Maradona: San Lorenzo called, but I could never leave Al Wasl

Maradona: San Lorenzo called but I could never leave Al Wasl

Apr 5, 2012 3:07:00 PM

The former Argentina trainer expressed his disgust with Caruso's decision to leave Quilmes for the Cuervo, stating that he would never abandon his UAE side in the same way

Al Wasl coach Diego Maradona has claimed that he rejected the chance to return to Argentina with San Lorenzo out of loyalty to his current club.

The Argentina legend also blasted new Cuervo coach Ricardo Caruso Lombardi for not showing the same commitment to Quilmes.

Caruso was unveiled this week as the new man in San Lorenzo, who are currently fighting against relegation to the Nacional B and lie in the promocion play-off places. One of the Cuervo's prospective opponents in a play-off could have been Quilmes as Caruso's former employers are riding high in the second tier, in third place with 11 games to play.

Speaking on Wednesday evening, the Al Wasl coach maintained that he had been contacted for the vacancy, but that he would never betray his team in the same way as his compatriot.

"I have a job and I could not abandon my players. I am not going to do what Caruso Lombardi did because it would show a lack of respect to everyone at Al Wasl," Maradona fired to La Red.

"What Caruso Lombardi did repulsed me, he wasn't even out of work. In Quilmes he had a strong side and a group of players that were always loyal. It was not the moment to abandon ship.

"[San Lorenzo] could have hired a coach who was out of work, not one that already had a job."

San Lorenzo currently lie 17th in the Clausura table, having picked up just eight points from as many games.

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