Argentine manager and former football great, Maradona, has been speaking before the World Cup game today with Mexico – and he seems happy with all the attention that is being given to him – of course.
Diego Maradona – loving the attention
Maradona has revealed some of his massive ego when he says he is the biggest star at this World Cup:
“You don’t really have star coaches at the World Cup,” “Now, Mourinho or Guardiola, yes, they are stars. But here at the World Cup, it’s the players who make the difference.”
“Oh, how we laughed. For the biggest star at this World Cup is a coach.” “Remember, people said we were a disaster, the worst team they’d ever seen and now they’re saying we are great.”
“Yet, we’ve the same players and the same manager, so you don’t have to believe everybody. Just carry on doing what you want to do, have the same thoughts and ideas.”
At a news conference on Saturday Ruud Gullit and Marco van Basten were mentioned as two great players who have not transferred that greatness to being managers.
But it could be that Maradona may just prove in this World Cup that he is also a great coach, as well as being one of the greatest players the World has ever seen.
But Diego seemed upset with those comments on the coaches, and said he didn’t think that Ruud Gullit and Marco van Basten were bad coaches at all, as he continued:
“I don’t think they’re bad coaches. ” “Maybe they didn’t have the time to get their act together as coaches.
“And I guess players decide how we fare. We are more guides than anything else.”
We have to say we’ve been very impressed with the expert way in which Diego has handled his players so far in the finals, and he seems to be able to get the very best out of his players.
And certainly there’s no doubt that his passion for Argentina is there for all to see, and we think that enthusiasm and passion transfers directly to his players.
Maradona continued:
“I’ve seen it all. All my life I’ve picked up the experience that today I’m giving my players with all my soul and heart, saying to the lads.”
“‘That’s how it was for me’.” “So when the road narrows, history comes into play and I’m sure my players understood the message.”
And Maradona was told about the statement of of Ricardo La Volpe, a goalkeeper in Argentina’s 1978 World Cup-winning squad.
Ricardo then went on to play in Mexico for a long time at the end of his career – and he has come out and said he hopes that Mexico will win the game this afternoon.
Maradona was furious with that statement:
“It makes me very angry,” “This is a type of treason.” “It would help if journalists had the courage to apologise.”
“I am 50 years old on Oct 30. I don’t hold grudges,” “I am grown up.”
As we said before, Maradona has pride and passion for Argentina, and anybody who goes against his team is deemed a traitor – that’s the way Diego thinks and feels, and it’s how he drives his players forward to a potential third World Cup victory this summer.
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