I have been reporting things as I heard them and I've been mainly informing, rather than giving my opinion.
After yet another contradiction, I'm here to do a little exercise to remember some of the contradictory messages that MARADONA has been sending out and some of the phrases that sounded like 'his truth' and now are being erased by his elbow of God.
When MARADONA took over he said:
MARADONA's quote: 'Juan Pablo CARRIZO is my first choice as a goalkeeper. I don't care if he is not playing for Lazio'
Outcome: Three matches later, when CARRIZO didn't have 100% responsibility in the goals he conceded, he lost that number 1 shirt.
We all know what happened to his next choice: ANDÚJAR. And now, only a few months after he designated CARRIZO as his first-choice keeper, he is using his third in Sergio ROMERO (if you don't count Diego POZO and Cristian CAMPESTRINI, which he used v. Panamá when players from the local league were called up).
When Martín DEMICHELIS got injured and needed surgery:
MARADONA's quote: 'Nicolás BURDISSO is the natural replacement for Martín DEMICHELIS'.
Outcome: BURDISSO joined the squad for Brazil and Paraguay and didn't play a single minute (instead, he had to witness how DOMINGUEZ was outclassed and outpaced in Brazil and yet he won a second cap three days later and he also watched as a 36-year old Rolando SCHIAVI was sent in vs. Paraguay instead of him)
Just before the friendly in France:
MARADONA's quote: 'I think it's time I give Lisandro LOPEZ good minutes for the national team'.
Outcome: Lisandro LOPEZ took only 30 seconds to find the back of the net against Russia (he only played in the second half). It was a friendly. Lisandro LOPEZ played exactly 0 (ZERO. A big fat ZERO) minutes in the World Cup Qualifiers.
And this next one is the quote that really kills me and disgusts me now that I read Diego is planning on calling more players from the local league and leave out some of those that are European-based.
Just before the match v. Brazil in Rosario:
Question from a journalist: 'Diego: if today you had to come up with a list of 23 players to go to the next World Cup, do you think those players are here in this hotel with you right now?' (NOTE: There were 28 players in that squad).
MARADONA's quote: 'Yes. The 23 players are here with me now'.
Outcome: Well...we don't know what the outcome will be yet. It certainly doesn't look like a good one. Reports EVERYWHERE are suggesting Diego will 'punish' most of the players that came from Europe to play against Brazil and Paraguay and he won't be calling them up again. Even names that are (or were) close to his heart like MESSI, AGÜERO and TEVEZ are being questioned.
The media, still licking Diego's arse (if you allow me the expression and if you don't I apologize but I can't find a better way of putting it), are now blaming all on MESSI of all people. They are now praising PALERMO (Boca Juniors biased anyone?) and even Rolando SCHIAVI.
This, my friends, is looking worse and worse each day.
If you ask me now (and my head replies), I'd say Argentina do not deserve to be in the next World Cup, for much as it hurts me to say it.
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Incredible. For Seba to be this upset and dismayed, well....We know what this means. Please, somebody come to their senses and fire Diego ahora mismo. I think it's absurd to lay the blame on any player ! Yes, some have not been performing to their potential, but the system under Maradona, if there is a system, is so unbelievably flawed, that it's hard to determine if the player's efforts are poor or not !
Take Messi as an example. Clearly Barcelona has been able to develop an attack that allows him to excel and utilize the great skills he has. There is no evidence of that happening with the NT. To think that one player can make much difference amid so much chaos, and realizing it is a team game involving eleven players on each side, well, come on. Hell, I am relatively new to futbol, but even I can see that.
Seba
do you get my e-mails?
The media -- are they reflective of the general sentiment?
I'm fascinated by the whole Messi thing -- i think that it's indicative of a problem that happens all over South America. There seems to be a deep-seeded distrust anyone who leaves the country and succeeds. Eurpean - based players seem to fall off the face of the earth as far as South American fans are concerned. It's as if they've gone to fight for other national armies or something. And Messi is the case par-excellance of this suspicion and paranioa, because he left so young.
He's spent so much of his career and life trying to make it known to all the world that he's Arg and proud of it and all the rest, and it seems like no one cares for him in Argentina!
