Maradona blasts FIFA 'dinosaurs'
Reuters - Saturday 04 June 2011, 12:47
DUBAI - Diego Maradona branded FIFA bosses
'dinosaurs' on Saturday and said the world football body was run
by men who did not understand the game and were intent on
clinging to power.
The Argentine great, appearing at his first news conference
as coach of United Arab Emirates' side Al Wasl, was dismissive
of this week's unopposed re-election of 75-year-old Sepp Blatter
as FIFA president for another four years.
"Everything will be the same... FIFA is a big museum and they
are dinosaurs who do not want to give up power," said the man
who coached his country to the quarter-finals of last year's
World Cup in South Africa.
"I'm not surprised Blatter was re-elected because they look
after themselves. They will stay until they are 105 years old,"
he added. "I hope they will resign but don't be under any
illusions that they will.
"I have been asked to be part of the FIFA family but I said
it is not a family if no-one plays football," said Maradona.
"Many people agree with me that many things are not clear in
football these days and it is not something people who watch
football deserve. The situation will be the same while football
is run by people who do not understand football."
Blatter was re-elected to a fourth and final mandate after
his Qatari opponent Mohamed Bin Hammam withdrew from the race
amid cash-for-votes allegations.
TWO-YEAR DEAL
Maradona flew in to Dubai late on Friday to sign a two-year
contract with Al Wasl, a side that has won seven national titles
but none since 2007.
Saturday's news conference at a five-star hotel on the Palm
Jumeirah, a man-made island in the shape of a palm tree off the
coast of Dubai, was attended by around 100 reporters and more
than 20 television crews.
Those numbers, with journalists from as far afield as Spain
and Japan, contrasted with the usual handful of media in
attendance for most matches in the 12-team national league.
Al Wasl's average home crowd at league matches this season
is 3,360, with fewer than 1,000 at three of their home matches.
Maradona is due to watch his new team in action on Sunday
night when they play Sharjah as part of the final round of
matches, before taking charge ahead of the new season which
begins in September.
Al Wasl are fifth in the 12-team Etisalat Pro League. The
top four sides qualify for next year's Asian Football
Confederation Champions League.
The UAE league has been regarded as something of a final
stop before retirement for some of the world's top players.
Liberia's former World Footballer of the Year George Weah
played for this year's champions Al Jazira from 2001-2003, while
former Italy World Cup captain Fabio Cannavaro is currently
playing for Al Ahli.
Each side can select three foreign players in their line-ups
and Maradona said he did not want anyone past his best.
"I don't want old players. We are not here as a graveyard
for white elephants," he said.
"I want a team that can beat anyone and for that we need a
team that is in good condition, not with those about to retire.
When a player comes here, he comes here to run."
Maradona did not reveal the names of his transfer targets
but added: "I don't want big names like (Argentina national
players Lionel) Messi or (Carlos) Tevez.
"It's not because I don't like them. I love them but they
have big commitments elsewhere. I want people who have that same
commitment in my team."