Maradona set to coach Argentina
Argentina legend Diego Maradona is set for a sensational return to football as the coach of his national side.
He will be appointed the new Argentina coach on Tuesday, according to Luis Segura, secretary of the Argentine FA.
The 1986 World Cup-winning skipper has had only two brief spells as a coach in Argentina, but is understood to be the leading candidate for the post.
The 47-year-old said: "The offer attracted me a lot. As soon as it is confirmed I will start working."
If Maradona does take over he will succeed Alfio Basile, who resigned earlier this month after a World Cup qualifying defeat to Chile.
"The idea is to start working immediately after the official announcement, with the players who are in Argentina," Maradona was quoted as saying. "And then take the first plane to talk to the ones in Europe."
Segura said: "The appointment will be official when the Argentine Football Association Committee approves it, and the next meeting is scheduled for next Tuesday.
"I believe there will not be any more meetings with the other candidates," he added.
Segura confirmed Argentine Under-20 coach Sergio Batista will be in charge for the friendly against Scotland at Hampden on 19 November.
Argentina and Barcelona forward Lionel Messi welcomed the expected appointment, despite Maradona recently criticising Messi for his selfish attitude on the pitch.
"Those are things that you say at the time. I know Diego appreciates me and I don't hold any grudges," Messi told Italy's Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper.
"There's no problem. He's a great and I admire him for what he gave to Argentine football."
Maradona spent seven seasons at Italian Serie A side Napoli and the club's former president, Corrado Ferlaino, insisted the Argentine was effectively the coach on the pitch.
"There was a time when (Ottavio) Bianchi was the coach but from his second season the players didn't talk to Bianchi, Maradona was the true coach," said Ferlaino.
Widely regarded as one of the best players in the history of the sport, Maradona is an iconic figure in Argentina.
In his remarkable 21-year playing career he hit new heights of brilliance on the field, yet plumbed depths of despair away off it.
His most memorable achievements came with the national side - the 1986 World Cup tournament becoming synonymous with his name.
DIEGO MARADONA FACTFILE
Diego Maradona
Born: 30 October 1960, Buenos Aires
Clubs: Argentinos Juniors, Boca Juniors, Barcelona, Napoli, Sevilla, Newell's Old Boys
International debut: 27 February 1977 (aged 16)
International career: 91 caps, 34 goals
Major honours: 1981 Argentina title; 1983 Cope del Rey; 1986 World Cup; 1987 Serie A title; 1987 Copa Italia; 1989 Uefa Cup; 1990 Serie A title
Maradona captained Argentina to a famous triumph, playing every minute of the tournament and scoring five goals, including two against England in the quarter-final that will live forever in football folklore.
His first goal of the 2-1 win came courtesy of an outrageous handball which he later described as "the hand of God", but the second is said by many to be the best goal ever scored; Maradona danced past five England players before poking the ball past Peter Shilton.
But Maradona's life away from football has been anything but straightforward, with a long-running addiction to cocaine undermining his genius.
The second failed drugs test of his career saw him sent home from the 1994 World Cup in disgrace, and since retiring at the age of 37, Maradona has suffered numerous health problems.
Battles with his drug addiction, alcoholism and obesity saw him suffer a heart attack in 2004, which put him in intensive care, while a later stomach-stapling operation saw him lose 30kg (66 lbs) of excess weight.
Maradona is a virtual novice in coaching terms, with only short spells with Argentine clubs Deportivo Mandiyu and Racing Club in the 1990s on his CV.
But with his health largely restored, Maradona now looks set to take the reins as coach of the national team.
Carlos Bilardo, who coached the winning side in 1986, was involved in the talks with AFA president Julio Grondona and is likely to be part of Maradona's coaching set-up.
Pedro Troglio, who coaches Paraguayan club Cerro Porteno, has also been linked with a role.
Noray Nakis, the president of the AFA selection commission, has already stated his wish, saying: "I'd like Maradona to be the next coach."
Maradona set for trip to Britain
Diego Maradona plans to visit England this weekend to meet Argentine players before his likely debut as coach in next month's friendly against Scotland.
Maradona will see Manchester United's Carlos Tevez and Liverpool's Javier Mascherano, with the respective sides of the duo playing Hull and Tottenham.
The 48-year-old's appointment is set to be confirmed by the Argentina Football Association on Tuesday.
The team is due to play Scotland at Hampden Park on 19 November.
"I will travel to England on Saturday to see Tevez and Mascherano," Maradona said. "And in Scotland I will make my debut.
"We are going to play the game against Scotland with the best team we've got.
"I really never expected this although I always dreamed of having the chance."