Messi strikes me as someone who doesn't suffer fools lightly -- on the pitch --. He plays better when the players are better. He is impatient with mediocrity, and stimulated when he sees brilliance around him. If he just had 1 week with a proper organized coach with the talent that Arg has, he would be doing great. He played amazingly well in the olympics, when the team had more structure and balance (not much more, but more). He was by far the best player on that team.
I find it almost offensive that Maradona is playing the nationalistic card. The "locals" are more passionate for their country card. It's truly ridiculous, and just trying to bait the worst sentiments of a people.
And-- i HATE HATE HATE that people are comparing Messi to Maradona. Maradona had Bilardo as a coach, who is obsessive compulisuve and anal and hyper organized. Those teams were disciplined and organized, and meant to give Maradona space and time. There is this pathetic myth that has surgido that Maradona somehow just ran on the field with his pals, as if on the way to a pick up game, and destroyed all before him. That's not how it was. Maradona didn't do it on his own. Enough with that bs mythology.
And the other thing - Messi is just 22. Maradona was 25-26 in the 86 World Cup. Totally different times in a career.
I never thought that Messi would get the label of PECHO FRIO. Messi -- of all people -- That guy LIVES for big games.
That's the problem Johnny, there's no system whatsoever. He changes players as if the system were inherent to them. He seems to think that using Messi means the whole team will adapt to his style, same case with Agüero. Players must adapt to systems, so if they don't work, you replace them, keeping the system until it works -- it eventually will, like Dunga and Brasil; that's why Basile kept using Riquelme when Román was not doing fine. He had a system where Riquelme fitted perfectly, but sadly, it's difficult to replace a player like that, so the team had to lower its performance. Now, Maradona has no idea on what he really wants, no fixed system.
I mean, I guess Maradona knows what Argentina's matches should FEEL like, but he doesn't know how to get there, because he doesn't have any real tactics. It's like asking four skilled musicians to sound like the Beatles... you need a little more than that. The Carrizo issue gives me that impression: he wanted Carrizo to demonstrate Lazio that they were wrong for not using him as a starter. To him, it's more of an emotional thing, same with the press as we saw recently.
And Paulina: those that call Messi "pecho frío" are clearly not watching the matches. He even "stole" one ball from behind a distracted paraguayan midfielder, far away from the lame position Maradona doomed him to stay, when the rest of the team were just standing, waiting Paraguay to advance.
how can anyone with a half brain criticize Messi?For God's sake he is the world's greatest player right now and is the next Ballon D'or 2009, a feat that has not been accomplished for more than 23 years!!Replacing Eurpoean players with locals is like commiting suicide,Maradona need to be slapeed to wake up from his illusions...the reason why players dont make it to Europe is because they are either too young or they suck,or they were given the chance to succeed in Europe and they failed.Enough said.
latest article says the coach will call up Palermo and Schiavi and give them a more prominet role, ie starters.
http://goal.com/en/news/1863/world-cup-2010/2009/09/11/1494430/diego-maradona-to-scrap-european-based-players-for
Oh boy. Not looking good for us.
Great post by Paulina ! You said everything I have been thinking about Messi and the early exile in Europe and the local fans' reaction. What a humongous pity that he has to struggle with this mess. And, I couldn't agree more with your thoughts that he suffers fools poorly. I've always admired those kinds of people.
damn, its over. i really thought Paraguay defeat will signal the end of maradona's time. i was even cheering for paraguay at the end of the game.
it turns out that not only maradona is staying, but we should be prepared to see palermo and shiavi starting the next games!
what devistates me most is the stand that arg people are taking. i thought that by this time, riots would have gone to fire maradona. and the result is what instead??? putting it on Messi....absurd...
Seba
Thanks for the update from Argentina. These two days have been worser than the loss to Brazil. The interviews that Maradona has given just makes me feel that he is certainly not stable at this time ( Dont ask when he was) .
Did any of you notice that after everymatch Argentina loses, Maradona always instigates the press by saying please do not attack Messi, it is not his fault. He is kind of bringing everyone's attention to Messi and not the team. Am sure there is an ulterior motive in it. I have a feeling that Maradona wants everybody to talk bad about Messi because he is the best player in the world and many feel he is a better player than Maradona, when Maradona was of the same age.
