Football: Door open for Maradona: Bilardo

PARIS: Argentina General Manager Carlos Bilardo insisted that the door remains open for a possible return of former national team coach Diego Maradona. Maradona led Argentina to the quarter-finals at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, where they were thrashed 4-0 by Germany, and his contract was subsequently not renewed by the Argentine Football Association. Bilardo has admitted that he has not spoken to the football legend since then, but did not rule out a possible reconciliation. “We don’t talk any more,” said Bilardo. “But you can’t say never again,” he added, in reference to Maradona’s chances of returning to the national set-up.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 28^th, 2011.