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Wild thing Maradona hopes to turn around Almagro's fortunes
Updated: Sunday October 29, 2000 10:16 AM
You can't keep a good man down, nor the other kind -- that seems to be the message coming out of Argentina at the moment. Struggling first-division club Almagro, which at the time of writing lies at the bottom of the league with just four points from their opening 10 games, has taken its life in its hands by inviting Diego Maradona to be the team's new manager.
It doesn't seem to worry Almagro that its new boss is coming straight from drug rehab in Cuba to take charge of the team's waning fortunes. Apparently his celebrity status and tactical know-how is enough to compensate for his wild reputation as a man who can barely control himself, let alone others.
In the past, those who regularly visit this Web site will know that I have had little time for Diego and his numerous attention-seeking comebacks and phony acts of contrition. However, while I question Almagro's optimism in thinking Maradona can control his wayward tendencies, I'm not so stupid as to write off his chances completely.
What does he have going for him? Well as gifted former performers all over the world have discovered, when you've proved yourself at the highest level on the field, there's a degree of respect from players that goes with the territory. For example, in England, Glenn Hoddle's otherworldly talents on the ball left many of his players in awe during training sessions for the national team. Seasoned professionals like Alan Shearer and the like having marveled unashamedly at what Hoddle was able to do with the ball during training.
Sadly for Glenn, his otherworldly tendencies in other areas cost him his job. But at least initially, he commanded respect. And I'm sure the same will go for Maradona.
What about his man management skills? Well as an Argentine World-Cup winning captain he certainly led by example in his heyday, at least as far as the playing side was concerned. Though I never had the impression that his fellow players were totally in tune with his superb footballing brain. When you're a genius, of course, that's likely to happen. But all the same, I still felt Maradona was more of an individual than a star who marshaled his troops and brought others into the game. The question is, can he make his ideas more accessible as a coach?
Obviously, his lack of coaching pedigree means his communication skills are as yet untested. But everyone has to start somewhere. So Diego's tactical ability must be given the benefit of the doubt until he proves otherwise.
With his track record, the biggest question mark will come in the area of discipline. I mean, what can a boss say to an errant star, when he himself has broken every rule in the book at least twice? The best Almagro can hope for is that, perhaps, his experience will be a plus point. Having used more ploys, excuses, and cover-ups than any other player in history to get his way and absolve himself of blame for his actions, maybe Maradona will simply be too savvy for his new players in his role as coach. As the saying goes, you can't kid a kidder, and on that score Diego has proved himself the master.
So, with reservations, I think Maradona at least has a sporting chance of making a go of his new career. And as the game seems to be the one addiction he doesn't want to conquer, let's hope for his sake he succeeds.
Terry Baddoo is co-host of World Sport, the international sports show that airs live on CNN/Sports Illustrated and CNN International.
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