UNITED KINGDOM: SOCCER / FOOTBALL - Diego Maradona takes international training for the first time since taking over as head coach of the Argentine national soccer team

Record ID: 343780

  • Title: UNITED KINGDOM: SOCCER / FOOTBALL - Diego Maradona takes international training for the first time since taking over as head coach of the Argentine national soccer team
  • Date: 19th November 2008
  • Summary: GLASGOW, SCOTLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (NOVEMBER 17, 2008) (REUTERS) SIGN ABOVE THE CELTIC PARK PITCH THAT READS (IN SPANISH): "Celtic Football Club welcomes Diego Maradona and the Argentine team to football paradise." ARGENTINA MANAGER DIEGO MARADONA WALKS ONTO THE PITCH AT CELTIC PARK BEFORE TRAINING MARADONA TALKS TO PLAYERS BEFORE TRAINING ARGENTINA CAPTAIN JAVIER MASCHER
  • Embargoed: 4th December 2008 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: United Kingdom
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVAALESHBGY7DO6GBSMWM95XOG1W
  • Story Text: Former World Cup winner Diego Maradona held his first international training session as head coach of Argentina on Monday (November 17) at Celtic Park in Glasgow. His team take on Scotland in an international friendly match on Wednesday (November 19) night.
    Maradona took the session with a whistle clamped in his teeth, and he was well wrapped up against the Scottish winter.
    Fernando Gago of Real Madrid and Manchester United's Carlos Tevez were among those training at Celtic Park.
    Two players conspicuous by their absence were Barcelona's talisman Lionel Messi and Juan Roman Riquelme of Boca Juniors who were not released by their clubs to play in the match.
    Despite the absence of two of his squad's star players Maradona, who was appointed head coach on November 4, will still have a wealth of talent at his disposal on Wednesday night.
    Players like the newly appointed Argentina captain Javier Mascherano of Liverpool and Sergio Aguero of Atletico Madrid have been in good form with their respective clubs this year and, like their teammates, will be eager to impress their new manager.
    Maradona has been an inspirational figure in Argentine football, with his most notable performances on the pitch coming in the World Cup of 1986 in Mexico when he captained Argentina to victory.
    His appointment as national team coach earlier this month was a surprise to many as his only previous coaching experiences were short spells with Argentine clubs Deportivo Mandiyu and Racing Club in the 1990s.
    During his time as a player, Maradona scored 34 goals in 91 appearances for Argentina but alcoholism and drug addiction brought an end to his career and eventually led to a heart attack in 2004.
    The 48-year old is said to feel rejuvenated by his new role and will be looking to inspire his team to qualification for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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