Coaching has become such a specialized and important job these days which is reflected in the salary paid to coaches. Some of them get paid more than footballers. Coaches can make or break a team. Many tell that the revival of Chelsea is due to the diamond shaped system followed by Ancelloti. Would love that such a coach takes over a team with such abundance talent like Argentina.
Wouldn't it be great to have a team made up of
Romero
Zabaleta Dimichellis Samuel Insua
Mascherano Cambiasso
Aimar
Messi Zarate
Higuain
Anyway till the next worldcup we can all dream about Argentina football. I believe one thing in what Maradona says, whenever he has talked about his choice of players he has always kept up with that. So if he has told that he will select mostly players from Argentina you can be sure that he is going to do that. All the players from Aregntina league that have represented us this year other than Riquelme have done really bad. I hope Maradona does not think that Peru and Uruguay are like Pananma. This year the gap in quality has reduced considerably among the South American teams. Just that teams like Colombia, Bolivia and Peru do not have good finishers.
Just hoping that players like Messi, Aguero and Mascherano are not completely demoralized after the devastating losses. They need to quickly bounce back for the sake of football.
Seba please keep giving us continuos updates from Argentina. Whatever said and done all of us live a life of hope.
BTW your website enganche is really good. Finally found the right place to get closer to happenings in Argentine soccer
Hi Guys,
It’s been awhile since i commented here.
Well, after reading everything i must say its not over yet.
Optimistically speaking we will get past PERU.
Ecuador and Uruguay would kill each other off.
I'm thinking it could be a draw the best,
but of course an Ecuador win would mean a mountain in Montevideo.
If we do get that elusive 5th Place (yes 5th place seems very elusive at the moment).
Then we have to play against most probably HONDURAS or COSTA RICA.
Realistically speaking, MEXICO and the USA are almost there.
If we can't get past HONDURAS or COSTA RICA (with no disrespect to these teams),
Then, I would finally conclude we don't deserve to be there, because we will not be there if we can get past these teams.
Let’s not look at the 6-4-6, and think its 6 defeats.
At this moment, we should be positive and look at 6 wins instead.
The 6 wins and will be 7 after Peru will be more or less enough to get us that 5th Place.
I’m in Buffalo, NY now, and the people of Buffalo know what defeats feel like.
In 1990-1993, the Bills entered 4 Superbowls in a row and choked, lost all 4 in a row.
Another way to look at it is its not 4 Superbowl defeats but 4 AFC Championships to get there.
My 2010 world cup would be over if Argentina doesn’t make it, and now the matter is just to make it to the world cup. One thing I’m looking forward is to see Argentina pitted against Capello’s England; of course that’s a story for another day. The important thing here is to make it.
So DIEGO or DIEGOless, CARLOS or CARlost, Deep down inside I know we will make it.
Cheer up and have a great weekend.
Regards,
Alwin
Malaysian in Buffalo, NY
I think Maradona has an agenda to destroy Argentinian football for whatever twisted reasons he may have. I have read a lot of the comments that are posted and they are wide off the mark. The probable line ups are for fantasy football lovers. Argentina has a coach who appears to feel threatened or resents those who are successful. How can this guy think of giving Palermo and Schiavi a more prominent role. He continually ignores those in form and who excel for their clubs and has a knack for unearthing obscure sub standard locals. Then he acts surprised when Argentina lose.
Argentina has lost its aura. No team is scared of them. Even Peru should feel confident. The team has conceded 12 goals in its last 4 meaningful games and scored 2. Yet this clown is still in employment and driving people insane with his stupidity.Does he have to destroy everything around him to feel complete. It is clear that he is not up to the job. The results speak for themselves. His selections are not based on merit and feels comfortable selecting local players because they do not threaten him with their wealth or independence.
There is no point in persisting with this clown or the worst case scenario will become reality. If a more prominent role is given to Palermo, Schiavi and whatever 3rd rate local Argentina are doomed.
