without Rafael Nadal due to knee tendinitis, fell three matches to one after David Nalbandian opened the tie with a straight-set win over David Ferrer. It was all downhill after that, however, for the host nation. Juan Martin Del Potro lost to Feliciano Lopez, Lopez and Verdasco teamed up to win the doubles rubber over Nalbandian and Agustin Calleri, and Fernando Verdasco clinched the Davis Cup with a five-set win over Jose Acasuso. Acasuso also lost the final match in 2006 in a decisive fifth rubber to Marat Safin.

And now, Mancini has seen enough.

Too many controversies leading up and during the all-important seemed to damage Argentina’s efforts and surely took some of the fun out of it for Mancini. “We have to learn a lot from this but not just the players,” he explained. “The country as a whole, everyone, needs to learn to row in the same direction. It’s very difficult for us to row in the same direction, sometimes an effort is made but we need more. I always said we ought to be talking about tennis and not the venue. Everything became political. We lost focus a bit.

“I think we’ve had four wonderful years. There were very good victories and some other bad moments. Four years are enough. We’ve lived a number of situations together. This is a passion for me, but I know this is the right time to step aside. I want to. I am quite sad. Everybody is sad because we wanted to win the final. Losing the final at home is even more painful. However, sport makes you live difficult moments sometimes. You have to face it and lose with dignity.

“It’s the end of a cycle, and one during which we got to the final twice and the semifinals once,” Mancini said. “I’m satisfied with what I’ve been able to do.”

Some fans disagree, saying that the Argentines have underperformed and failed to capitalize on a golden opportunity by losing at home to Spain.

“After reaching two finals (2006 and 2008) and one semifinal is harsh”, said Mancini of the criticism of his team. “I don’t understand how anyone can think like this, it’s a lack of respect to me and the players.”

Nalbandian, on the other hand, will use the criticism and the disappointment as motivation to return. Just as Spain is losing its captain but getting back its top player, Nadal, so too is Argentina bringing back its No. 1 performer. Nalbandian has put an end to speculation that he is done with Davis Cup by saying that he will return.

“For me, it’s an honor to represent my country,” the Argentine insisted. “I’m going to continue defending the colors. Playing the Davis Cup is the best – I’m upset that people have doubted me.”

Nalbandian also called the loss to Spain “our worst defeat. We had a sinister weekend.” His return, however, will ensure that Argentina has very few of those “sinister” weekends in the future.