My Say: What Has Happened To Argentina?

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Diego Maradona - Argentina (Mexsport)

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The following are the views of the author and not necessarily of Goal.com.

The current crop of players Argentina have at their disposal is by far the most talented players in the past 25 years, at least as long I’ve been following them anyway.

One would think this team with players like Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Carlos Tevez, Javier Mascherano, Fernando Gago, Gabriel Milito would be waltzing their way through the qualifiers, but this has hardly been the case.

As a long standing fan this is frightening.  The current team stands fourth in the CONMEBOL qualifiers and their next competitive game is against their greatest rivals Brazil, who have rediscovered their killer instinct in front of goal as shown recently in the Confederations Cup.

So what has happed to Argentina?

Diego Armando Maradona has happened to Argentina, that's what has happened to Argentina. Great players do not make great coaches and in Maradona’s case the greatest player has made even less of an impact. He has almost set the motion backwards. The team seems to have lost their trademark passing and possession style football which has never failed to captivate audiences worldwide.

Maradona, as great motivator he might be, is a terrible tactician and an even poorer coach. Not only is he egomaniacal, he is stubborn and refuses to take the advice of a certain Carlos Bilardo – who coached Maradona and Argentina to glory in 1986. This I think is one of his gravest mistakes, as it has cost Argentina dearly and the side now stands in fourth place with Brazil looming.

Maradona’s choice of personnel has been haphazard. He has tried to fill various gaps in midfield by picking players based on some random algorithm hatched in his delusional mind. The defensive lapses shown at the back are even more embarrassing.  Once again the choice of personnel is to blame and I will not name any players because the list is too long.

Upfront Argentina’s lack of a true number 9 has been glaringly apparent. But yet again a certain Gonzalo Higuain is ignored time and time again.

One of the greatest problems in the team has been trying to connect the midfield ahead of Javier Mascherano with advanced playmakers such as Messi. When you have the current greatest player in the world at your disposal, you give him the ball; when you don’t you’ve lost the plot.

Furthermore airing your dirty laundry in public only alienates people. This is exactly what forced Riquelme to quit the national team again. Juan Roman Riquelme might have been the solution to connect the midfield with Messi and their combination would’ve been devastating. But unfortunately that combo ended with the 2007 Copa America.

Last but not the least, what’s affecting the team and its morale is the drama that’s unfolding. Julio Grondona, the president of the AFA, publicly pleaded with Riquelme to return to the national team. Riquelme flatly refused. Maradona will not apologize to Riquelme and his ego will ensure his retirement from the national team remains permanent. Riquelme’s ego and prima-donna attitude will ensure that he will not put his country or the fans first and return to help the national team. This has turned into an episode of Real Housewives of New Jersey, except in this case it’s the Real Prima-donnas of Buenos Aires.

Is there a solution? Is there hope? Because if Argentina miss out on the World Cup finals in 2010, not only will their fans suffer, but the whole world and neutrals will truly miss watching a team of superstars weave magic on the field.

Let’s hope that there is an end to the squabbling and fighting and that a positive result will come at the El Monumental in September against Brazil.

Ajay Swamy

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