All Eyes on Maradona Today

November 19th, 2008 | by: Daryl |

There are some proper World Cup qualifiers on today, in Asia and CONCACAF. And there are some big friendlies happening too. Germany vs England and Brazil vs Portugal look huge on paper. But easily the most interesting game of the day is Scotland vs Argentina. It’s not often you can say that, and it’s all down to one man: Diego Armando Maradona and his debut as Argentina coach.

El Diego’s already without key players like Leo Messi, Juan Roman Riquelme and possible future son in law Sergio Aguero (who’s left the squad to be with Maradona’s daughter, who he knocked up a while back). And because drama seems to follow the man wherever he goes, today Maradona is facing an old adversary for the fist time in 22 years. An angry Terry Butcher.

Butcher is assistant manager on the Scotland team, and was playing for England when Maradona scored his famous Hand of God goal at the 1986 World Cup:

And Butcher still seems a bit sore about it.

“It’s very hard to forgive and forget in the circumstances. But it was 22 years ago,” Butcher told the Press Association.

“I think I’m 4-1 to get a red card in the tunnel — it would be the fist of Terry Butcher rather than the hand.

“But, no, it’s gone now and, while we will never forget, it’s not about that game. I haven’t got a Maradona doll that I stick pins in every day, I don’t need psychiatric help,” he added.

Methinks the assistant manager doth protest too much. And let’s hope he’s joking about the “fist of Terry Butcher”.

Maradona responded in his usual diplomatic way:

“I’m not going to seek him out. I don’t know why Butcher has taken this attitude. I don’t quite understand. I will let Butcher get on with his life and I’ll get on with mine.

“I’m not going to lose any sleep over it. If he doesn’t shake my hand, I’ll still be alive tomorrow.”

Scotland vs Argentina kicks off at 8pm local time (3pm US Eastern). Ninety minutes later we’ll hopefully be able to form our first opinions about Maradona the international manager. Any good?

You can follow Argentina fan’s reactions to their new manager on Argentina World Cup Blog.

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http://epl.theoffside.com Rob

Terry Butcher. What a legend.
Oxford

Diego does attract a crowd I’ll give him that. I think 86 is all water under the bridge. Diego has paid a heavy price for the so called “hand of Dios”. He has become a cartoon character constantly mocked and ridiculed around the world; his reputation on a scale of 1 – 10 is negative 4, drug abuse, dinners with dictators, breakfast with communist sympathizers and so on and so on.

Now the inevitable shame he will bring upon Argentina…..once again. Christmas has come early!
Mat

You English Rob, Oxford?? keep living in your own little world.. he is a legend of football
Jose

Seriously.. Maradona, a cartoon character? Not how he will be remembered.
Ak

A legend he may be, but a cheat is a cheat: just because he is one of the most gifted players to have played the game doesn’t mean that he should be absolved of his ethics.
Mat

what I am saying is that most people cheat on the field sometime or the other.. that’s just pro football.. he got away with a hand goal..big deal… just because it was against England, this thing has just gone on and on for the last twenty two years.. I am not saying that what he did was right, but you have to see things in perspective… Scholes had a handball goal many years back.. no one calls him a cheat.. its just the English biased media and folks related who just cannot take the fact that he beat England…
Ak

Mat, I’m not picking on Maradona: I think Gerrard is a cheat too – a great player, but also a diver. What I dislike is that, more than anyone else, so many people are willing to look past his shaky behaviour and ONLY see his brilliance, and I don’t think that’s right. Maybe you’re right that he gets a disproportionate amount of stick; but, then again, his admirers are probably also the most guilty of this discolouring of opinion.
Mat

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/international/article5194036.ece

and what I am saying his that everyone makes mistakes/cheats at some point in his career in sports.. just because Maradona did it against England he gets a lot more stick than necessary…and when we are talking about talent like his, that comes probably only a couple of times in a century then we should let it go.. (at least I will) and enjoy the beauty of his play
Handof GOD

Funny I laways thought it was Diegos second goal that put england out of the 86 world cup? You know the one where he played around 3 players in the centre circle, skipped out wide right down the wing, cut inside past more players and then rounded the goaile.Voted by Fifa as the goal of the centrey.
Yet continuaal over looked by the english media.
Do we rember Owen diving aganst argentina for the penalty?(2002)
(BUT ENGLAND DONT CHEAT RIGHT?)
Oxford

Correct …the English unlike Argentines play with honour and class.

Good observation Hand of God
Gunter

Most countries cheat but are not as well known for it as the Argentines. Diego is just the most famous example.