not to forget Diego Quintana.. Where is he now..

Masche Backs Maradona For Argentina Job

Los Albicelestes are in the market for a new coach following Alfio Basile's surprise resignation after the recent World Cup qualifying loss to Chile.

And Mascherano believes Maradona, widely regarded as the world's greatest ever footballer, is an ideal candidate to take the reins.

"Maradona can contribute to the team all of his experience," the Liverpool midfielder said in the Daily Mail. "What he has given us as a player, no other player could give that to Argentina. He has given us so much."

Maradona, whose club career took him to Barcelona and Napoli, is one of several former Argentine internationals vying for the job.

Sergio Batista, who also lifted the Copa Mundial in 1986, has been appointed as caretaker coach and is among the favourites to get the gig on a full-time basis.

River Plate manager Diego Simeone, Maradona's team-mate at Sevilla during the early 1990s, is also in the frame, and Mascherano is confident that whatever decision is made will be the right one.

"There are big names," said the 24-year-old, who has 45 caps for his country. "They are coaches who have triumphed, each in their own way.

"Hopefully, what comes to pass will be the best for Argentine football, because we are a year and a half away from a World Cup and we have to qualify. It seems a like a long time away, but it is nothing."

source: http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=928707

The successful will last 4ever...even he had proven in last time.. the newest results show much more...
Argentina performance collaspe everytime he is not doing well.. too rely on him is not a good thing, see wat french suffer now??? Call back Zidane??
Start to let new star a chance... Olympic gold medal team...

Maradona to become next coach of Argentina

Argentinian football legend Diego Maradona is set to be named coach of the national side after he came out of a meeting with Argentinian Football Association president Julio Grondona on Tuesday.

The Argentina legend is back in the game.

The Albicelestes have been without a coach since Alfio Basile stepped down for personal reasons on October 16 and although Grondona has yet to announce it to the press, reports suggest that the official presentation will take place on Thursday.

Former Argentina coach Carlos Bilardo was also at the meeting, and it is understood he could become a technical director in the new set-up.

Maradona told Radio La Red: "My first job will be watching the players. I'll try to talk to them one by one and then work at the training camp in Ezeiza with them.

"I arrived from Georgia at 10am and three hours later I was having a shower to meet Julio (Grondona). As I was going to the meeting, I thought it was some kind of hidden camera (show).

"The direction Julio wants for the national team is the same Bilardo and I have. My job will be watching the players and picking up the ones who are in the best form."

Maradona has little coaching experience, having been in charge of Deportivo Mandiyu for two months in 1994 and Racing Club for four months in 1995.

Now, he faces the task of helping Argentina improve their form with the Albicelestes having won just one of their last seven World Cup qualifiers to lie third in the South American Zone.

The former Argentina captain told FOX Sports: "The offer from Julio Grondona attracted me a lot. As soon as it is confirmed, I will start working, but I can say I am very proud.

"I'm putting everything aside for this. There is nothing that can make me look past the national team. Today my path is the national team, my task is to talk to the players and build a solid group. I am sure the guys and Argentinian football will pull through.

"I think we must make the players understand that our shirt is the most important thing, that they cannot exchange money for glory. Glory is much more than money. I know they know that, but we must make them remember that every day.

"We have enough quality to calm the nation. The road to the World Cup is not easy, but I believe in the Argentinian players. Everybody wants to play at the World Cup but we must show our traditions and our style on the field."

Prior to the meeting, Grondona told Uruguayan radio station Colonia the Argentinian Football Association were considering ditching the traditional one-coach system in favour of a committee.

"Responsibility cannot only be on one person and we are analysing whether we continue with the one-coach system or we change it by forming a coaching body," Grondona told Colonia.

"One person can never control everything. That system is not working. Coaches are only staying in charge for two or three games. When a forward misses a goal, everybody is looking at the coach and immediately pointing at him.

"I really don't know if all the coaches agree with the idea of a group. Anyway, we are not in a hurry."

Meanwhile, Pedro Troglio, coach of Paraguayan club Cerro Porteno, claims he has already been approached by Maradona to become a member of the new Argentina set-up.

"I am extremely happy, but I must keep my feet on the ground," Maradona's former international team-mate told the Ole newspaper. "The world's best player has called me.

"It was a huge surprise. Being aware that your name is included as possible coaching staff is amazing, but we'll have to wait to see whether Diego is selected."

The 48-year-old Maradona - who almost single-handedly 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 Noray Nakis, the president of the Argentina Football Association (AFA) selection commission.

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.

Liverpool and Argentina midfielder Javier Mascherano said that Maradona, widely regarded as the world's greatest ever footballer, is an ideal candidate to take the reins.

"Maradona can contribute to the team all of his experience," he told the Daily Mail. "What he has given us as a player, no other player could give that to Argentina. He has given us so much."

Maradona is not expected to take charge of the team until after the friendly against Scotland on November 19, a game in which Under-21 boss Batista will probably oversee.

His first official game as coach should be a friendly against France on February 11.

Source : http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id...cup2010&cc=4716

A legend will be managing argentina........GG.....i'm ecstatic

Maradona is back for the game. I wonder what can he bring in for Argentina.

Maradona new Argentina Coach
Tuesday 28 October, 2008
Napoli legend Diego Armando Maradona has been appointed the new Coach of Argentina, it has been confirmed.

