Diego Maradona's Argentina in danger of suffering an unthinkable end | Jamie Jackson | Football | guardian.co.uk

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Catastrophe, disaster, unthinkable. Three words employed by Ossie Ardiles to describe what all of Argentina feels about the prospect of their beloved Diego Maradona failing to lead the country to next summer's World Cup. It is, however, a definite prospect. "The next two games will decide the fate of Argentina, this is a tough situation. Argentina not in an automatic qualifying place is unthinkable but a possibility," says Ardiles, a winner of the 1978 World Cup and a former international team-mate of El Diego.

Maradona's reign as coach, which began 10 games into the qualifying campaign after Alfio Basile's resignation last November, has been a reflection of the former cocaine addict's volatile life. Earlier this week he threatened to walk out when saying his appointment had made him supremely happy "but then things happened that I didn't like". Aimed at Carlos Bilardo, Maradona's former head coach who as his special advisor now has a fractious relationship with the 48-year-old, this comment could also be Maradona offering an honest assessment of his managerial record.

Near the top would be the calling up of more than 60 players. Amid such instability defence has been largely forgotten. For the crucial visit of Brazil last month the centre-back pairing had one senior cap between them as Argentina were humiliated 3-1. There is also an ongoing, debilitating battle with the Argentinian media, which Maradona claims has been running since he was 15. And, according to Ardiles, he has rendered Lionel Messi, arguably the world's ...

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http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2009/oct/09/argentina-diego-maradona-world-cup

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2009/oct/09/argentina-diego-maradona-world-cup