Maradona hints at exit

Argentina boss and all-round football legend Diego Maradona has hinted he may quit his current post at the end of the qualifying campaign.  Argentina lie fifth in the South American World Cup qualifying table and are in real danger of missing out on automatic qualification, indeed Colombia, Venezuela and Uruguay could all pip them to fifth and they would miss the tournament all together.  A World Cup without Argentina would be practically unthinkable, the last time they failed to reach the tournament was way back in 1970 and should Maradona fail to get them to South Africa he won’t have to quit – they will almost certainly sack him.

He may be a national hero in Argentina for his undoubted skills as a footballer but he hasn’t really proved himself as management material since he took over the reigns of the national side in November 2008.  Argentina face Peru in Beunos Aires on Saturday, they will be heavy favourites with the World Cup betting odds to win this fixture as Peru sit at the bottom of the group and stand no chance of qualification.  However, next Wednesday they travel to Uruguay who could still take fifth spot from Argentina and that will be a massive tie that could have massive implications for the tournament next summer.  Despite their poor qualification campaign if Argentina qualify they will be among the betting favourites to life the World Cup and the absence of one of the world’s most established footballing nations will certainly be noticed.

For Maradona it would be somewhat of a personal tragedy if he becomes the first Argentine manager to fail in the hunt for world cup football in 30 years.  As a player his inspired performances led them to glory in 1978 and 1986 and for that he will always be remembered fondly on Arentine soil, though his reputation in his homeland may be tarnished if they miss out on South Africa 2010.  The best result for the footballing legend could well be he secures a fifth or fourth place and then steps down, Maradona has hinted this may be the case.

“After the qualifiers, I will talk to (Argentine football federation chief) Julio Grondona,” said Maradona.

“I’ll see if I carry on, and it will be on my conditions. When Julio offered me this job, I was the happiest man in the world, but since there have been things that I have not liked.”

It is always a great shame when terrific players fail as managers but judging the Argentinean’s qualification campaign it would seem as if Maradona is not cut out for management.