There was a lot of abuse directed towards the defenders after the Brasil game. They lacked experience and Argentina has much better defenders who were overlooked for whatever stupid reason. If Brasil had played a better offensive game the humiliation would have been worse. Robinho did not play well and Elano was poor. Brasil may not be the artistic team of old. However the selection process is fair. Players who perform have an incentive to remain consistent. Dunga is not relying on failures from Flamengo or Cruzeiro, Ronaldinho has been dropped and Adrianno is not an automatic selection. Deigo will have to excel in Italy if he is to replace Elanno after flopping in Copa America and the Olympics. Grafitte may get a chance if he shows he is not a one season wonder and Robinho will have to step up to avoid being replaced by Nilmar.
Argentina's destiny lies in the hands of local folk heroes like Seba Dominguez, Schiavi, and the local folk hero Palermo. Despite not having his best players around Maradona could have called upon Militto and Lisandro in his hour of need. He refuses and brings on Palermo and is surprised at the defeat. How humiliating it must be for all the top strikers Argentina to be passed over for this super flop.
http://www.ole.clarin.com/notas/2009.../01996707.html
Who is this guy?
http://www.goal.com/en/news/1863/world-cup-2010/2009/09/11/1495512/huracan-boss-antonio-mohamed-offers-diego-maradona-coaching
Antionio Mouhammad may help out
Great job SEBA, once more. I would add another contradiction from Maradona. After Basile resigned he said he would never use Heinze as a leftback (and use papa instead). Look what he has done against Brazil...
I posted on Mundo Albiceleste a while back just to congratulate the site and its contributors for excellent work over a prolonged period.
I freelance myself, and have always enjoyed Seba's articles and views. My feelings right now are of immense anger and hatred. I've read all the comments on the site in recent days and I'm glad that everyone is of the same mindset.
Maradona has done something I never thought possible, I hate him. I actually hate him.
This is a guy who is and was a symbol for all of us Argentines and Argentine fans from all over the world. Not for Maradona the person, of whom there is little to respect or admire. However, because football means so much to us all, he has been put on a pedestal despite his many flaws and his many mistakes - even when it hurt the team we all love, like in USA 94.
My respect for Maradona the coach couldn't be lower, and his comments about the media, his comments about Messi (over a lengthy period, before he was coach and since) and his clear football dyslexia are astonishing beyond belief.
His personnel selections are so absurd that I find it ridiculous that we should even be having to rant and rave about a guy who thinks Seba Dominguez or Schiavi or Coloccini are better players than any of say Gonzalo Rodriguez, Samuel, Garay, Fazio etc etc
His inclusion of Heinze is poor, but in fairness to Diego, he is one of a number of coaches who has seen fit to include Heinze. This is due surely more to the fact Heinze is a team guy, a stand up guy who is good for team spirit but unfortunately sorely lacking at this level.
As a Boca fan, it is no surprise to know that ever since Bielsa left, my choice for coach has and always will be Carlos Bianchi.
When Diego was appointed I didn't agree with it, but like Seba, I trusted that the set up around him would mean we would not lack for tactical acumen.
This has clearly proven to be nothing more than a mirage. There is no coaching, there is no input that is acted on by Maradona.
He is doing it his way, from top to bottom. His way includes being friends with players, keeping those who stay friends with him and completely ignoring or discarding those who fall out with him over the slightest thing.
Riquelme has clearly won his "battle" with Maradona. Diego has hung himself with his pettiness, its all about him. Its all about creating enemies where there are none.
As Seba has said, the media have been leinient with him, they have wanted him to do well. I hope they never stop slaughtering him now, because Maradona is a disgrace for claiming the media are the problem here.
As I type, I get more angry, as we continue to peel away at each and everything wrong with this set up.
For Messi to receive any criticism from anyone or be blamed in anyway disgusts me maybe more than anything else. Lio is a young man with a calm and cool head on his shoulders, something Maradona could never dream of achieving such calm. It takes quite an idiot to take the best player in the world and make him looks helpless and hopeless.
When you see Messi throw his arms in the air and TURN HIS BACK ON PLAY against Paraguay, what more needs to be said about how bad things must really be off and on the pitch in this set up?
If the stories prove correct that Maradona will "punish" the Euro based players - I guess Diego wants to show us with each and every move that you haven't seen dumb until you see what Maradona does next - then quite frankly he will cause me to do something I have never done in 28 years of existence - I will not even watch Argentina play Peru and Uruguay.
