I think he might surprise a few people and hope he does well.
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Argentina’s Messi plays down fears over Maradona
MILAN, Oct 29 (Reuters) - Argentina forward Lionel Messi has said he is unperturbed by Diego Maradona’s possible appointment as Argentina coach despite the soccer great accusing him of selfish play in the past.
Maradona, who captained his country to World Cup glory in 1986, said on Tuesday he was on the verge of being named national coach.
“They were things that were said on the spur of the moment. I know that Diego appreciates me and I don’t hold a grudge,” Barcelona’s Messi told Wednesday’s Gazzetta dello Sport.
“There will be no problem. He is a great. I admire him for what he has given to Argentinian soccer. I am optimistic. The generation that won the Beijing Olympics is up and coming.
“If we had been more fortunate in the 2006 World Cup quarter-final with Germany, we would have won. Argentina have missed out in the World Cup for too long.”
Italy coach Marcello Lippi, who lifted the 2006 World Cup, welcomed the potential appointment of one of soccer’s most controversial figures.
“His charisma will make the players follow him 100 percent. They will listen to him like an oracle,” he told Italian media.
Maradona’s daughter is having a baby with Argentina’s Atletico Madrid forward Sergio Aguero.
Messi and Aguero have both been talked up as the new Maradona with the pair in the running for the Ballon d’Or—the former European footballer of the year award.
“I don’t know what I would give to be the first Argentinan to win it,” Messi said before suggesting who should win.
“Aguero. But Torres and Xavi deserve it too. From Cristiano Ronaldo to Kaka, from Ibrahimovic to Rooney, everyone is in the running. (Barcelona team mate Andres) Iniesta is missing and I don’t understand why. He is a genius.”
Messi’s respect for Spain striker Fernando Torres extends to his club side Liverpool, who the Argentine thinks are Barcelona’s big rivals in the Champions League this term.
“If I had to choose it would be Liverpool,” he said. “They have Torres, Gerrard, Kuyt, Mascherano and they are difficult to face. Maybe there are teams that play better but I see them in the final in Rome.”
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From BBC
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."Comment
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He isn't coming now.Comment
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Maradona named as Argentina coach
Diego Maradona has been confirmed as the new head coach of Argentina.
The Argentinian Football Association executive committee met in Buenos Aires to finalise the 48-year-old former World Cup winner's appointment.
Carlos Bilardo, who was coach when Maradona lifted the World Cup in 1986, will assist him as general manager.
Maradona replaces Alfio Basile, who stepped down on 16 October, and immediately pinpointed Liverpool's Javier Mascherano to be his captain.
"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," hesaid.
"I will convince him. He will be my captain."
The new coach's first squad also includes Newcastle pair Fabricio Coloccini and Jonas Gutierrez, but Internazionale midfielder Esteban Cambiasso and Getafe goalkeeper Roberto Abbondanzieri are not included.
Playmaker Lionel Messi has not been selected as part of an agreement with Barcelona, after they released him to play in the Olympics.
Maradona, whose official title is technical director, had been expected to visit Britain ahead of Argentina's match against Scotland at Hampden Park on 19 November.
It was thought he would attend Liverpool's Champions League match with Atletico Madrid to meet Mascherano, followed by Manchester United's Carlos Tevez at the weekend, but that trip has been abandoned.
"We are going to play the game against Scotland with the best team we've got," said Maradona, who will stay in Argentina and formulate plans for his first match in charge.
"Being the coach of the national team coach and being alongside Carlos is an honour for me. I will do my best to succeed. We will work every day to make Argentina have a better national team day by day.
"It comes in the best moment of my life. My daughters are very well, I can wake up every morning and see sunshine. I am coming into a very beautiful dream.
"My spirit is calm. I cannot ask for more. This is the best moment in my life."
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."
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
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.
Bilardo was involved in the talks with AFA president Julio Grondona Pedro Troglio, who coaches Paraguayan club Cerro Porteno, has also been linked with a role in the new regime, but no assistants have yet been announced.
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."
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New Argentina coach Diego Maradona has confirmed he wants Liverpool's Javier Mascherano to captain the country.
Argentine legend Maradona was handed his country's top job on Tuesday following the departure of Alfio Basile last month.
The former World Cup winner's first game in charge will the be the friendly with Scotland and he is keen to appoint Reds midfielder Mascherano as a long-term successor to current captain Javier Zanetti.
"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," said Maradona.
"I will convince him. He will be my captain."
Mascherano has been joined in Maradona's first squad by Newcastle duo Fabricio Coloccini and Jonas Gutierrez and Manchester United striker Carlos Tevez.
However, there is no place in the squad for Inter Milan midfielder Esteban Cambiasso or Getafe goalkeeper Roberto Abbondanzieri.
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Think this will be good for both mascherano and liverpoolGeorge Gillett is a
and Tom Hicks is a Comment
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mascherano
dont see this posted anywhere but mascher is the new caption of argentina
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/foot...ls/7701071.stm
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