Sport

Maradona offered new four-year deal

July 15, 2010 Edition 1

Soccer

BUENOS AIRES: The Argentina Football Association (AFA) says it will offer Maradona a new four-year contract that would keep him in charge of the national team through to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Ernesto Cherquis Bialo, a spokesman for the association, said yesterday that AFA president Julio Grondona would meet Maradona next week to discuss the offer.

This is the strongest indication that Maradona is likely to continue as the coach two weeks after Argentina was knocked out of the World Cup in a humiliating 4-0 quarter-finals loss to Germany. Maradona has said little since.

Cherquis Bialo said the association did not have another coach in mind should Maradona turn down the deal. He also suggested Argentina's performance in the World Cup had been respectable.

Argentina won in 1978 and 1986, but has not won a major title since claiming the Copa America in 1993.

"Fifth place is below what people here expect," Cherquis Bialo said. "But it's not embarrassing to an Argentina team."

His mention of fifth place was a little presumptuous.

There was no play-off among the four quarter-finalists eliminated. The losing semi-finalists - Germany and Uruguay - did have a play-off game to decide third and fourth place.

Public opinion is divided about the 49-year-old coach, who is a national icon as a player who led the country to the 1986 title. But he is seen by many as a poor tactician and unqualified coach.

President Cristina Fernandez has publicly supported him. Many of his players, including Lionel Messi, have said Maradona should make his own decision about staying on in the job. - Sapa-AP