I won't care if they win, lose or draw. Maradona has taken OUR team and hijacked it for himself. I don't care if he goes on to win the WC with the apalling sets of players he chooses to place his blind and totally underserved faith in (Schiavi loooooooooool), he has lost me as a fan.
I'm an Argentine in England, imagine my life right now? As I see England, so well organised and disciplined under Capello, while myself and friends watch Argentina, a team with talent - although not as much talent as we think - look like they couldn't fight their way out of a paper bag.
I could go on, and I know I have said enough already, but I hope everyone continues to voice their displeasure with what is happening.
I'm afraid Maradona knows less about football than anyone I have ever seen, this is proven by his current time as coach of a set of players who should qualify with ease.
Any one of us could coach this team to qualification, and I am not kidding for one second. Maradona really has no clue whatsoever, and I would love for him to answer - well first the questions would have to be posed - why certain players have been called up from nowhere ahead of players who are so clearly better that as I said at the start, its laughable that we even have to talk about it to begin with.
MARADONA MAY BE SACKED BY NEXT WEEK
http://goal.com/en/news/1863/world-cup-2010/2009/09/11/1495572/argentina-coach-diego-maradona-could-face-the-sack-next-week
Were one of you guys up to this?
http://www.canchallena.com/1173445
:)
Yesssss.... finally!! For the past two days i have constantly been refreshing and re-visiting football news sites IN HOPE of seeing a headline "Maradona sacked" or "Maradona resigns"... or anything like that. But in the end i just lost hope as all i could see was Maradona saying he's gonna continue, gonna call more local players, give more chances to Palermo and Schiavi...etc. But..... finally, i saw something good a few minutes ago!! Two actually... the first was that Antonio Mohamed was asked to collaborate with Diego and help him out tactically (better than nothing). Then, something better! Although not exactly the headline i was waiting for in a direct sense, but close enough... some hope!! It said "Maradona could get the sack next week"!!!! :D
Oh my God, finally... im so emotional now... what a sigh of relief, finally some hope!!! I know its not official or anything, but at least we'v got something to hope for now... we can all pray for the best. His sack would be the best news for all of us right now. Seba, to answer your question in the title of your last podcast article... Yes, there COULD be light at the end of the tunnel...
I swear, if this really happens... ill cry of joy!
FINGERS CROSSED EVERYONE!!
By the way Seba, and all of you in Argentina and who understand Spanish, if you know anything about this latest development... PLEASE dont hold back! Tell us what you'r hearing, how valid this is....etc.
http://www.goal.com/en/news/1863/world-cup-2010/2009/09/11/1495572/argentina-coach-diego-maradona-could-face-the-sack-next-week
BY NEXT WEEK!
If Maradona gets the sacked, Argentina NT problems wont solve though... not even close!
I think it is step towards the right direction. Use players that need to be called. Get rid of the dead weight i.e Heinze,Palermo, pretty much the back line and call in the players we need. Diego getting fired is the first step.
Media roasting for Maradona
2009/09/12
BUENOS AIRES: Argentina coach Diego Maradona was accused of making fatal errors in selection and tactics on Thursday as the football-mad country contemplated the humiliating prospect of missing out on the World Cup.
Wednesday's 1-0 defeat to Paraguay sent the former double champions slipping out of the four automatic qualifying places for the 2010 finals in South Africa with just two games in the South American zone left to play.
It was the fourth defeat in six qualifiers since Maradona took the reins.
The La Nacion newspaper said: "These are hard times for the coach who had multiple errors."
"Edge of the abyss," headlined Clarin, the country's biggest-seller which added that Maradona can't afford any more slip-ups against Peru, who are already eliminated, and then Uruguay, who trail the former champions by just one point.
Sports daily Ole commented that Maradona, who captained Argentina to the 1986 World Cup title, "had made all the mistakes that a coach can commit and which de-motivated the players."
After Wednesday's defeat, Maradona, who took charge in November last year, was in defiant mood.
"Since I was 15 years old, I have feared nobody. I am 48 now and I will continue to fight against them," said Maradona, in reference to the country's demanding media.
