Maradona’s Coaching Future in Doubt after Meeting with AFA
After Diego Maradona met with the Argentine Football Association, neither side was ready to say whether the legendary player will stay on as coach for the national football team.
Before meeting AFA president Julio Grondona Maradona said he wants to stay on as coach, but under his own terms. That means he will stay if he can keep his entire coaching staff, plus add some others.
"If they touch the kit man, if they touch the massage therapist, I'm out,'' Maradona said
But Grondona let his conditions to Maradona be known to the coach as well.
Nobody gave a straight answer regarding Maradona’s future, so it is still a toss-up. Grondona will soon meet with the AFA's executive committee, where the association president will describe in detail his talk with Maradona.
Maradona has claimed that despite the team’s embarrassing 4-0 loss to Germany in this year’s World Cup quarterfinal, the players support him. That support has further motivated Maradona to stay but still, under his own terms; continue to lead the team in his own way and to keep his staff.
Grondona's own conditions reportedly included detailed contractual obligations involving people and job responsibilities. Maradona’s future will likely be decided once Grondona's report is read to the executive committee. If they elect to keep Maradona, then the two sides could renew his contract through the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Maradona led Argentina to the 1986 World Cup as a player, but has been criticized for his coaching methods. The Albiceleste barely qualified for the World Cup and many Argentinians seemed to be relieved that the team even made it to the quarterfinal as they were worried the nation would be embarrassed.
When Maradona was asked whether he had studied film of Argentina’s elimination game in South Africa, he stated: "I haven't seen it and I won't see it.''
No ceremonies were even made to welcome the team back following their elimination, but many were content that Argentina performed better than the nation expected.
Argentina President Cristina Fernandez has publicly supported Maradona, and a legislator has proposed building a monument to honor him. However many Argentines do not feel the same way, seeing his lack of coaching experience and controversial tactics as something getting in the team’s way of success. Many think that if he cannot properly lead a team filled with some of the world’s greatest stars, including Lionel Messi, then he has no business coaching the team. Maradona also defended his team's performance in the World Cup:"We didn't deserve to finish that way, we had done good work," he said.
The country obviously has mixed feelings about Maradona coaching the team. His legacy as a player will never be questioned, but his coaching ability sure will be questioned. Many saw Argentina as being the most talented team in the World Cup. They were among the favorites, but their weak defence was finally exposed against Germany and the lack of goals form Messi caught up with the team.
Germany looked better prepared, better coached and a lot more intelligent than the Argentine side.
Now of course, Argentina is looking to bounce back in four years when the World Cup will take place in the team’s home continent as rivals Brazil will be hosting. Messi will still be searching for his first World Cup goal and if Maradona is still there, he will be looking to prove his critics wrong and show that he is the right man to lead this talented team.
Either decision will be very interesting.
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