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Maradona fits for his job?
(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-10-29 16:51 Diego Maradona deserves huge credit for the way he has bounced back from drug addiction and weight gain and gotten his life into better order.
However, if, as expected, he is appointed as the new head coach of the Argentina national team this week, it must still go down as one of the most surprising stories of the year. Ever since he was introduced to cocaine in the 1980s, Maradona has been one of soccer's most controversial characters. For a spell during the middle part of this decade, it appeared as though his various lifestyle problems would drive him into an early and tragic grave. While it is wonderful to see the slimmed-down version of arguably the greatest player ever in a better state of mental and physical condition, there must be concerns about his suitability for the Argentina job. There will be fears that the high level of pressure and scrutiny of the position could inflame the addictive side of his personality and that his drug dependency could resurface. Even ignoring those potential issues, the 47-year-old would still be a strange choice to replace Alfio Basile, who was fired after a string of disappointing results in the 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign. Maradona has had only two brief and unspectacular forays into coaching with Deportivo Mandiyu and Racing Club. Much could depend on the experience and know-how of the men brought in around him as assistants. His best chance of revitalizing Argentina's fortunes is by using his personality and iconic status to inspire his players and mobilize a wave of public support behind the squad. Many of Maradona's personal problems were self-inflicted and he has made some severe errors of judgment. Yet if he gets the green light as national team coach, it would be hard not to wish success to the man whose extraordinary exploits in the 1986 World Cup single-handedly gave Argentina the title – and himself an eternal place in soccer folklore. |