Maradona is paid US$100,000 (RM350,000) a month, but his appointment was widely criticised because of his lack of experience as a coach.
His salary is thought to be twice that earned by predecessors Daniel Passarella, Marcelo Bielsa, Jose Pekerman and Alfio Basile.
Maradona's coaching CV is wafer-thin.
While he served a doping suspension, he trained low-level clubs Mandiyu de Corrientes (October to December 1994) and Racing Club de Avellaneda (May-September 1995).
In his 23 matches in charge, his teams drew 12 matches, lost eight and won just three.
When Maradona succeeded Alfio Basile, who quit in October 2008, Argentina were in third spot in the qualifiers.
But Maradona's Argentina have lacked direction, conceding 14 goals in six matches while star players Lionel Messi and Carlos Tevez have failed to take their club form onto the international stage. -- AFP
Diego won't be fired, though maybe Grondona and AFA will impose conditions on him (advisors, players to call, and where to play) that may push him to the brink. That is, he may decide he doesn't want to be DT if these are the new rules.
(Bilardo's position in all this is VERY INTERSTING. I think he's being incredibly careful, very politic, about what he says.)
There's an article in Clarin
http://www.clarin.com/diario/2009/09/11/deportes/d-01996353.htm
suggesting a lot of pressure will come down next week.
I see a lot of opposition to (or serious concern about) Maradona as DT in the Argentine press. Check out Futbol Ruso podcasts at Ole, for ex.
By the way, Mundo Albiceleste is a great site. Smart commentary, intelligent discussion, unlike much of the stuff at Goal.com, and in some of the argentine press, where you get all the pecho frio crap, and nonsense about the players needing to believe in and suffer for the shirt (camiseta). As if futbol games are won simply because individuals are possessed by mationalist frenzy. (And I want Argentina to be in WC and WIN IT as much as anyone.
Thanks,
When you cross the ball, this is what has to happen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OSUORzdpWY
http://www.goal.com/en/news/1863/world-cup-2010/2009/09/12/1495666/world-cup-debate-five-reasons-why-argentina-coach-diego-maradona-
"I realised that I have options, that those [players] who play in Argentina can do a good job. Perhaps we will qualify for the World Cup with those [players] from here mixed with those from Europe" - Diego Maradona, Ole.
He also said that many of these would be experienced players. Could they be Roberto Abbondanzieri, Esteban Fuertes, Ariel Ortega and Marcelo Gallardo?
I have been saying this all along: Diego won't quit and GRONDONA won't sack him. Simple as that.
So please...stop pasting here Goal.com articles. They are not the most reliable of sources and they hardly come up with exclusive features, interviews or pieces.
There could be changes in the coaching staff, but with the next squad list being only 2 weeks away from being announced, there is no time for a major change.
Even if there was time, I repeat: MARADONA won't quit and GRONDONA won't fire him.
I'm honestly desperate because I see MARADONA won't come to his senses and he looks like he won't change his mind and admit his faults and mistakes.
Instead, he'll keep on taking it on the press and now, it seems, on the European-based stars that work to perfection and perform like the best players in the world anywhere else but with him (or BASILE).
Can we borrow GUARDIOLA for the next two matches? ;)
Coach BIANCHI!!! or Bilardo
lineup for next two games:
Romero
Gonzalo-Demichellis-Samuel
Maxi- Mascherano- Datolo
Riquelme
Messi
Higuain-Tevez
You can't go wrong with that.
I think hes gonna have to accept the AFA's commands if he wants to stay Grondona wont fire him because he doesn't wanna pay him 2 million for the next 2 years however according to Maradona's contract if he doesn't obey what they want they can fire him without pay
Raj has a pretty good line-up!
Anyways Seba you forgot about the time when Maradona was appointed and he said that every game is like a final, even if it is a friendly, and when we had the match against Russia, he said that this match is not necessary and that he wasn't interested or what not. Also if all these matches played under him were "Finals", We didn't see any determination nor any ideas to win these matches! Instead we saw excuses!
haha look at the Argies, scream have a fun time at home looking forward to seeing an Argie-less world cup
God Save the Queen
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