maradona, argentine football, argentina football, Matias Almeyda, Ramon Diaz
“I think it's disgusting that there is such a lack of respect...” -Photo by AFP

BUENOS AIRES: Former Argentina coach and World Cup-winning skipper Diego Maradona has revealed he will not return to coaching in his homeland owing to frustration at the way club owners deal with hiring and firing.

“Since that horrible business when they got rid of (Matias) Almeyda on the Wednesday and brought in Ramon Diaz on the Sunday I don't want to work in Argentine football,” said Maradona in allusion to River Plate's latest spin of the managerial merry-go-round at the end of last year.

“I think it's disgusting that there is such a lack of respect for someone such as Almeyda, a gentleman who would never disrespect anybody. I don't want to go back to that,” said Maradona.

Maradona, currently working as an honorary ambassador of sports in Dubai following his recent sacking by Al-Wasl, was speaking late Tuesday to Argentine reporters in the United Arab Emirates.

He had earlier met with Argentina President Cristina Kirchner, who was visiting the region on her way to a tour of Asia.

Maradona has recently been touted as a possible coach of the Iraqi national side and insisted that “the contract I have with the people in Dubai does not preclude my working as a coach. They give me complete freedom.”

Opinion

One year on

One year on

Governance by the ruling coalition has been underwhelming and marked by growing authoritarianism.

Editorial

Climate funding gap
Updated 17 Feb, 2025

Climate funding gap

Pakistan must boost its institutional capacity to develop bankable climate projects.
UN monitoring report
Updated 17 Feb, 2025

UN monitoring report

Pakistan must press Kabul diplomatically over its tolerance of TTP terrorism.
Tax policy reform
17 Feb, 2025

Tax policy reform

THE cabinet’s decision to create a Tax Policy Office at the finance ministry has raised hopes that tax policy is...
Maintaining balance
Updated 16 Feb, 2025

Maintaining balance

It must take a more proactive approach to establishing Pakistan’s bona fides.
Welcome return
16 Feb, 2025

Welcome return

IT is almost here; the moment Pakistan has long been waiting for — the first International Cricket Council...
Childhood trauma
16 Feb, 2025

Childhood trauma

BEING a child in this society should not be so hard. But recurrent reports of child abuse — from burying girl...