Date:18/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/18/stories/2008111861211900.htm

Sport - Football

Maradona looks for better performance

GLASGOW: Diego Maradona, making the biggest comeback of his rollercoaster career since the 1994 World Cup, was set to take his first training session as Argentina coach at Celtic Park on Monday.

Imbuing his proteges with a sense of what it means to wear the Argentina shirt was his priority as he faced his debut against Scotland in a friendly at Hampden Park on Wednesday with minimal coaching experience under his belt.

Looking back at his matches for Argentina, particularly when he inspired it to World Cup victory in 1986, Maradona said: “Today (the players) can have a guide who will tell them what the shirt is about.

“I hope (the story) finishes in the same way (in South Africa in 2010). For now we’re taking it step by step,” he told Argentine reporters on Sunday night following his arrival in Glasgow from Buenos Aires.

Unhappy with the attitude he saw in the team in its last match under former coach Alfio Basile, a 1-0 defeat in a World Cup qualifier away to Chile, Maradona said: “I haven’t got the working time to ask for anything more.

“I just have to throw the team onto the pitch and the change in attitude is what is going to make this national team change.” Looking beyond Wednesday’s friendly, Maradona underlined the importance to the side of Lionel Messi and Juan Roman Riquelme.