Argentina to wait over Maradona successor
Reuters - Wednesday 04 August 2010, 16:54
BUENOS AIRES - Diego Maradona's successor
as Argentina coach will not be picked before October, the
country's football association said on Wednesday.
Argentine Football Association (AFA) bosses voted
unanimously not to renew Maradona's contract on July 27
following Argentina's 4-0 thrashing by Germany in the World Cup
quarter-finals in South Africa earlier in the month.
A commission to define preparation plans for the 2014 World
Cup in Brazil will be formed in October, AFA said in a
statement.
Maradona's former Argentina team mate Sergio Batista was
appointed interim coach last month and seems likely to stay in
the role for now.
Maradona, who led Argentina to World Cup victory as captain
in 1986, was appointed as coach in late 2008 despite having very
little coaching experience.
During his tumultuous spell in charge, he was banned for two
months for a foul-mouthed outburst at a news conference and the
team barely scraped through the World Cup qualifiers.
After convincing wins in their opening World Cup games,
Argentina became one of the tournament favourites but Maradona's
dreams of lifting football's most-coveted trophy as coach were
dashed by the Germans.
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