AFA: Maradona’s “Chapter Ended”

It’s all clear now. Diego Maradona won’t coach Argentina anymore. The decision belongs to the AFA (Argentina Football Association), which voted unanimously not to extend Maradona’s deal. AFA spokesman Ernesto Cherquis Bialo declared right after the executive committee’s meeting: “The executive committee… has resolved unanimously not to renew the contract of Diego Armando Maradona as coach of the national team.” This decision clears up the many rumors which had swirled ever since the legend took the charge of the national team, rumors which referred to Maradona’s choice regarding his assistants, this thing giving birth to several contradictions between the coach and AFA. Despite the fact Maradona declared right after the shameful exit from the world cup tournament in South Africa his “chapter has ended”, his choice turned out to be wrong few weeks later, when he claimed he wanted to stay and continue the national job he started at the team.

Argentina, the main favorite for the world cup trophy, was sent home from the South African tournament earlier than expected, Germany providing a shameful and also humiliating defeat for Maradona’s side, beating them with 4-0 as plenty of Argentina’s players and millions of fans bursted into cry. The AFA Cherquis Bialo also mentioned that the committee didn’t make a decision regarding Maradona’s successor: “Today in the meeting there was no discussion of when the selection of a new coach would take place.” There are not even rumors concerning his successor, but these will surely start to be revealed once the hours pass.

However, local media see former Boca Juniors coach Carlos Bianchi to become the new coach, this one managing along the time clubs like Roma and Atletico Madrid between 2005 and 2006. Although he barely caught the national team, Bianchi performed also as a player for Argentina between 1970 and 1972 when he scored one goal at two matches in 14 appearances.