CARACAS, Venezuela (AP)—Diego Maradona says he will not resign as the coach of Argentina’s national team if his former teammate Oscar Ruggeri is not accepted as his assistant.
“It cost me a lot to get here, so it’s one-time opportunity,” said Maradona at a press conference in Venezuela’s capital on Tuesday. “I want to have Oscar Ruggeri at my side as a coach, but if that’s not possible, I’m not going to resign.”
Argentine Football Association boss Julio Grondona has said he will not give in to Maradona’s push for Ruggeri as an assistant.
Ruggeri was Maradona’s teammate in Argentina’s triumph at the 1986 World Cup, and they also played together at the 1990 and 1994 World Cup finals.
Asked if he thought 21-year-old Lionel Messi is better than he was at the same age, Maradona replied: “Hopefully he can do much more than I did because that way all Argentines win.”
Messi’s strength on the ball, excellent balance and left-footed mastery of defenders have made for obvious parallels with Maradona, who has approved the comparison.
He joked about Grondona’s comment that Messi is better.
“When he’s with me, he tells me I’m better than Messi. And when he’s with Messi, he tells him he’s the best,” said Maradona, drawing laughter from journalists and adoring fans.
Maradona said he hopes to meet with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez during his visit to the country.
Source:
http://sports.yahoo.com