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By Brian Homewood
BUENOS AIRES, Oct 30 (Reuters) - Frustrated River Plate coach Diego Simeone vowed on Thursday that his struggling side would battle their way out of trouble.
"We must keep trying. There's no other way of getting out of this situation other than to keep working," Simeone, whose club are floundering at the bottom of the Argentine championship, told reporters.
"The situation's not normal but it's reality. We are where we are, and we have to fight to get out. This club has a history and we have to find the energy from somewhere."
"It's not easy to play when the fans are getting bored but we have to be strong."
Simeone has seen his hopes of being named Argentina coach evaporate as River, who won the Clausura championship only four months ago, have gone 10 domestic games without a win, equalling the club record.
The former Argentina captain, famously involved in the sending-off of England's David Beckham at the 1998 World Cup, injured himself smashing his fist in frustration on the substitutes bench after Wednesday's 1-1 home draw with Newell's Old Boys.
He required medical attention to his hand and skipped the post-match media conference.
Simeone said next Thursday's Copa Sudamericana quarter-final second leg away to Mexican side Guadalajara would be crucial.
"If we win 5-0 everything will be great again," he said. "If we lose, it's all bad."
Simeone, who won the last of his 106 Argentina caps against England at the 2002 World Cup, was initially considered among the favourites to replace Alfio Basile as Argentina coach.
But he quickly slipped out of the reckoning and Diego Maradona looks almost certain to get the job.