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez said that Maradona could be at Anfield for Tuesday's Champions League game against Atletico Madrid.
"I talked with Mascherano about Maradona's appointment, he is delighted. And I have also spoken with the Argentina federation, and everything is okay for Diego to come to Liverpool," he said.
"Everybody will have the chance to talk, and to discuss the future for Javier and the national team.
"I do not know whether Maradona will be here for the Madrid game, but I suppose it is possible. There are several good Argentinians in their squad for him to see.
"But Diego will be very welcome to come to our training ground next week, and to see the match. Maybe I can persuade him to take a few free-kicks!
"Nobody can ever doubt the quality of Maradona as a player, but I think he will do well as a manager."
Maradona, who has had two brief spells as a club coach in Argentina, scored his first goal for Argentina in their 3-1 friendly win over Scotland at Hampden in 1979
One of the infamous episodes in his playing career saw Maradona score with an outrageous handball against England in a World Cup quarter-final in 1986.
He later described it as the "hand of God" and believes this will endear him in Scotland.
He added: "I'm going to a country where they adore me because of the goal against the English.
"The English and the Scots get on horribly - serious bad blood.
"But now we are going to play a game against Scotland, where they are going to treat us well."
If Maradona does take over he will succeed Alfio Basile, who resigned earlier this month after a World Cup qualifying defeat by Chile.
Argentina and Barcelona star Lionel Messi will not play against Scotland next month as he was allowed to go to the Olympics by the Spanish club.
But Messi has welcomed Maradona's expected appointment, despite being recently criticised by the Argentine legend for his attitude on the pitch.
"Those are things that you say at the time. I know Diego appreciates me and I don't hold any grudges," Messi told Italy's Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper.
"There's no problem. He's a great and I admire him for what he gave to Argentine football."
Maradona spent seven seasons at Italian Serie A side Napoli and the club's former president, Corrado Ferlaino, insisted the Argentine was effectively the coach on the pitch.
"There was a time when (Ottavio) Bianchi was the coach but from his second season the players didn't talk to Bianchi, Maradona was the true coach," said Ferlaino.
Widely regarded as one of the best players in the history of the sport, Maradona is an iconic figure in Argentina.
In his remarkable 21-year playing career he hit new heights of brilliance on the field, yet plumbed depths of despair away from it.
His most memorable achievements came with the national side - the 1986 World Cup tournament becoming synonymous with his name.
Maradona captained Argentina to a famous triumph, playing every minute of the tournament and scoring five goals.
And, while his first against England in the quarter-final was with his hand, his second in the 2-1 win is said by many to be the best goal ever scored; Maradona danced past five England players before poking the ball past keeper Peter Shilton.
DIEGO MARADONA FACTFILE
Diego Maradona
Born: 30 October 1960, Buenos Aires
Clubs: Argentinos Juniors, Boca Juniors, Barcelona, Napoli, Sevilla, Newell's Old Boys
International debut: 27 February 1977 (aged 16)
International career: 91 caps, 34 goals
Major honours: 1981 Argentina title; 1983 Cope del Rey; 1986 World Cup; 1987 Serie A title; 1987 Copa Italia; 1989 Uefa Cup; 1990 Serie A title
But Maradona's life away from football has been anything but straightforward, with a long-running addiction to cocaine undermining his genius.
The second failed drugs test of his career saw him sent home from the 1994 World Cup in disgrace, and since retiring at the age of 37, he has suffered numerous health problems.
Battles with his drug addiction, alcoholism and obesity saw him suffer a heart attack in 2004, which put him in intensive care, while a later stomach-stapling operation saw him lose 30kg (66 lbs) of excess weight.
Maradona is a virtual novice in coaching terms, with only short spells with Argentine clubs Deportivo Mandiyu and Racing Club in the 1990s on his CV.
Carlos Bilardo, who coached the winning side in 1986, was involved in the talks with AFA president Julio Grondona and is likely to be part of Maradona's coaching set-up.
Pedro Troglio, who coaches Paraguayan club Cerro Porteno, has also been linked with a role.
Meanwhile, Scottish Football Association chief executive Gordon Smith says a friendly with Brazil could be in the pipeline depending on the success of the Argentina fixture.
"This Argentina game gives us a chance to test the water and see if there's an appetite for such fixtures," Smith said.
"If the fans respond positively by turning out in large numbers to see Argentina - then my next step is to pull out the stops to try and get Brazil to Hampden.
"Argentina is a famous name in football and now with Maradona coming as coach there is extra spice to the fixture. But Brazil is the number one country in world football because of what they have given the game."
