The first goal Maradona of Argentina will be classified for the next World South Africa
Leo Messi knows that when you go from last night from now to the calls for the selection will meet with Argentine Diego Armando Maradona. "The Pelusa" has finally been chosen to occupy the bench of the albiceleste, which was vacant since the resignation of Alfio Basile last Oct. 17. In a passage of 48 years, Maradona will arrive at last the chance that and dreamed that had claimed so many times publicly, as has happened in recent days.
The inexperience as a coach of the former Argentine star has not been an impediment to his election, despite the fact that the list of candidates included technical reputation as Carlos Bianchi or Miguel Angel Russo. Maradona met yesterday with President of the Argentine Football Association (AFA), Julio Grondona, in the event that was also present former selector Carlos Bilardo, and after it confirmed that he had been chosen. "I am more than good: happy and very quiet," he said.
Maradona made it clear that the responsibility for selecting the players and guide them to be his, although Bilardo, which coincided with during his brief adventure in Seville in the season 92-93 and Mexico in the World "86 and Italy 90, will be on top of it having been appointed new technical secretary of the selection.
"The team you belong to me," said Maradona, who as assistants with their former comrades Jose Luis Brown and Sergio Batista, with whom we should talk today, and with his physical trainer Fernando Signorini of confidence. His formal appointment will take place tomorrow, the same day that celebrates its 48th birthday.
His first match as Argentina will take place on November 19 in Glasgow, coinciding with a friendly with Scotland. The Blaugrana Messi can not, therefore, to witness the live debut of Maradona, as the AFA agreed to release the next two friendly matches.
It remains to be seen, however, what to think of this decision and the new Argentine selector if he is prepared to respect the commitment made by the AFA with the club.
Theoretically, Maradona will be without Messi until its debut in the official party, the upcoming March 28, the Argentina-Venezuela for the classification stage for the World Cup in South Africa 2010.
Grondona's decision to opt for Maradona was a surprise, since the main favorite was the former technician Boca Juniors and Atletico Madrid's Carlos Bianchi. It must be remembered that "Pelusa" only has experience as a coach because it only has been at the forefront of both teams, Deportivo Mandiyú and Racing de Avellaneda, in two brief stages Just two months. With Deportivo Mandiyú, in 1994, won only one of the twelve parties that led, while the Racing (1995), his balance was two victories in a total of eleven matches.
After the failure of Basile, Grondona has decided to bet on a different formula and therefore wants to have a group of technicians. Yesterday he called for Maradona, who had just landed in Buenos Aires from Tbilisi (Georgia) and after meeting with him and Bilardo, accepted his proposal. But Maradona was at the forefront of that group of technicians, it will be difficult decisions are taken by consensus.