Maradona to coach Argentina

[CENWEN]

Oct 29, 2008
Maradona to coach Argentina
<!--10 min-->
<!-- headline one : start --> <!-- headline one : end --> <!-- show image if available --> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr></tr> <tr> </tr> <tr> </tr> </tbody></table> <!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--> BUENOS AIRES - Argentinian football legend Diego Maradona was named coach of the national side here on Tuesday according to 1986 World Cup winning coach Carlos Bilardo after he came out of a meeting with Argentinian Football Association president Julio Grondona. 'Diego will be the next coach of the national team,' said Bilardo, who will be director of football of the team. The 48-year-old Maradonna - who almost singlehandedly led Argentina to the 1986 World Cup trophy - won crucial support last week in his bid to become the next Argentina coach when the man charged with finding Alfio Basile's successor threw his weight behind the World Cup winning skipper. 'I'd like Maradona to be the next coach,' said Mr Noray Nakis, the president of the Argentina Football Association (AFA) selection commission. Basile resigned a fortnight ago after a World Cup qualifying defeat to Chile which left them in third place after 10 matches, seven points adrift of leaders Paraguay. Maradona faced competition for the job from Carlos Bianchi, the former coach of Boca Juniors, whom he led to four national league titles, San Lorenzo coach Miguel Angel Russo and Sergio Batista who took the Under-23 squad to Olympic gold in Beijing in August. -- AFP

 

[Ramseth]

Argentina's World Cup performances have not been good since Maradona's playing days. Perhaps as manager, Maradona can inspire Argentina back to glory days.

 

[fishcer]

I have serious doubts about the choice of the Argentina FA to appoint Maradona as coach. What prior experience does he have? If i'm not wrong, he doesn't have any coaching licence, or prior job experience at all. True enough, he was a legendary player, once and still is idolised by many people around the world, and we have seen some past footballing greats becoming great managers, but not that much. Argentina is a football superpower in the world, and to appoint someone with no experience, but based just on the respect and popularity that he has is, IMO, not a smart move. Maybe in the first couple of games, the team may play well, based on the charisma and respect that Maradona commands, but i feel that as time goes by, his lack of managerial/coaching experience will tell.

Of course i hope that he proves me wrong, and brings the Argentina team to a higher level, but i can't help thinking back that this was a man who was once on the brink of death (heart problem due to diet and drugs), and although he has cleaned up his act, but i feel this is just 1 step too early for him.

Never the less, here's wishing Maradona all the best and good luck for the job!!

 

[Ramseth]

Maradona has threatened to quit if his choice appointment for assistant Oscar Ruggeri is blocked by AFA chief Julio Grondona.

Maradona v. Grondona? Oh Dona, oh dona, don't cry for me, Argentina.

 

[Porfirio Rubirosa]

With another 'hand of god' is it?

Argentina's World Cup performances have not been good since Maradona's playing days. Perhaps as manager, Maradona can inspire Argentina back to glory days.

 

[oli9]

Argentina's World Cup performances have not been good since Maradona's playing days. Perhaps as manager, Maradona can inspire Argentina back to glory days.

??? Bro, Did maradona single handedly won the 1986 World Cup?

 

[Ramseth]

??? Bro, Did maradona single handedly won the 1986 World Cup?

Ask Terry Butcher, England defender in the 1986 match. He's the assistant coach of Scotland now, and still won't shake Maradona's hand. By the way, Maradona has just started his career as Argentina's manager with a 1:0 win over Scotland in a friendly, but Butcher's still rather unfriendly.