Thanks to Sporting Life / Fox Sports
MARADONA EXCITED BY ARGENTINA JOB
Diego Maradona will be confirmed as the new Argentina coach next Tuesday, according to Argentina Football Association National Team's secretary Luis Segura.
Maradona, 47, revealed on Tuesday he is on the verge of accepting the job and met with Argentinian Football Association (AFA) president Julio Grondona on Tuesday night.
Argentina have been without a coach since Alfio Basile stepped down for personal reasons on October 16, although Maradona has little coaching experience, having been in charge of Deportivo Mandiyu for two months in 1994 and Racing Club for four months in 1995. "The appointment will be official when the AFA's Committee approves it. And the next meeting is scheduled for next Tuesday." said Segura. "I believe there will not be anymore meetings with the other candidates."
Segura did confirm Sergio Batista will be in charge for the November 19 friendly against Norway in Oslo.
Earlier 1986 World Cup winner Maradona told Radio La Red: "My first job will be watching the players. I'll try to talk to them one by one and then work at the training camp in Ezeiza with them. I arrived from Georgia at 10am and three hours later I was having a shower to meet Julio. As I was going to the meeting, I thought it was some kind of hidden camera (show).The direction Julio wants for the national team is the same Bilardo and I have. My job will be watching the players and picking up the ones who are in the best form."
Maradona faces the task of helping Argentina improve their form with the Albicelestes having won just one of their last seven World Cup qualifiers to lie third in the South American Zone.
The former Argentina captain told FOX Sports: "The offer from Julio Grondoa attracted me a lot. "As soon as it is confirmed, I will start working, but I can say I am very proud. I'm putting everything aside for this. There is nothing that can make me look past the national team. Today my path is the national team, my task is to talk to the players and build a solid group. I am sure the guys and Argentinian football will pull through. I think we must make the players understand that our shirt is the most important thing, that they cannot exchange money for glory. Glory is much more than money. I know they know that, but we must make them remember that every day. We have enough quality to calm the nation. The road to the World Cup is not easy, but I believe in the Argentinian players. Everybody wants to play at the World Cup but we must show our traditions and our style on the field."
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