Il Pibe de Oro met with the AFA chiefs in Buenos Aires today and the decision was announced this evening for a new course of action following Alfio Basile’s dismissal.

Maradona will be part of a ‘working group’ alongside other tacticians with the Seleccion, according to comments made by President Julio Grondona.

Carlos Bilardo, who was in charge of the 1986 World Cup winning squad, has confirmed he will be “the new director general.”

Former Lazio, Verona and Ascoli midfielder Pedro Troglio is the assistant manager to Maradona.

Diego turns 48 on Thursday and had the greatest years of his career at the San Paolo, scoring 115 goals in 259 games and winning two Scudetti with Napoli.

http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_italia/oct28y.html

wah.. maradonna still the touch of futbol anot.. dun make the team upside down can edi..

with maradona as a head coach...i believe argentina will go with more attacking gameplay n formation...

so do I....argentina r born with many attacking talents.....so they should be playing more attacking styles football instead of defending.......

But i a bit pessimistic on diego ability.. since his managing record under club is not so impressive.. a bit awful...
Anyway.. hope this lengend of Argen can input the spirit into the club..

Club different mah. Bcoz choice of players might limitted. Now he got all the cards he wants, let see how he play it.
Maradona is different, he is like modern football artist. He don't talk about system. He wants is master piece of game. Attacking is always beautiful than defending. He will played out his passion of beautiful.
Now playing football is like wanted to win, regardless how is the game being played.

lovely... another Argentina supporter here...

Maradona takes over as Argentina coach

BUENOS AIRES, November 4 (National Team) - The Argentinian Football Association have confirmed Diego Maradona as the new head coach of the national team.

The appointment was ratified by the AFA board at a meeting in Buenos Aires on Tuesday.

The 48-year-old replaces Alfio Basile, who stepped down from the post for personal reasons on October 16.

It has been widely reported that Maradona will sign a contract until the end of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, assuming the team qualify.

Maradona's first game at the helm will be against Scotland at Glasgow's Hampden Park on November 19.

AFA president Julio Grondona has also appointed Carlos Bilardo as the technical secretary of the national teams.

Bilardo was Argentina coach when Maradona skippered the side to World Cup glory in 1986, and will work closely with his former player in the new set-up.

"Being the coach of the national team coach and being alongside Carlos is an honour for me," said Maradona.

"I will do my best to succeed. We will work every day to make Argentina have a better national team day by day. I thank Julio, my family and my daughters."

Maradona becomes Argentina coach despite the fact he has little coaching experience, having been in charge of Deportivo Mandiyu for two months in 1994 and Racing Club for four months in 1995.

The appointment of the experienced Bilardo, therefore, is likely to be crucial to how well Maradona performs in his new role.

Argentina are in desperate need of an upturn in form, having won just one of their last seven World Cup qualifiers to lie third in the South American Zone.

Source: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=589056&cc=4716

its confirm de......maradona is our new head coach.......

MARADONA: I WANT MASCH AS SKIPPER

New Argentina coach Diego Maradona has revealed he wants Javier Mascherano to be his new captain.
Maradono was today confirmed as the new boss of the Argentine national side and immediately pinpointed the Liverpool midfielder as the man he wants to lead his country.

"I want Mascherano to be my captain because I believe he is the Argentinian player who is closest to the idea I have about the Argentinian shirt - sweat for it, sacrifice for it, being a professional, being close to the team-mate," he said.

"I will convince him. He will be my captain."

So i think, Argentina will be clear favaourite to win World Cup. Maybe Maradona is the missing jigsaw puzzle to argentina.

Maradona calls Napoli duo

is he willing to take the armband from zanetti?
i read an article,he said dat he is not interested in that position.

BUT with no doubt i'm sure he will success if taking the chance given!

GO 'Monster' Masch

Maradona pleased with 'positive' Messi meeting

New Argentina coach Diego Maradona admitted he had a "very positive" meeting with Lionel Messi but was unable to speak to Barcelona president Joan Laporta about releasing the forward for the upcoming friendly against Scotland.

A pre-existing agreement between the Argentina Football Association (AFA) and Barcelona means Messi is unable to play in friendlies for his country apart from very special occasions.

Even though Maradona said he will respect the verbal agreement when he was officially unveiled as the new coach of the national team on Tuesday, he is still keen to recruit Messi for his first game in charge against Scotland on November 19.

"We are very happy with the meeting with Leo because it was very positive," said Maradona. "It's great that he wants to play all the matches in the national team. We are satisfied by that."

This meeting was only the first step of a European tour where Maradona will meet most of the players he has called up to play Scotland at Hampden Park in Glasgow.

However, the 48-year-old was unable to meet Laporta where it is believed he was keen to ask about releasing Messi to play at least this friendly - his first match at the helm - but the president of the Catalan side postponed the meeting because of a flight to Brussels.

Maradona later travels to England to speak to Manchester United forward Carlos Tevez and Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano, who he is keen to convince to accept an offer of being captain of the national team.

Source : http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=589857&cc=4716

zzz....sometimes i really do think those club are so selfish.....messi wasn't force to play for argentina in some of the match but it is his own will to play......but their club just ignored it.....

Messi is a very important player for both barca and argentina. It's gonna be sooner or later before he becomes world player of the year. Let Ronaldo have it this year, he quite rightly deserved it for all his contributions last season for Manchester United. But soon, Messi is gonna be a force to reckon! Not like is isnt already, but the time will come where he'll be Numero Uno!