A Guus Hiddink and Diego Maradona Double Act at World Cup 2010?

November 23rd, 2009 | by: Daryl |

eric and ernie double act To be clear, this is just a rumour right now. Nothing more, and certainly nothing official. Plus Guus Hiddink is officially contracted to the Russian national team until July 2010. So let’s not get carried away. But…

…There are whispers being whispered that the Argentine Football Association may approach Guus Hiddink and offer him a role coaching Argentina alongside Diego Maradona at World Cup 2010. I’ll let that sink in for a second.

This rumour seem to have appeared because Diego Maradona and his #2 Carlos Bilardo apparently aren’t getting on. Bilardo isn’t just any assistant, he doesn’t just put the cones out in training. He helps El Diego with tactics etcetera. And so he’s at least partially to blame for Argentina’s World Cup qualifying shambles.

Plus, Hiddink’s Russia narrowly missed out on World Cup 2010 (on away goals to Slovenia) so he won’t have a team at World Cup 2010. The Dutchman has coached at the last three World Cup with three different teams (Netherlands, South Korea and Australia) and he certainly wasn’t planning to miss this one.

No doubt that Maradona and Hiddink would be an odd couple. I’m not quite sure what one would make of the other. But as a neutral, I’m hoping this doesn’t come to pass.

Here’s why:

I’d much much prefer to see Hiddink coaching a less fancied team at World Cup 2010. Just because having Hiddink will give that team a fighting chance. In many many ways he would have been the perfect coach for the South African team before they rehired Carlos Alberto Parreira.

More importantly, if Hiddink is co-coach then it ruins The Diego Maradona Experience. And I was looking forward to The Diego Maradona Experience at World Cup 2010. Because he’ll definitely deliver something dramatic. Either a complete disaster or a glorious triumph. Hiddink would do a lot take the edge off that. As a neutral I’d prefer the drama, but I can understand if Argentina fans feel differently.

Last but not least, it ruins the potential Maradona narrative and robs El Diego of his shot at glory. Because if Argentina win the World Cup under Diego Maradona, then that’s a story to remember. If they win it with Hiddink, then it’s Hiddink’s World Cup, and not quite as exciting.

Tags: Argentina, Diego Maradona, Guus Hiddink, World Cup 2010

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Comments

By Liss Evil Blue | November 23rd, 2009 at 3:16 pm

WAT WAT WAT.. OK

Posted from United States

By Maik | November 23rd, 2009 at 3:51 pm

I’d sell my left nut to see Hiddink take the manager role, but that fat egomaniac won’t let it happen, and neither will the AFA, since their heads are too far up their own asses to see what should be done to win something come July. And if anything even close to a win for Argentina happens during the world cup, it will be because of our players. If it were up to Maradona and his suicidal coaching ways we’d loose the first match and then get kicked out of the tournament because he kicked rooney in the balls during a game.

By Dave Martinez | November 23rd, 2009 at 4:18 pm

To quote the former “Lionheart” Chris Jericho:

This will never . . . EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEVER . . . work!

Look Argentina fans – we are stuck with Maradona till at least July. Just deal with it, take the abuse, and let us boldly pursue Guardiola for 2016!

Posted from United States

By Dave Martinez | November 23rd, 2009 at 4:19 pm

*2014 – yet another Argentine FAIL!

Posted from United States

By Seth | November 23rd, 2009 at 5:06 pm

PLZ LET THIS HAPPEN!!!!!!!!!!

Posted from Canada

By laurie | November 23rd, 2009 at 5:32 pm

Can you imagine Maradona allowing this? I can’t. The ego won’t let it happen.

I’m with you, Daryl, for all the reasons you mention.

Posted from United States

By sscouser | November 23rd, 2009 at 6:55 pm

Hiddink, Mancini to snub Nigeria
Posted: 2009-11-22 14:45

Guus Hiddink and Roberto Mancini, two of the top candidates whose names have been bandied around for the Nigeria job, are set to snub the country.

UK newspaper The Guardian reports that Hiddink is preparing to make a return to Chelsea as Technical Director, while his place in Russia is favoured to go to the former Inter Milan coach, who has been out of a job since leaving the Italian champions in May 2008.

By Mark | November 23rd, 2009 at 10:23 pm

Hiddink and Maradona get along great, they both publicly stated that

Posted from United States

By Dave Martinez | November 24th, 2009 at 6:47 am

Oh Mark . . . you just don’t understand the mind of Diego Armando Maradona.

Posted from United States

By Rui | November 24th, 2009 at 7:46 pm

If Maradona could lead argentina to a WC victory he’d probably just pull his pants off on the field and whip it out for the reporters.

By Moses | November 26th, 2009 at 12:14 am

Daryl, I think you’re right if Hiddink is co-coach with Maradona next year it will take the steam off the engine. I think Maradona wants to prove that he can deliver something big there but with Hiddink helping him it’ll be viewed like he would not have produced that and that without the Dutchman. A diego fan like me would want him achieve that on his own, and if he fails he wouldn’t have to share the blame with somebody else.

By urethritis | November 27th, 2009 at 12:43 am

Your article is very good! Helpful to me,

By PDP | December 4th, 2009 at 11:03 pm

Interesting subject. I’d say Hiddink at Argentina is unlikely to happen, but then again.. I didn’t think Maradona would EVER be selected as coach. So in conclusion, stranger things have happened.

Argentina could use a coach that actually knows tactics better than his adversaries.

Posted from United States

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